Suzanne Kianpour

Suzanne Kianpour (born November 23, 1986) is an American news broadcaster, journalist, academic, public speaker, host, and moderator. She is the host of BBC's 'Out of the Shadows.'
==Early life and education==
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Kianpour's heritage is a blend of Iranian and Italian-American. Her parents met in Alabama during the Iran hostage crisis. Her father hails from Masjed Soleyman in Iran, and is Shi'ite Muslim while her mother's family originates from Bisacquino, Sicily and is Catholic.
Kianpour went to Emory University, where she was on the cross country team. She furthered her education at University College at Oxford and later attended Georgetown University for postgraduate studies, eventually returning as faculty for a fellowship with the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service. Kianpour is multilingual, fluent in Persian (Farsi), conversational in Spanish, with basic knowledge of French and Italian, and began learning Arabic while reporting from Lebanon.
==Career==
===NBC===
Suzanne Kianpour's career in journalism began at NBC News in Washington, where she worked as a page and was mentored by Savannah Guthrie. During her time at the network she was was part of 2010 Election coverage that was nominated for an Emmy Award.
===BBC===
In 2011, she moved to the BBC. At the age of 25, Kianpour made her on-air debut on List of current BBC newsreaders and reporters|BBC World News. In 2014, Kianpour moved to Lebanon amidst the rise of ISIS in the Middle East. She broke the story of a conspiracy theory alleging that Hillary Clinton admitted to creating the radical Islamist group.. That same year, she was one of the first reporters to witness the aftermath of the Sinjar Massacre. Her reporting from the region was so impactful that it was later said to have been watched by President Obama, influencing his decision to order airstrikes in Iraq and Syria.
Kianpour was able to interview with high-profile figures such as Khaled Meshaal, the head of Hamas, and President Obama following the Iran deal announcement. Her interviews with key women involved in the Iran deal, including Frederica Mogherini and Wendy Sherman, were cited in a UN study on women, peace, and security.
Kianpour's documentary work includes 'America's Place in the Worldwhich features interviews with Mitt Romney and Mike Pompeo, and 'Out of the Shadows,' which uniquely brought together members of the CIA, the IRGC, and the Mossad. In 2015, Kianpour's was acknowledged when Washington Life magazine featured her as a person to watch in their "Power Issue."She continued to be listed as one of DC’s most influential leaders under 40 for several years. She has covered significant political events, such as the US-Cuba détente and the US presidential elections, showcasing her versatility and depth as a journalist. In 2019, Emory University recognized Kianpour as one of their "40 under 40" alumni, celebrating her as one of the university's most outstanding and impactful young alumni. Throughout her career, Kianpour has reported on global security and humanitarian crises, with a focus on the traumatic effects of conflict on children. She is the creator and host of the award-winning BBC series 'Women Building Peace' which highlights the role of women in war and peace building efforts. In 2023, Kianpour was nominated for Presenter of the Year at The AIB's for her work with the BBC.
===Teaching===
In 2018, she returned to her alma matter Georgetown as a fellow in int Institute of Politics and Public Service. The following year she became a professor at UCLA specializing in Public Diplomacy. During her tenure as a professor she spoke at a NYU event discussing what makes a good president.
===CNAS===
In March 2023, Kianpour joined the Center for a New American Security as an Adjunct Senior Fellow. As part of her work with the CNAS she is developing a series called "Women, Power & Security."
Category:1986 births
Category:American people
Category:People from Atlanta
Category:Journalists