When people look up prominent broadcast journalists, physical stats and personal background often share the search query spotlight alongside professional milestones. For Natalie Pasquarella, the award-winning face of NBC 4 New York, public interest covers everything from her early days in local Ohio news to her calm composure during major live broadcasting moments. Understanding who she is requires looking past simple bio statistics to examine a steady two-decade climb through local newsrooms and major market broadcasting.
Standing at a height of 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m), Pasquarella has built a reputation for sharp reporting and steady delivery rather than tabloid-style celebrity. Born on January 25, 1982, in Steubenville, Ohio, she grew up as the eldest of four children. Her path to anchoring the flagship 4 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. newscasts in the country's largest media market is a study in professional endurance.
Early Life, Education, and Local News Roots
Pasquarella’s interest in journalism took root during her youth in Steubenville. After graduating from Kent State University, where she honed her reporting skills, she secured hands-on experience early on, including an internship at NY1 in New York City.
Her professional broadcasting career started close to home at WTOV 9 News, where she worked as an anchor, reporter, and producer from 2004 to 2008. Working in smaller markets laid the groundwork for hard-hitting local journalism. For instance, her investigative reporting on sex offenders voting in public schools earned recognition from the West Virginia Associated Press, proving her capability beyond standard lifestyle or community interest stories. Further information on this are detailed by Associated Press.
Following her tenure in Ohio, Pasquarella moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, joining WSOC-TV in August 2008. During her seven years in Charlotte, she anchored major newscasts that dominated local ratings. Notably, she traveled to the White House in 2011 to conduct a one-on-one interview with President Barack Obama ahead of the Democratic National Convention. That high-profile assignment cemented her status as a serious regional journalist ready for a major metropolitan market.
Transition to WNBC and Major Market Success
In September 2015, Pasquarella made the jump to New York City's WNBC as an anchor and reporter. Breaking into the New York media landscape is notoriously difficult, but her transition was swift. She quickly became a fixture on the station's evening and late-night line-ups, taking on the 4 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. desks.
Beyond daily anchoring, Pasquarella became a core contributor to the station's I-Team investigative unit, digging into complex regional issues across the Tri-State area. Her commitment to rigorous journalism has been recognized with multiple accolades, including four New York Emmy Awards. These honors came as part of WNBC's team coverage of high-stress breaking news events, including the 2016 Dallas police attacks, the Hoboken rail crash, and the 2017 Bronx-Lebanon Hospital shooting.
Professional Poise Under Pressure
Few moments capture Pasquarella's professional composure quite like an incident that unfolded live on air in September 2017. While anchoring the late-night newscast, her water broke. Rather than panicking or disrupting the broadcast mid-sentence, she maintained her professional delivery through the end of the segment before heading to the hospital.
Co-anchors and viewers alike praised her remarkable poker face and steady nerves. Shortly after, she and her husband, businessman Jamin Pastore, welcomed their healthy baby boy, Jimmy James, followed later by the birth of their daughter, Jada Kathryn. The event became a widely discussed viral milestone in broadcast history, highlighting a level of grace under pressure that resonated with working parents nationwide.
Family Life and Community Involvement
Away from the news desk, Pasquarella resides in Bergen County, New Jersey, with her husband and children. She balances a demanding schedule of evening and late-night broadcasts with family life, often noting how motherhood grounds her perspective on local news stories impacting families in the Tri-State area.
Her public footprint extends to frequent community service work. She has actively collaborated with regional anti-hunger organizations like the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, alongside support for local food banks, the American Red Cross, the March of Dimes, and regional Boys & Girls Clubs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Natalie Pasquarella's current role at NBC New York?
She serves as a primary anchor for WNBC's daily evening and late newscasts (4 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m.) and reports for the station's I-Team investigative unit.
Where did Natalie Pasquarella go to college?
She is an alumna of Kent State University, where she studied broadcast journalism before starting her career in local news.
Is Natalie Pasquarella married?
Yes, she is married to businessman Jamin Pastore. The couple tied the knot in May 2014 and shares two children.
How many Emmy Awards has she won?
She has received four New York Emmy Awards for her contributions to WNBC's intensive team coverage of major regional and national breaking news events.
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