If you watch Saturday TODAY, you already know Laura Jarrett as the poised, sharp, and unflappable co-anchor who helps millions make sense of the world before breakfast. But off-camera, beyond the studio lights and legal analysis, Laura is just “Mom”—the role she says has transformed her life more than any other.
Before becoming a fixture at NBC News, Laura built a formidable career in law, graduating from Harvard Law School and working as an attorney. But even as she climbed the ranks at her firm, she began feeling a pull toward something different—something that would combine her love of storytelling, explanation, and public service. After years of what she describes as “knocking on doors” and hearing no more times than she can count, she made the leap into journalism. It was a leap that would eventually lead her to CNN, then to NBC, and finally to becoming one of the most recognizable faces of weekend morning news.
All of this unfolded while Laura and her husband, Tony Balkissoon, were growing their family. James, now five, and June, two, are the center of Laura’s world—and the inspiration behind much of her discipline, perspective, and daily rhythm.
A typical working day for Laura begins long before dawn.
“I wake up very early in the morning,” she says. On the best days, she gets to take James to the bus stop before heading to 30 Rockefeller Plaza—always with coffee in hand. “Caffeine is absolutely essential,” she laughs.
Once inside NBC’s towering headquarters, her day shifts into its fast-paced rhythm: writing scripts for Nightly News, preparing legal explainers for broadcast, reading through filings, and lining up interviews. It’s meticulous work, often quiet and solitary behind the scenes, despite the polished calm viewers see on-air.
If the day goes perfectly, she leaves around 6:45 p.m. and races home—not to unwind, but to make it in time for what she calls “the sweetest moment of my whole day”: bath time, books, songs, and the little nighttime dances her children love.
Most nights, she falls asleep by 9:30 p.m., her morning call time never far away.
Laura is candid about the pressure of having a long to-do list, multiple responsibilities, and two toddlers who have mastered the art of chaos.
Her guiding thought?
“It doesn’t all have to get done today.”
She tries to keep lists, stay organized, and stay realistic—a balance every working parent understands. “There will always be tomorrow,” she reminds herself.
And this perspective hasn’t always come naturally. Motherhood, she says, changed her.
“Kids under five challenge your patience consistently, repeatedly, all day long,” Laura says with a smile. “Things that used to stress me out at work—I can let them roll off my back so much more easily now.”
On camera, Laura looks polished and camera-ready. Off-camera?
Sneakers from J.Crew. Spanx. Eyelash extensions.
“That’s it. That’s the uniform,” she jokes, embracing the simplicity that busy moms not only accept but depend on.
Her eyes light up when she talks about evenings at home.
“The best part is when I walk in the door and they just run to me,” she says. “The pitter-patter, the little arms wrapping around me—nothing compares.”
But there’s another side to the story, one almost every parent in a demanding job knows intimately: the tension between being present and being “on call.”
“It’s hard when I’m trying to play with them and my phone is buzzing and someone has just been indicted,” she admits. “Sometimes I feel like I can’t be all-in with them, and that’s the hardest part right now.”
Laura and Tony met in the second year of law school at Harvard. They married, took time to simply enjoy each other’s company, and waited before starting their family—something Laura considers one of the best decisions they ever made.
“Kids are wonderful, but they can be taxing,” she says. “Having years where it was just the two of us really set us up for success.”
Now, their home is full: James, the curious and talkative five-year-old who loves math problems at the park, and baby June, whose calm personality perfectly complements her big brother’s enthusiasm.
“June is James’s opposite in every way,” Laura says with a laugh. “There can be chaos all around her and she’ll just be smiling.”
And when chaos does erupt?
Her secret to stopping a tantrum is as relatable as it gets.
“Ice cream.”
Laura’s journey is a portrait of modern motherhood: ambition and devotion intertwined, exhaustion mixed with joy, sacrifice paired with fulfillment. She is a parent who loves fiercely, works tirelessly, and is determined to show her children that courage sometimes means choosing the harder path.
Her story is less about perfection and more about possibility—the reminder that you can build a life you love, even if it means starting over, knocking on doors, and betting on yourself.
It’s the story of a mom who did the brave thing before she was ready… and found her purpose on the other side.
