Dawn Baker Biography
Dawn Baker is an American journalist working for WTOC as a co-anchor of The News at 5, 6, 7, and THE News at 11:00. Before that role, she served the station as a general assignment reporter covering the education and court beats. She joined the station in 1989 as a reporter and has served the station for more than 3 decades. Previously, she worked in Wilmington, North Carolina as a reporter for a year.
Dawn Baker Education
Baker joined Savannah High School when she finished her studies at the Liberty and Chatham County Public Schools. She graduated high school with honors and joined Howard University in Washington, D.C. Later, she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism
Dawn Baker Career
Baker works for WTOC as a co-anchor of The News at 5, 6, 7, and THE News at 11:00. Before that role, she served the station as a general assignment reporter covering the education and court beats. Upon joining the station, she first worked as a reporter. Previously, she worked in Wilmington, North Carolina as a reporter for a year.
Baker wrote in her high school senior memory book that she wanted to be a TV news anchor and reporter. She always thinks of the professor who had asked her college class what made them think they were so special to get a job in the competitive business. She credits him for a lot of her success since he pushed her to prove him wrong by achieving her goals.
In 2011, she issued Dawn’s Daughter: Everything A Woman Needs To Know which started a movement for her to change the world and the next generation of leaders by setting free women one girl at a time. She donates a portion of the book’s proceedings to the fund, “The Dawning of a Miracle Scholarship,” which assists young ladies with chronic/life-threatening diseases in going to college. In this role, she has given over ten dollars in scholarships to young ladies.
Baker holds most pride in starting the Dawn’s Daughter Leadership Academy for 9th- 12th-grade girls in 2015. In this role, she teaches them the necessary skills for successful personal and professional lives. During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, she attained the first shot in the US Phase 3 trial of the Moderna Covid vaccine.
Baker enjoys stories that help those in need or display a talented or special person whom most people live around but don’t know anything about. She believes the best part about reporting is assisting people and that it’s the journalist’s responsibility to ask the tough questions about matters that affect the community and beyond.
Community Work and Volunteering
Baker believes everyone is responsible for helping improve the quality of life for the disadvantaged. Thus, she has worked as a host of numerous fundraisers for multiple non-profit organizations and telethons. Also, she co-hosts the yearly St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance Day Parade.
Baker has been active in the community working on boards like the Reardon Center for Children with Brain Disorders, the Better Business Bureau, the American Diabetes Association, the American Red Cross Bone Marrow Program, Goodness & Mercy Foundation, Inc., and the Wesley Community Center.
In her community service, she thinks going on a medical mission to Africa alongside the Goodness & Mercy Foundation changed her life. She went to Ghana where her motivation to do more to help people increased. The hard work of the people in the Konongo Village despite them having fewer opportunities touched her. She returned from the mission in June 2006 and has worked to raise funds for the foundation ever since.
In February 2007, Baker went on a medical mission to Guatemala alongside volunteers from Faith In Practice. In September of that year, she returned to Africa where she spent a week serving the Goodness & Mercy Foundation in Ajalli, Nigeria. Visiting third-world nations made her more proud of her home country.
Awards
During her career, Baker has won numerous awards for her journalism work including the NATAS Southeast Emmy’s Silver Circle and Associated Press Awards for the Best Series and Best Documentary Awards. In 2021, she was nominated “Best News Anchor” by readers of the Savannah Morning News. She was the runner-up in “Best Local TV Anchor” according to the readers of Connect Savannah. Also, she won the “Excellence in Journalism Award” and “The Louis R. Lautier Award for Career Achievement.”
She has also received honors and awards from several civic organizations like
- An “Outstanding Georgian” honor from the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office
- A “Community Star” honor from the Savannah Tech Foundation
- ” A Woman Of Distinction” from the National Council of Negro Women, the Girl Scouts of Coastal GA, and the Georgia State NAACP
- The “Citizen of the Year” honor from the Mu Phi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the Mutual Benevolent Society
- The “Dr. Muriel Williams Battle Shero Award” from the Consortium of Doctors
- Listed among “The Top Ten Working Women” in the list of A Working Woman In Need (A.W.W.I.N.)
- “The Outstanding Humanitarian Service Award” from the 100 Black Men of Savannah
- The “Woman of the Year” honor from Top Ladies of Distinction
- “Young Careerist” honor from the Port City Business and Professional Women
- “The Drum Major for Justice Award” from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference
- The “Rosa Parks Award” from the AME Evangelical Minister’s Union
- The “Beverly Whitehead Award for Service to the Youth Commission” from the Chatham County Youth Commission
- The “Southern Regional Press Institute Service Award” from Savannah State University
- The “Excellence in Journalism Award” from the League of Women Voters
Dawn Baker Age
Baker has not yet disclosed the year she was born. However, she might be in her 50s. Baker celebrates her birthday every April 14th as evidenced by her Facebook post on April 14, 2023, where she posted a birthday cake written “Happy Birthday Dawn+Jill.”
Dawn Baker Height
Baker stands at an approximate height of 5 feet and 6 inches.
Dawn Baker Family
Baker grew up in Riceboro but has managed to keep her personal life away from the limelight hence she has not disclosed any information about her parents. It is also not if Baker has any siblings.
Dawn Baker Husband
Baker is very private about her personal life therefore it is not known if she is in any relationship. There are also no rumors of her being in any past relationship with anyone.
Dawn Baker Net Worth
Baker has an estimated net worth ranging between $1 Million – $5 Million which she has earned through being a journalist.
Dawn Baker Salary
Baker earns an annual salary ranging between $40,000 – $ 110,500.
Dawn Baker WTOC
Baker is working at WTOC where she works alongside other famous anchors and reporters including;
- Hayley Boland
- Tyler Manion
- Michaela Romero
- Jamie Ertle
- Andrew Gorton
- Dave Turley