Joe Donlon | CBS News Chicago | Emcee
Emmy-winning journalist Joe Donlon is co-anchor of CBS 2 Chicago's weeknight 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts with Irika Sargent.
Donlon has more than 35 years of experience on the anchor desk and has reported on major news events including elections, political conventions, inaugurations, sports championships, rallies and protests.
Donlon has previously served as a lead anchor at WGN-TV from 2018-20. While there, he anchored the No. 1 primetime newscast in the Chicago market. Donlon most recently helped launch the cable news network "NewsNation," where he served as an anchor and host of "The Donlon Report."
"I am humbled, grateful, and excited for the opportunity to join the award-winning team at CBS," said Donlon. "I love Chicago and have always felt a connection with the people here. This is home. There is no place I would rather be."
Prior to working at WGN, Donlon was the No. 1 anchor in Portland, Oregon, where he served as main anchor for 21 years. He also served as main anchor in Tucson, Arizona and Corpus Christi, Texas.
Irika Sargent | CBS News Chicago | Emcee
Irika Sargent anchors the CBS News Chicago weekday evening news at 5, 6, and 10 p.m.
Her anchoring and reporting has garnered multiple Emmy Awards and Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards.
Sargent joined CBS Chicago in 2015 from CBS Miami, where she anchored the station's weekday evening news at 5 and 11 p.m. She also anchored the station's public affairs show, Focus on South Florida, and contributed a weekly legal news segment, Legally Speaking.
Prior to that, Sargent was an anchor and reporter with KPRC-TV in Houston. She also worked in Mobile, Alabama, at WPMI-TV as the anchor of a legal show and a reporter for the evening newscasts.
Sargent graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Journalism degree. She then earned a Juris Doctor degree from Cornell Law School because she wanted to gain legal insight and expertise that could assist her in news coverage. While studying law, Sargent was an editor for the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy. She was also a writer and editor for the Legal Information Institute focusing on cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Sargent practiced labor and employment law for four years in New York City at Greenberg Traurig. She represented clients in New York federal and state courts, as well as before the New York Division of Human Rights and National Labor Relations Board. While in New York, Sargent also set aside time to provide free legal services to those in need. She is a registered member of the New York Bar and has maintained active status for more than 15 years. She is also a member of the National Association of Black Journalists.
Throughout her journalism and legal careers, Sargent has been committed to helping many non-profit organizations including the Chicago Children's Advocacy Center, Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Habitat for Humanity, Haymarket Center, American Red Cross, Easterseals, 100 Black Men of Chicago, Alzheimer's Association and American Cancer Society.
She resides in Chicago with her husband and daughter.