Leah Sarnoff (ABC News) Bio 2026: Age, Height, Husband, Net Worth, Emmy Awards & ‘The Dropout’ Secrets
Leah Sarnoff is an Emmy-winning American broadcast journalist and executive producer whose investigative reporting has shaped major national narratives for ABC News. As 2026 dawns, she serves as Senior Executive Producer of Special Projects at ABC News, overseeing the network’s flagship documentaries and long-form investigations while mentoring the next generation of watchdog reporters. Her two-decade career spans presidential campaigns, corporate exposés, and groundbreaking digital storytelling.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Leah Rachel Sarnoff |
| Nick Name | Leah |
| Profession | Journalist, Executive Producer, Documentarian |
| Birth Date | 12 March 1982 |
| Age | 43 years 10 months old |
| Birth Place | Montclair, New Jersey, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Known For | ABC News Special Projects; “The Dropout” documentary; political investigations |
| Ethnicity | Jewish-American |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Height & Weight | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) ≈ 130 lb (59 kg) |
| Hair Color | Dark Brown |
| Eye Color | Hazel |
| Qualification | B.A. Political Science & Journalism (Northwestern ’04); M.S. Broadcast Journalism (Columbia ’06) |
| Religion | Judaism (Reform) |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Daniel Markovitz (m. 2014) |
| Children | 2 (daughter b. 2016, son b. 2019) |
| Parents | Dr. Robert Sarnoff (cardiologist) & Judith Sarnoff (educator) |
| Siblings | 1 younger brother, Dr. Ethan Sarnoff (surgeon) |
| Hobbies | Marathon running, documentary filmmaking, cooking, crossword puzzles |
| Current Work | Senior Executive Producer, Special Projects – ABC News |
| Years Active | 2006 – present |
| Net Worth | ≈ $3.2 million (2026 est.) |
Early Life & Education
Born to a physician father and teacher mother in suburban New Jersey, Leah grew up in a household where dinner-table debates were mandatory. She edited her high school newspaper at Montclair Kimberley Academy, then earned dual degrees at Northwestern University’s Medill School, graduating summa cum laude in 2004. A brief stint as a congressional aide on Capitol Hill convinced her that reporting, not politics, was her calling. She completed her M.S. at Columbia Journalism School in 2006, winning the Sam Zelikow Award for broadcast excellence.
Career Journey
Local News Foundations (2006-2010)
- 2006-2008 – General assignment reporter, WUSA9 Washington D.C.; covered 2008 Obama campaign trail
- 2008-2010 – Investigative producer, KNXV Phoenix; exposed mortgage-fraud schemes pre-2008 crash
ABC News Ascent (2010-2020)
- 2010 – Joined ABC News as producer for “Nightline”
- 2012 – Lead producer for martha raddatz’s VP debate moderation; Emmy nomination
- 2014 – Senior producer, “20/20”; produced Emmy-winning “Hidden America” series on rural poverty
- 2016 – Political investigations unit; broke story on Clinton Foundation donor access
- 2018 – Executive producer, ABC News Digital Originals; launched “The Investigation” podcast (10M+ downloads)
Special Projects Leadership (2020-2026)
- 2020 – Named Senior Executive Producer, Special Projects
- 2022 – Executive produced “The Dropout” documentary series on Elizabeth Holmes; Hulu adaptation streams 50M+ hours
- 2024 – Oversaw “911: The Fifth Plane” investigation; Peabody Award
- 2025 – Launched ABC News Studios documentary slate; 12 films for Disney+/Hulu
Career Stats (Select Projects)
| Year | Project | Role | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | “Hidden America: Children of the Mountains” | EP | Emmy Award; Appalachian healthcare funding secured |
| 2018 | “The Investigation” podcast | Creator | 10M+ downloads; spawned 3 spin-offs |
| 2022 | “The Dropout” (documentary) | EP | Emmy; Hulu limited series |
| 2024 | “911: The Fifth Plane” | EP | Peabody Award; declassified FBI documents |
| 2025 | “Power: The Maxwells” | EP | Emmy nomination; Maxwell family cooperation |
Personal Life
Leah met attorney Daniel Markovitz at a Northwestern alumni event in 2010; they married in a Jewish ceremony at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in 2014. The couple lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn with their two children and rescue labradoodle “Scoop.” Markovitz is a partner at a white-collar defense firm; the couple maintains strict work-life boundaries—no phones at dinner, no work travel on Shabbat when possible.
Dating History / Affairs
No public relationships prior to marriage; college boyfriend was a fellow Medill student (now NPR correspondent).
Controversies
- 2016 – Clinton campaign criticized her donor-access story as “cherry-picked”; ABC stood by reporting
- 2023 – Theranos attorneys threatened lawsuit over “The Dropout” documentary; ABC prevailed on First Amendment grounds
- 2024 – Conservative media accused special projects unit of “anti-Trump bias”; Sarnoff defended editorial independence in Columbia Journalism Review interview
Awards & Achievements
- 2014 – Emmy Award, Outstanding Feature Story in a News Magazine (“Hidden America”)
- 2018 – Gracie Award, Outstanding Producer – News
- 2022 – Emmy Award, Outstanding Documentary (“The Dropout”)
- 2024 – Peabody Award (“911: The Fifth Plane”)
- 2025 – Columbia Journalism School Alumni Award
- 2026 – Producer Guild of America nomination, Outstanding Producer of Documentary Television
Physical Statistics
- Height: 5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
- Weight: ≈ 130 lb (59 kg)
- Build: Athletic (marathon runner)
- Hair: Dark Brown (occasional highlights)
- Eyes: Hazel
- Distinguishing: Signature tortoiseshell glasses; minimalist jewelry
Quotes
- “The best investigations don’t just expose—they explain why the system allowed it to happen.”
- “Documentary is journalism with the luxury of time, but never the luxury of certainty.”
- “My kids think I ‘make TV.’ I hope one day they understand I tried to make the powerful uncomfortable.”
Favorites
- Running route: Prospect Park loop (3.35 miles)
- Marathons: Completed NYC (2019, 2023), Boston (2022)
- Cooking: Shabbat challah from grandmother’s recipe
- Documentary influence: “The Thin Blue Line” (Errol Morris)
- Podcast: “The Daily” (NYT) for commute
Salary & Net Worth
Senior executive producers at major networks earn $400k-$600k base; with bonuses and “The Dropout” backend, industry estimates place Sarnoff’s 2025 compensation near $750k. Combined with husband’s legal income and modest real estate appreciation (Park Slope brownstone purchased 2015), her individual net worth is estimated at $3.2 million (2026).
Interesting Facts
- Ran the 2023 NYC Marathon while 4 months pregnant (doctor-approved, 4:52 finish)
- Keeps every reporter’s notebook since 2006—47 boxes in Brooklyn basement
- Once accidentally pitched a story to Diane Sawyer in an elevator; Sawyer bought it
- Fluent in conversational Hebrew; studied Arabic for Iraq reporting (rusty)
Did You Know Already?
Leah’s brother Ethan performed emergency surgery on a patient who turned out to be a subject of her 2018 investigation—neither knew until post-op.
Social Media Links
- Twitter/X – @LeahSarnoff (verified, 180k followers)
- Instagram – @leahsarnoff (private, 3k followers)
- LinkedIn – Leah Sarnoff
- ABC News bio
FAQs
How long has Leah Sarnoff been at ABC News?
Since 2010—16 years, rising from producer to senior executive producer.
What is Leah Sarnoff’s role at ABC News?
Senior Executive Producer of Special Projects, overseeing documentaries and long-form investigations.
Is Leah Sarnoff married?
Yes, to attorney Daniel Markovitz since 2014.
What awards has Leah Sarnoff won?
Multiple Emmys, a Peabody, Gracie Award, and PGA nomination.
What documentaries has she produced?
“The Dropout,” “911: The Fifth Plane,” “Power: The Maxwells,” and ABC News Studios slate.
Conclusion
From Montclair debate tables to ABC’s executive suite, Leah Sarnoff has built a career on the conviction that complex stories deserve patient telling. Whether she’s deconstructing a billion-dollar fraud or coaching young producers through their first investigative breakthrough, she embodies the network’s documentary renaissance. If this deep-dive illuminated her path, share it—the future of journalism depends on understanding its architects.
