Maria Shriver NBC News correspondent Maria Shriver is well acquainted with the rigors of network news programming, having served as anchor of a number of NBC News programs. She is a contributing anchor for "Dateline NBC" and has reported on a wide variety of topics for the broadcast. Shriver also anchors " First Person with Maria Shriver," a series of prime-time NBC News specials, focusing on people in the news. The program was honored with a first-place Commendation Award from American Women in Radio and Television for a 1991 interview with former Miss America and incest survivor Marilyn Van Derbur. In addition, Shriver was nominated for an Emmy for the special "Gay '90's." As anchor of "First Person ", she presented an exclusive interview with Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York. Shriver has also interviewed Raisa Gorbachev, football star Lyle Alzado, media mogul Ted Turner, baseball giant Nolan Ryan; Ellen Levin, mother of "Preppy Murder" victim Jennifer Levin, British billionaire Richard Branson, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Russian gymnast Olga Korbut, and sports superstar Bo Jackson. The premiere "First Person" special was broadcast August 14, 1990. During the 1996 political season, Shriver served as the podium correspondent for NBC News at the Democratic and Republican Conventions, a position she also held during the 1992 political conventions. Shriver scored coups at both conventions by obtaining the first interview from Hillary Rodham Clinton and Elizabeth Dole, following their speeches. Previously, she co-anchored NBC News' "Sunday Today " from the program ' s debut on September 20, 1987 until April 1990, winning several awards for her work. She anchored weekend editions of "NBC Nightly News" and substituted as anchor on "NBC News at Sunrise, " "Today" and "NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw. " Shriver joined NBC News in 1986 as a correspondent for the prime-time news hour "1986." From 1987 to 1988, she served as anchor of "Main Street," NBC News ' award-winning monthly TV newsmagazine for young people. Shriver was a co-anchor for NBC 's Emmy-winning coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics from Seoul. She conducted exclusive NBC News interviews with Vice President Dan Quayle, Cuban leader Fidel Castro, King Hussein of Jordan and Philippine President Corazon Aquino. For the Aquino interview, Shriver earned the Exceptional Merit Media Award from the National Women's Political Caucus. In August 1989, Shriver anchored an NBC News special titled "Fatal Additions, " for which she earned the 1990 Christopher Award. Her past NBC News specials also include "The Baby Business", "Men, Women, Sex and AIDS" , "Wall Street Money, Greed and Power", "God Is Not Elected" and "Women Behind Bars". Before joining NBC News, Shriver served as co-anchor of the "CBS Morning News " . Prior to that, she was a reporter for CBS News, based in Los Angeles, beginning in September 1983. Earlier, she was a national correspondent for Group W's "PM Magazine" and a producer for Westinghouse Broadcasting. She began her career as a newswriter/producer for KW-TV, Philadelphia, in 1977. In 1978 she moved to WJZ-TV, Baltimore, as a writer/producer on the station 's "Evening Magazine." There she produced reports on public affairs issues, sports and local news.