Katie Couric – A Whole New Game

Award-winning journalist. Top-rated talk show host. Best-selling author. These are just a few of the accomplishments that have made Katie Couric a household name over the course of her impressive career. 

In fact, it feels like Couric became part of everyone’s family when she began as coanchor of Today on NBC in 1991. She remained in that role for an impressive 15 years before jumping over to CBS to make history as the first solo female anchor of nightly news on one of the three major networks. She kept the country tuned in to the big stories there for five years, then signed on as a special correspondent for ABC News and hosted her own daytime talk show on the same network. 

Civile Apparel Hat, The bubble Sweater.

And then things shifted, and Couric created a whole new world for herself. Recognizing that the way people consume news had drastically changed from the days of regularly scheduled broadcasts, Couric decided to launch Katie Couric Media (KCM) in 2017. “When I left Today in 2006, it was a year before the iPhone came out. Back then, if you wanted to know what was going on, you would listen to NPR, turn on television, or pick up a newspaper,” she says. “It’s so different now. You can look at your phone and know just about anything you need to. I wanted to create a company that meets people where they are.” KCM does just that—it’s a media company that produces television shows, documentaries, a podcast, and a newsletter; and it includes a website covering everything from news to health and wellness—so readers can learn about everything that’s going on in whatever way they prefer to consume information. 

ON HER NEW FAVORITE SPORT: “I WAS INSTANTLY HOOKED,” SAYS COURIC, “AND I WAS FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THE WOMEN I PLAYED WITH WERE REALLY SKILLED. IT GOT MY COMPETITIVE JUICES FLOWING AND I WAS DETERMINED TO GET BETTER.”

Nobis Jacket, Lululemon tank top, Alo Skirt, K-Swiss Sneakers.

Are you getting the sense that Couric likes to keep busy? She does. And while she certainly knows how to work hard, she also likes to play—pickleball. She first discovered the game in 2021. “We go to Los Angeles [from New York] for a couple of months in the winter to get much-needed vitamin D,” she explains. “A friend of mine, Lisa Licht, whom I met while working at Yahoo, invited me to play pickleball with her friends.” Though Couric had never played before, she says she is the type who is always up for a physical challenge—so, she said yes. “I was instantly hooked,” she reveals. “And I was frustrated because the women I played with were really skilled. It got my competitive juices flowing and I was determined to get better.” 

“AS I AGE, I HAVE BECOME EVEN MORE INTERESTED IN HEALTH,” SAYS COURIC. “I’M STRONG AND I’M AN ATHLETE. WHAT I LIKE ABOUT PICKLEBALL IS THAT IT’S A WORKOUT BUT IT CAN ALSO BE VERY SOCIAL.”

 Vuori Dress, Recess pickleball Paddle.

Couric is a big believer in staying healthy and active—it’s one of the things that has drawn
her to the sport. Earlier this year, she shared her breast cancer diagnosis, which has highlighted the importance of that health-first mindset. Her first husband, Jay Monahan, passed away from colorectal cancer in 1998 at the age of 42. As such, Couric has worked tirelessly to bring awareness to cancer prevention and has been an advocate for better health in general. “As I age, I have become even more interested in health,” she says. “I want to stay healthy and feel good—it’s as simple as that.” 

As for her preferred opponent, Katie has gotten her husband, John Molner, in on the fun. “I like playing with John because he’s really good—truly, he’s a killer pickleball player,” she says. Molner and Couric married in 2014. Along with being a great pickleball partner, Molner happens to be CEO at KCM. And he’s not the only KCM employee that loves a good rally. “I play with my colleague Adriana too,” Couric shares. “We’ve played a lot together and have gotten better together. It’s fun to play with her because we are at a similar skill level. What’s funny about Adriana is she’s terrible at tennis—but great at pickleball.” 

COURIC RELIES ON PILATES TO BUILD STRENGTH. “TO STAY ACTIVE, I DO A LOT OF WALKING, PILATES, AND PICKLEBALL—IT’S A SMART COMBO. I’D LIKE TO FOCUS ON INCORPORATING ANOTHER ACTIVITY THAT REALLY GETS MY HEART RAT

Couric has become so enamored with the game that she reserved four courts so all her loved ones could play during a recent family reunion weekend. “My daughters Carrie and Ellie played, as did my sister—we even had a bunch of little kids playing,” she says. “I had to put my competitiveness to the side, since we had little ones playing. But it was really fun. I think one of the best things about pickleball is that the learning curve isn’t so steep. You can become proficient quickly.” 

The Bubble Sweater.

To ensure she’s able to move the way she wants to on the court, Couric keeps her strength up with a steady Pilates practice. “A few months into the pandemic, I was having a lot of lower-back pain. A friend of mine introduced me to Ashley Patten of Ashley Patten Pilates,” she says. “I started working with Ashley virtually and then eventually started training with her in person. It has really helped my strength. To stay active, I do a lot of walking, Pilates, and pickleball—it’s a smart combo. I’d like to focus on incorporating another activity that really gets my heart rate up. Maybe I’ll do interval training.”