Rob Gifford

Rob Gifford is a British radio correspondent and journalist. He has degrees in Chinese Studies from Durham University and in Regional Studies (East Asia) from Harvard University. He began to learn Mandarin Chinese in 1987 whilst in China.

Gifford was on staff at the BBC World Service for three years. In the United States, he worked for two years at WGBH in Boston. From 1999 to 2005, Gifford was the China correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR). He took leave of absence from NPR to write his first book, China Road, (2007; ISBN 1-4000-6467-8), which was based on his six-week trip on National Highway 312, China's 3000 mile (4800 kilometre) "mother road" stretching from Shanghai to the Gobi Desert. Gifford initially covered this journey in a seven-part radio series for NPR's program Morning Edition, as one of his last journalistic projects in China.

Gifford is currently the China editor of The Economist (beginning August 2011), and was previously the London bureau chief for NPR.

Kathie Lee Gifford

Kathryn "Kathie" Lee Gifford (née Epstein; August 16, 1953) is an American television host, singer, songwriter, comedian, and actress, best known for her 15-year run (1985–2000) on the talk show Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee, which she co-hosted with Regis Philbin. She has received 11 Daytime Emmy nominations and won her first Daytime Emmy in 2010 as part of the Today team.

Gifford's first television role was that of Tom Kennedy's singer/sidekick on the syndicated version of Name That Tune, from 1974 to 1978.

She also appeared in television advertisements for Carnival Cruise Lines beginning in 1984.

On April 7, 2008, Gifford began co-hosting the fourth hour of Today alongside Hoda Kotb. She also occasionally appears on the first three hours of Today and is a contributing NBC News correspondent.

Early life

Gifford was born Kathryn Lee Epstein in Paris, France, to American parents, Joan (née Cuttell; born January 20, 1930), a singer, and Aaron Epstein (March 19, 1924 – November 19, 2002), a musician and former US Navy Chief Petty Officer. Aaron Epstein was stationed with his family in France at the time of Gifford's birth. Gifford grew up in Bowie, Maryland, and attended Bowie High School. During high school, Gifford was a singer in a folk group, "Pennsylvania Next Right", which performed frequently at school assemblies. After high school graduation, Gifford attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, studying drama and music.