Veronica De La Cruz is an msnbc anchor and one of the current hosts of NBC’s Early Today Show and msnbc’s First Look. De La Cruz joined msnbc’s dayside team in 2010.
Prior to joining msnbc, De La Cruz spent five and a half years at CNN Worldwide, serving as an anchor and correspondent. Most recently, she was a correspondent for CNN’s "American Morning." In addition, she founded and anchored CNN Pipeline and created the segment "Dotcom Desk," which launched during the 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami. During her tenure at CNN, De La Cruz anchored and reported live coverage of major breaking news stories such as Hurricane Katrina, the Southeast Asian Tsunami, the 2008 presidential elections, the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict, the death of Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II, the collapse of Wall Street, the housing market crash, child prostitution on Craigslist, and a series that celebrated diversity entitled "Asian in America."
Before joining CNN in 2003, De La Cruz anchored and reported for KYMA, an NBC News affiliate in Yuma, Arizona. During her tenure at KYMA, De La Cruz covered pertinent issues such as immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border, the nation’s growing shortage of qualified nurses, and the plight of the migrant farm worker and a special series on the homeless in the Yuma area.
De La Cruz began her career in broadcasting, hosting a music show she created called "Direct Drive" on the Digital Entertainment Network, where she interviewed countless musicians and bands. She also served as a host for SonicNet and Eruptor Entertainment’s "Living Giant."
In addition to her role as an msnbc anchor, Veronica De La Cruz is an active volunteer with groups promoting healthcare reform and started a non-profit organization entitled "Eric De La Cruz’s Hope for Hearts" in honor of her brother Eric, who passed away after a struggle to get health insurance with a pre-existing medical condition. He passed away in 2009.
Recently, she spent considerable time in Europe reporting and researching the international differences in health care policy.
Prior to her career in journalism, De La Cruz spent a decade of her life as a competitive figure skater. She is a member of the Asian American Journalists Association. She also mentors students at the Associated Press Television-Radio Association’s academy as well as other university students, most recently doing so in Paris. She resides in New York City.