Sandra Smith is best known today as a Fox News anchor, but her career did not begin in television. Before becoming a familiar face on Fox News and Fox Business, she worked in finance, trading equities and options and developing experience with investment management and hedge fund clients.
That background has shaped the way she approaches financial and political coverage. Smith joined Fox Business Network in October 2007 as a reporter and eventually became one of the network’s recognizable anchors. She currently co anchors America Reports with John Roberts on Fox News Channel.
Her career is interesting partly because it wasn’t a straightforward move from journalism school to television. Smith brought actual experience from the financial markets with her, giving her a different foundation from many television reporters.
Who Is Sandra Smith?
Sandra Smith is an American television journalist and anchor associated with both Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network.
She currently serves as co anchor of America Reports with John Roberts & Sandra Smith, which airs on weekdays in the afternoon on Fox News Channel. The program focuses on major news developments, interviews with newsmakers and analysis of the day’s leading stories.
Smith originally joined Fox Business Network in October 2007. Over the years, she has appeared across both Fox Business and Fox News programming, taking on roles ranging from financial reporter to daytime host and political news anchor.
That progression is one of the defining features of her career. She didn’t simply become a television personality; she developed from a markets focused professional into a broader news anchor.
Sandra Smith’s Early Life and Education
Smith grew up in the Chicago area and later attended Louisiana State University, where she competed in track and field.
Running was a serious part of her college life. She competed in cross country and track, including the mile and steeplechase, and earned Academic All American recognition. Her athletic background has remained part of her identity even after moving into television.
Her time as a student athlete also helped develop qualities that later became useful in broadcasting: preparation, discipline and the ability to perform under pressure.
Smith has spoken about running as more than just exercise. She has described it as a way to clear her mind and deal with the demands of a busy professional and family life.
Her Career Before Fox News
One of the most interesting parts of Sandra Smith’s biography is what she did before becoming a television anchor.
She began her professional career as a research associate at Aegis Capital, where she worked on retail stock research, prepared newsletters for clients and identified investment opportunities. She later worked as a trader at Hermitage Capital, dealing with U.S. equities and options and conducting portfolio analysis.
Smith then became director of institutional sales and trading at Terra Nova Institutional. In that position, she worked with investment management and hedge fund accounts and was involved in developing program trading models.
Eventually, she moved into financial journalism as an on air reporter for Bloomberg Television. Her responsibilities included covering U.S. equities and derivatives markets and providing financial news and analysis.
That experience explains why financial markets became such a natural part of her television career.
Sandra Smith at Fox Business
Smith joined Fox Business Network in October 2007, shortly after the network launched.
Her financial background gave her an immediate connection to the network’s focus on markets, companies, investing and the economy. Over time, she became a regular presence on Fox Business programming and expanded her role beyond financial market reporting.
Her career at Fox has included interviews, market analysis, political coverage and live breaking news reporting.
In 2015, Smith and Trish Regan co moderated Fox Business Network’s inaugural Republican presidential primary debate. Fox describes the event as the first time the network used a dual female team to moderate a presidential primary debate.
That assignment was a notable step in Smith’s development as a political and general news journalist rather than simply a business reporter.
Sandra Smith and Fox News
Smith has spent years moving between business reporting and broader news coverage on Fox News.
She has previously worked as a co anchor of America’s Newsroom and appeared on Outnumbered. She has also filled in on other Fox News programs, including The Story with Martha MacCallum and Your World with Neil Cavuto.
Her reporting responsibilities have included major political events, breaking news and international stories.
In 2022, for example, Smith co anchored Fox News’ special coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with John Roberts. She has also participated in major U.S. election coverage and presented Fox News voter analysis data during the 2024 election.
These assignments illustrate how far her role has expanded from the financial markets she covered early in her career.
Sandra Smith on America Reports
Smith currently co anchors America Reports with John Roberts on Fox News Channel.
The weekday program covers major afternoon headlines and features interviews and discussions with experts and newsmakers. Fox News currently lists Smith as the program’s co anchor, with the show airing weekdays from 1 to 3 p.m. Eastern Time.
The role fits Smith’s unusual combination of experience. She has a financial market background but has also spent years reporting on politics, elections, international developments and breaking news.
That combination has become a central part of her professional identity.
Sandra Smith’s Finance Background Still Matters
It would be easy to describe Smith simply as a Fox News anchor, but doing so leaves out one of the most distinctive aspects of her career.
She spent years working directly in financial markets before becoming a television journalist. She traded stocks and options, worked with institutional clients and covered equities and derivatives for Bloomberg.
Smith has previously explained that leaving trading did not feel like abandoning her financial background. Instead, she viewed journalism as an opportunity to use that knowledge in another way.
That experience is particularly useful when she discusses markets, companies, inflation, consumer prices and economic policy.
Sandra Smith’s Family Life
Away from television, Smith is a wife and mother. Fox News has described her as a mother of two children, and she has spoken publicly about the challenge of balancing a demanding broadcasting career with family responsibilities.
In a 2023 Fox News interview, Smith discussed motherhood, work life balance and the lessons she has learned from her children. She also talked about how difficult it can be to maintain boundaries when a job requires constant attention to breaking news.
Her family experienced a particularly difficult moment when their home caught fire. Smith later reflected on the experience and said it reinforced her belief that home is ultimately about the people who are together, rather than the building itself.
Is Sandra Smith Still a Runner?
Yes. Running has remained an important part of Smith’s life.
Her athletic background goes back to college, when she competed for LSU. She has continued to run as an adult, although her demanding work schedule and family responsibilities have made consistency difficult.
Smith has described running as a form of stress relief and a way to have time to herself. She also has spoken about wanting to encourage her children to enjoy running.
Her interest in running isn’t just a minor detail in her biography. It has been a recurring theme in interviews about her life outside television.
What Makes Sandra Smith’s Career Different?
Smith’s career stands out because she combines three professional worlds that don’t always overlap: finance, athletics and journalism.
She understands financial markets because she worked in them. She understands the discipline of competitive athletics because she competed at the collegiate level. And she has spent nearly two decades building experience in television news.
That combination helped her transition from a financial market reporter into a general news anchor.
Her career also demonstrates why a journalism career doesn’t always have to begin with a traditional reporting background. Smith’s expertise in finance became an asset rather than something she left behind when she moved into television.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sandra Smith
How old is Sandra Smith?
Sandra Smith was born in September 1980, making her 45 years old as of September 2026. Public biographical sources identify her birthplace as Chicago, Illinois.
Where does Sandra Smith work?
Smith works for Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network. She currently co anchors America Reports with John Roberts on Fox News Channel.
What did Sandra Smith do before Fox News?
Before joining Fox, Smith worked in finance and later became an on air reporter for Bloomberg Television. Her earlier roles included research, equity and options trading, institutional sales and trading, and work with investment management and hedge fund clients.
Did Sandra Smith attend LSU?
Yes. Smith attended Louisiana State University and competed in track and field. She was a varsity runner and competed in events including the mile and steeplechase.
Is Sandra Smith married?
Yes. Smith is married and has two children. She has spoken publicly about the challenge of balancing family life with her demanding television career.
What show does Sandra Smith host?
Sandra Smith currently co anchors America Reports with John Roberts & Sandra Smith on Fox News Channel.
Sandra Smith’s Career in Perspective
Sandra Smith’s story is more interesting than a simple list of television jobs. She began in the financial industry, developed hands on experience with markets and institutional clients, moved into financial television and eventually became a major Fox News anchor.
Her finance background remains one of her biggest professional strengths. It gives her a perspective that comes from having worked with markets rather than simply reporting on them from the outside.
At the same time, her career has grown far beyond business news. From presidential debates and elections to international breaking news, Smith has become a general news journalist with a broad television role.
