Susan Wornick (born December 31, 1949) is a former American television journalist and current TV host and spokesperson, best known as a longtime reporter and anchor, from 1981 until 2014, at WCVB-TV in Boston.
Since May 2014, Wornick and ex-husband Bob Lobel have served as on-air talent in hosting segments on MeTV Boston, the digital subchannel of WCVB which airs classic television programs. Wornick and Lobel also host many New England-area charity events, and have appeared as TV commercial spokespeople for various Boston-area businesses.[1] [2] she splits her time between Stuart, Florida, and Mashpee, Massachusetts, and is "partnered with Rubino and Liang helping people plan for their retirement."[3]
Born in the Bronx, NY and raised in Natick, Massachusetts, she graduated from Emerson College in 1971 [4] with a BA. She received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Becker College in Worcester, Massachusetts.[5] She said “the only reason I went to college at all is that my parents wanted me to be the first in my family to get a degree.“[6] She intended to major in speech pathology and audiology but ended up majoring in psychology with minors in English and History.[7] She credits two Natick High School teachers with her success.
From 1979 to 1981, Wornick was a reporter and anchor at WHDH Radio. She also worked at WBZ radio, winning AP and UPI awards.[5]
Wornick joined WCVB in 1981 as a general assignment reporter. She was named midday news anchor in February 1989 until she stepped down in February 2014. In July 1989, she replaced Paula Lyons as WCVB's consumer reporter, a role she also held until her retirement in 2014. In the 1990s, her regular consumer advocacy segment, "Buyer Beware", became a staple on WCVB's NewsCenter 5 broadcasts. Wornick was one of the founding members of Team 5 Investigates, WCVB's investigative unit, in 2006.[1] [5]
Wornick has been a vocal supporter of a Massachusetts law to shield journalists when they try to protect confidential sources. In 1985, she was almost jailed for refusing to name her sources while working on a story alleging corruption within the Revere, Massachusetts Police Department.[8] [9] [10]
Her awards include three regional Emmy Awards, the Silver Gavel Award from the American Bar Association (ABA) (1991), the Silver Circle Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and the "Embracing The Legacy (of Robert F. Kennedy) award at the Kennedy Library in recognition of her work in protecting children" [5] She will be inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame September 12, 2014.[6]
Charities she has supported include Rosie’s Place, Catholic Charities, the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, the Natick VNA and Rodman Rides for Kids.[6] For The Love of Life, created by the late Patrick Murphy, Supporting those with Aids