Kara Swisher Biography: Siblings, Parents, Height, Age, Husband, Net Worth, Children, Awards

Kara Anne Swisher is a prominent American journalist who has been recognized for her in-depth coverage of the Internet and technology since 1994.

She co-founded Recode and has held key editorial roles, including serving as a contributing editor at New York Magazine.

Swisher hosts the On with Kara Swisher podcast and co-hosts Pivot.

Throughout her career, she has written for leading publications such as The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, offering insightful analysis of the tech industry’s power dynamics.

As of 2023, she continues contributing to New York Magazine and is actively involved in podcasting.

Profile

• Full Name: Kara Anne Swisher
• Stage Name: Kara Swisher
• Born: 11 December 1962
• Age: 62 years old
• Birthplace: Pennsylvania, United States
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: American journalist
• Height: 1.6 m
• Parent: Louis Bush Swisher and Lucretia Ventre
• Siblings: Jeffrey Louis Swisher and David Henry Swisher
• Spouses: ; Megan Smith; ​ ​(m. 1999; div. 2017)​: Amanda Katz; ​ ​(m. 2020)​
• Children: Louie Swisher, Alexander Swisher, and Clara Jo Swisher Katz.
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $10 million

Early Life And Education

Kara Anne Swisher was born on December 11, 1962, in Pennsylvania, United States, to Louis Bush Swisher, an anesthesiologist, and Lucretia Ventre. She grew up with two brothers, Jeffrey Louis Swisher and David Henry Swisher.

Swisher attended Georgetown University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service in 1984. While there, she contributed to the university’s student newspaper, where she wrote her first technology story.

She later pursued a Master of Science in Journalism from Columbia University, graduating in 1985. Swisher is of white ethnicity, though details regarding her religious background are not publicly known.  

Career

Kara Swisher is a renowned American journalist who has gained widespread recognition for her technology and internet coverage since the mid-1990s. She began her career at Washington City Paper before interning at The Washington Post, where her exceptional reporting led to a full-time position.

In 1997, she joined The Wall Street Journal, creating the influential “Boom Town” column, which focused on Silicon Valley’s culture and companies. Swisher also co-founded the All Things Digital conference with Walt Mossberg in 2003, which became a premier tech event, attracting industry giants like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.

Additionally, she co-launched the website AllThingsD.com, cementing her place at the forefront of tech journalism. In 2014, Swisher co-founded Recode, a leading tech news platform under Vox Media, where she served as co-CEO.

She continued to shape conversations around technology’s societal impact, hosting the popular Recode Decode podcast, which featured interviews with prominent tech leaders. From 2018 to 2022, she wrote opinion pieces for The New York Times, providing sharp critiques of the tech industry’s power structures.

In 2022, Swisher returned to Vox Media as editor-at-large and resumed hosting her On with Kara Swisher podcast. She has also written several books, including aol.com: How Steve Case Beat Bill Gates and There Must Be a Pony in Here Somewhere, which explore the dynamics of internet companies and their societal consequences.

Beyond her journalistic achievements, Swisher is known for her fearless interviewing style and willingness to challenge influential figures in the tech world.

Her candid approach has earned her both reverence and fear within Silicon Valley. Swisher’s influence extends beyond writing. She is a sought-after speaker on topics like technology, media, and innovation, appearing at conferences and sharing insights on the evolution of digital media.

In 2024, her book Burn Book: A Tech Love Story received criticism for being “anti-worker,” while her Twitter comments about Vivek Ramaswamy sparked controversy. Swisher remains a leading voice in tech journalism, shaping public discourse through her writing, podcasts, and public speaking engagements.

Awards and Nominations

Kara Swisher has received numerous awards and nominations throughout her career, including:

• 2024 Webby Lifetime Achievement Award: Honored for her significant journalism and technology reporting contributions.
• CJF Tribute Award: To be awarded by the Canadian Journalism Foundation in June 2024 for her impactful journalism.
• 2011 Gerald Loeb Award: For Blogging, recognizing her liveblogging of Yahoo earnings calls6.
• Fast Company Queer 50 (2020): Recognizing influential LGBTQ+ leaders in business.
• Fast Company Most Creative People in Business (2021): Celebrating innovative leaders across various industries

Social Media

• Instagram handle: @karaswisher
• Twitter handle: @karaswisher

Personal Life

Kara Swisher has been married twice. She was first married to Megan Smith in 1999, and they had two sons, Louis and Alexander. The couple separated in 2014 and later divorced in 2017.

In 2020, Swisher married Amanda Katz on October 3, and they have two children together,  Clara Jo Swisher Katz. Swisher is a mother to four children, including her two sons from her first marriage and her two children with Katz. One of her children’s names has not been publicly disclosed.

Net Worth

Kara Swisher’s net Worth is estimated at around $10 million as of 2023. This wealth results from her successful career as a journalist, co-founder of Recode, and host of influential podcasts like Recode Decode and Pivot.

Her extensive work covering the tech industry for significant publications, speaking engagements, and book deals contributed to her financial success.