2011 STARS Hall of Fame
Joan Lunden
A Bella Vista graduate who grew up in Fair Oaks, Joan Lunden is one of America’s most recognized television personalities. As host of Good Morning America for almost two decades, she helped millions of American families start each day. The longest running host ever on early morning television, during her tenure she reported from 26 countries, covered four presidents, five Olympics, and two royal weddings.
An award-winning television journalist, best-selling author, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and mother of seven, Joan Lunden defines “today’s working mother.” Lunden is the host of Lifetime Television’s Health Corner, sponsored by Walgreens. The weekly television series educates viewers on important issues such as improving health, childcare, nutrition, and medicine. Lunden is also the host of Hometown Heroes on DIRECTV, which highlights extraordinary civilians whose stories impact lives across the country. Lunden also recently hosted the CW Network special, America’s Invisible Children, which won a 2008 Emmy for Best Television Special.
Her passion for disseminating wellness information and inspiring people to take charge of their health and happiness has been at the forefront of many of Lunden’s projects. Lunden’s latest venture has been the creation of Reveille, a wellness getaway for women to energize spirits, renew sense of self, jump start fitness regimens, connect with other women, and learn the tools needed to achieve a healthier balance in their lives. For four years these life-enhancing getaways have taken place in the lake region of Southern Maine, this year’s taking place on August 19 – 22, 2010.
Lunden has also announced that she will be taking Reveille on the road, giving women from all around the country the opportunity to experience this “time-out” from their busy lives. Her first stop was The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain in Tucson, AZ, which took place this April.
Joan Lunden is one of the most visible women in America, having graced the covers of over 40 magazines. She is the face of Murad’s Resurgence skincare and is also an entrepreneur. She launched her home décor line, Joan Lunden Home, in Spring 2010 on QVC and she and her husband recently launched a child safety product, KinderKord, which is designed to help parents and children stay connected. She was voted “Mother of the Year” by the National Mothers Day Committee and “Career Mother of the Year” by the National Institute of Infant Services.
Lunden has served as national spokesperson for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the American Lung Association’s campaign on the dangers of smoking and pregnancy, the American Red Cross and “First Steps to a Healthy Smile” for Oral B and the American Academy of Pediatrics. She has also spearheaded campaigns such as the “Colon Cancer Prevention” for the Colon Cancer Alliance and Amgen and “Manage Your Type 2 Diabetes” for Eli Lilly. A bestselling author, in 2010 Lunden was asked to write the forward to Chicken Soup for the Soul: Thanks Mom, a Mother’s Day special edition of the famous book series. Her other books include Growing Up Healthy: Protecting Your Child From Diseases Now Through Adulthood, Wake-Up Calls, A Bend In The Road Is Not The End Of The Road, Joan Lunden’s Healthy Living, Joan Lunden’s Healthy Cooking, Mother’s Minutes, Your Newborn Baby, and Good Morning I’m Joan Lunden. She also hosts the exercise video Workout America.
