Early Career and First Marriage

Hoda Kotb built her journalism career as a reporter and anchor long before she became a household name on TODAY. In 2005 she married Burzis Kanga, a former University of New Orleans tennis coach.

Their wedding took place in December 2005 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Cancer Diagnosis and Divorce

In February 2007, during a routine exam, doctors detected abnormalities — and Hoda was diagnosed with breast cancer. 
Later that same month, she filed for divorce from Kanga.

In 2007 she underwent a mastectomy, and over time she recovered and rebuilt her life.

By 2008, her divorce from Kanga was finalized.

New Love, Adoption, and Family

In 2013, Hoda met Joel Schiffman, a New York financier.

The relationship turned serious, and in 2017 she adopted a daughter, Haley Joy Kotb. 
Two years later, in 2019, she adopted a second daughter, Hope Catherine Kotb.

In November 2019, Schiffman proposed to Hoda during a beach‑side dinner. She announced their engagement live on TODAY.

Amicable Split and Co‑Parenting

After years together, Hoda and Joel announced on January 31, 2022 that they were ending their engagement. They said they believed they were “better as friends and parents than as an engaged couple.”

Despite the breakup, they remain committed co‑parents. They described their shared priority as their daughters’ happiness and have maintained a respectful, cooperative relationship for the children’s benefit.

Reflection and Motherhood After Cancer

Hoda has openly said that cancer changed her life. After treatment, she learned she could no longer conceive naturally. 
Still, through adoption, she found a path to motherhood — a dream she once feared was over.

Later she described forming a family with her daughters and co‑parenting partner as a source of deep gratitude.