Dawna Friesen is a familiar and trusted face in Canadian news. Many viewers know her as the anchor and executive editor of Global National, where she has covered major stories with a calm and confident style for years.
Dawna was born on October 8, 1964 (61 years old), in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Over the years, she has built a strong name in journalism through her serious reporting, international coverage, and long career on television.
Before becoming one of the top faces at Global News, Dawna Friesen worked as a foreign correspondent and reported on important events from different parts of the world.
Her work on Global National and her 30 years of experience in broadcast journalism have made her one of the most respected news anchors in Canada
Keep reading Dawna Friesen’s Biography to learn more about her family, husbands, children, career, education, awards, and more.
Dawna Friesen Wiki & Early Life
| Full Name | Dawna Friesen |
| Profession | Television journalist, news anchor, executive editor |
| Age | 61 years old |
| Date of Birth | October 8, 1964 |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Zodiac/Sun Sign | Libra |
| Birthplace | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| Current Address | Canada |
Dawna Friesen Husband & Children
Dawna Friesen is publicly reported to be married. Reliable public biography pages list her current spouse as Rick Anderson. Those same sources also say she was previously married to Canadian journalist Tom Kennedy before that marriage ended in divorce.
Husband: Rick Anderson
Rick Anderson as Dawna Friesen’s husband. She remarried on July 28, 2018, after her divorce from Tom Kennedy. The wedding venue is yet to be updated.
Former Husband: Tom Kennedy
Before her marriage to Rick, Dawna was married to Tom Kennedy, a Canadian television journalist, and got divorced in 2018.
Still, exact details such as the wedding date and wedding venue, are yet to be updated.
Children
Dawna had one child from her first marriage with Tom. Lucas Kennedy is the son, and he was born in 2005. Other details about him are yet to be updated.
| Relationship Status | Married |
| Husbands | Ex-husband: Tom Kennedy Current husband: Rick Anderson |
| Children | Lucas Kennedy |
Dawna Friesen Family
Dawna Friesen comes from a Mennonite family background, and she was raised on a farm west of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
That Prairie upbringing is an important part of her story because it shaped the grounded and practical image many viewers connect with her today.
Father
Dawna’s father, Henry Friesen (born in 1920 & died in 2014), was part of her farm upbringing, and she helped with farm work from a very young age. She also learned to drive a tractor when she was six.
Mother
Her mother, Vivian Friesen, was active in local politics, which suggests that public service and civic interest were present in the family environment while Friesen was growing up. Her mother later developed dementia.
Dawna’s parents were married for over 57 years.
| Parent’s Name | Father: Henry Friesen Mother: Vivian Friesen |
Dawna Friesen Education
Dawna Friesen completed her schooling at Paul Kane High School in St. Albert, Alberta. After that, she studied at Red River College in Manitoba, where she graduated from the Creative Communications program in 1984.
Her education gave her a direct path into journalism and media work. She also later received the Southam Fellowship for Journalists at the University of Toronto, which added to her professional training.
| School | Paul Kane High School |
| Alma Mater | Red River College |
| Highest Qualification | Creative Communications graduate |
Dawna Friesen Career
Dawna Friesen began her journalism career in 1985, soon after finishing her studies in Manitoba.
She started by reading news at a hybrid radio and television station in Brandon, Manitoba, and then worked in Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto.
These early newsroom roles gave her strong experience in reporting, live broadcasting, and daily news production across several Canadian markets.
Early Career in Canadian Newsrooms
Before she became a national anchor, Friesen built her career step by step in Canadian television.
She worked with CBC Television in Vancouver and later with CBC Newsworld, where she gained more experience in both reporting and anchoring. She then moved to CTV as a national reporter and later became an anchor for CTV NewsNet from 1997 to 1999.
At this stage of her career, her roles and networks, but they do not clearly list regular co-anchors or presenting partners from her CBC and CTV years.
NBC News and International Reporting
In 1999, Dawna Friesen joined NBC News, where she spent around 11 years, mainly as a foreign correspondent based in London. This was a major turning point in her career.
During her time there, she reported on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the kidnapping and murder of Daniel Pearl in Karachi.
Her NBC work made her widely known as an international journalist. She also contributed to NBC’s coverage of major global and political events, including the 2008 United States presidential election, work that later earned her a News & Documentary Emmy Award.
Joining Global News and Taking Over Global National
In July 2010, Friesen was announced as the new anchor and executive editor of Global National, succeeding Kevin Newman, who had led the program from 2001 to 2010.
She officially began in the role in September 2010. This was one of the biggest steps in her career, as it placed her in one of the top news positions in Canada.
Her appointment was historic because she became the first woman in English Canada to solo-anchor a nightly national newscast full-time. Kevin Newman is the most important anchor directly connected to this stage of her career, since Friesen took over the desk after his long run on the program.
Global National and the Team She Works With
Since 2010, Dawna Friesen has remained the main face of Global National, serving as both anchor and executive editor.
Global News continues to present the program as “Global National with Dawna Friesen,” which confirms her long-running leadership of the show.
Unlike some morning or panel-based programs, Global National does not appear to use a permanent co-anchor format besides Friesen. Instead, she leads a correspondent-driven national news team.
On Global National, Dawna Friesen works with a team of correspondents and presenters rather than a fixed co-anchor. Current colleagues listed with the program include David Akin, Mercedes Stephenson, Jackson Proskow, Mike Armstrong, Eric Sorensen, Jeff Semple, Heidi Petracek, Neetu Garcha, Redmond Shannon.
Election Coverage and Long-Running Success
During her time on Global National, Friesen has covered major breaking stories, elections, and world events.
One notable example came in 2016, when she anchored Global News’ America Votes 2016 coverage from Washington, D.C., during Donald Trump’s U.S. presidential election win.
Her work during these years has also brought major recognition. Her leadership on Global National has been linked with major honours, including the 2023 Canadian Screen Award for Best National News Anchor.
The New Reality and Other Global News Work
Alongside Global National, Friesen has also hosted The New Reality, a Global News newsmagazine series. This show added another layer to her career because it showed her in a longer-form presenting role, beyond the nightly national newscast.
Career Highlights
| Year | Role/Title | Organization/Project |
| 1985 | Newsreader/early journalist | Hybrid radio and TV station, Brandon, Manitoba |
| 1985 to the 1990s | Reporter | Stations in Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto |
| 1990s | Reporter and anchor | CBC Television in Vancouver/CBC Newsworld |
| 1997 to 1999 | Anchor | CTV NewsNet |
| 1999 to 2010 | Senior foreign correspondent | NBC News, London bureau |
| July 13, 2010 | Named Anchor & Executive Editor | Global National/Global News |
| September 20, 2010 | Anchor & Executive Editor | Global National |
| 2016 | Election coverage anchor | Global News, America Votes 2016 |
| 2020s | Host | The New Reality |
| 2026 | Anchor & Executive Editor | Global National |
Dawna Friesen Awards and Achievements
Dawna Friesen has received several major honours for her work in television news. The table below lists her confirmed awards and the categories they were given in.
| Year | Award Name | Category |
| 2009 | Emmy Award | Election night coverage when Barack Obama won his first term |
| 2011 | Gemini Award | Best News Anchor |
| 2019 | Canadian Screen Award | Best News Anchor, National |
| 2023 | Canadian Screen Award | Best National News Anchor |
Dawna Friesen Net Worth, Salary
The annual income of news anchor Dawna Friesenis is between $250,000-$350,000. Her estimated net worth is yet to be updated.
| Net Worth in Dollars (Approx.) | Yet to be updated |
| Salary (per year) | $250,000-$350,000 |
Dawna Friesen Height, Weight & Physical Stats
Dawna has blonde hair and blue eyes. She stands 5 feet 3 inches (160 cm) and weighs around 55 kg (121 lbs).
| Height | In centimetres: 160 cm In meters: 1.60 m In feet & inches: 5 feet 3 inches |
| Weight | In kg: 55 kg In lbs: 121 lbs |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Eye Color | Blue |
More News Anchor From CBC News
Dawna Friesen Instagram, X, Facebook, LinkedIn
 @dawnafries | |
| X |  @DFriesenGlobal |
 @Dawna Friesen | |
 @dawna friesen |
FAQs
Who is Dawna Friesen?
Dawna Friesen is a Canadian television journalist. She is best known as the anchor and executive editor of Global National, the national evening newscast on Global News.
What is Dawna Friesen famous for?
Dawna Friesen is famous for her long career in broadcast journalism. Most viewers know her for anchoring Global National and for her earlier work as an international correspondent with NBC News.
What show does Dawna Friesen host?
Dawna Friesen is best known for hosting Global National. She has also been linked with The New Reality, a Global News newsmagazine program.
Has Dawna Friesen won any awards?
Yes, Dawna Friesen has won several awards during her journalism career. These include a Gemini Award, a Canadian Screen Award, and an Emmy linked to NBC’s election coverage.
What is Dawna Friesen doing now?
Dawna Friesen is still working as the anchor and executive editor of Global National. She remains one of the most recognized faces in Canadian television news.
