Hena Doba

Hena Doba was born in Jackson Heights, Queens to Tahmina Faraz and Agha M. Zulfiquar.[1] Doba has three younger sisters.[2] She is a first generation Pakistani American.[3] As a child, her parents raised her speaking Urdu.[2] Throughout her childhood, she lived in many neighborhoods throughout Queens, including Jamaica, Elmhurst, College Point, Rosedale and Jackson Heights.[3] She graduated from Flushing High School.[3]

Before entering college, Doba planned to become a psychologist, but discovered her passion for journalism by writing for The Spectrum, SUNY Buffalo's school paper.[3] She was feature editor.[3] She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in psychology and English in 2002.[4]

Two days after her graduation from college, Doba was hired as a producer for Newswatch 50, a local TV station in Watertown, New York City.[3][5] Doba first went on air during 9/11.[3] She was home visiting her family in Queens and, as she stated in an interview, "picked up a camcorder and started walking the streets of Queens."[4] At the start of her career, broadcast news was not diverse, leading to racist backlash against Doba.[4] Among other incidents, Doba recalled her news director receiving emails that said things like "Why is the terrorist telling us the news?"[4]

Following her stint at the local news station, Doba moved to work at a station in Savannah, Georgia.[2] Later, she joined WFSB TV in Hartford, Connecticut, where she was the weekend anchor.[2]

Doba became the first person to anchor a national show at 4 a.m and was one of the first Pakistani Americans to anchor a show.[3] She covered stories related to finance and politics throughout the US as a national correspondent.[3] At CBS, Doba anchored "The National Desk with Hena Doba."[6]

In 2019, Doba moved to Cheddar News, a financial news network, where she currently works as a correspondent and anchor.[3] At this position, Doha has stated she gets greater creative control in selecting stories and interviewing guests.[7]

In addition to her journalistic work, Doba worked as an adjunct professor at Capital Community College and the Connecticut School of Broadcasting for five years.[3]

Doba is Muslim.[2]

In her free time, she enjoys boxing.[5]

On January 23, 2016, Doba married Andrew Ronald Doba.[1] They met in December 2013 at WFSB, a CBS affiliate station based in Hartford. He was a guest on a political show hosted by Doba's co-anchor, who introduced them.[1]