Award-winning journalist, producer and director Hannah Storm is a pioneer in broadcasting, a published author, an advocate for children suffering from debilitating vascular birthmarks, and, most importantly, a mother of three girls.
In 2018, Storm made sports broadcasting history when she became the play-by-play voice of Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football. Storm is part of the first female duo ever to broadcast a professional sports series in the US, and the first ever female team to provide commentary on NFL Games.
Storm joined ESPN in 2008, where she is currently the co-host of SportsCenter, the network’s flagship program. Storm served as host and executive producer of ESPN’s primetime interview specials, Face to Face with Hannah Storm, and has hosted major events including: Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, the New York City Marathon, Veterans Day specials, the Super Bowl, the College Football Playoff National Championship, the ESPY Awards, the NBA Finals, the NFL Combine, Muhammad Ali’s funeral, the historic MLB visit to Cuba, the NFL Draft, Mayweather-Paqauaio, Mayweather-McGregor, and the Rio Olympics. In addition, Storm has hosted The Sports Reporters and contributed to E:60 and Outside the Lines. She is also an original member of the Board of Advisors for espnW.
On ABC, Storm is a contributor to the news program Nightline. She hosted The Rose Parade from 2008-2018 and served as guest host of the “Bachelor Winter Games” in 2018. Storm has reported for 20/20 and hosted the prime-time special “Walk the Wire”. In addition, she hosted “ABC Sports Saturday”.
Storm served as co-host of The Early Show on CBS, from 2002-2007. There, she covered numerous key national and global events, including the 2004 U.S. presidential election, the Iraq war, Hurricane Katrina, Super Bowls XLI and XXXVIII, the 2004 Democratic National Convention, the 2004 and 2008 presidential campaigns, and the London terror bombings. Storm also reported for the award-winning CBS news magazine, 48 Hours, and co-hosted the network’scoverage of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Prior to CBS, Storm spent ten years at NBC Sports where she hosted the network’s coverage of four Olympic games – Barcelona (1992), Atlanta (1996), Sydney (2000), and Salt Lake City (2002) – as well as Wimbledon, Notre Dame football, NBA on NBC, and the Baseball Network. Storm became the first woman in American television history to solo host a broadcast network’s
sports series when she hosted its Major League Baseball coverage, including three World Series. In 1997, Storm also became the first play-by-play announcer for the WNBA.
Storm previously covered sports for CNN from 1989-1992, where she was the first ever female host of CNN Sports Tonight.
In 2008, Storm founded Brainstormin’ Productions and has executive produced, directed and produced award-winning documentary films and branded content. Film projects include: Rowdy (SEC Network); Danica (EPIX, 2-time New York Film Festivals Award winner); Love & Payne, (espnW, ESPN); Shaq & Dale [SEC Network, ESPN, ABC); Swoopes, (espnW, ESPN); Moving the Goal (ESPN, Gracie Award winner); and Unmatched (ESPN, Peabody Award winner/Gracie Award winner). In addition, Storm directed branded content and web series for Under Armour, Oakley, Proctor and Gamble (Gracie Award winner), Ford, and Gillette.
Also, in 2008, Storm founded the Hannah Storm Foundation, which funds surgeries for children suffering from debilitating vascular birthmarks. The Hannah Storm Foundation has funded surgeries for children from the United States, China, the Republic of Georgia, Slovenia, India, and South Africa. The Hannah Storm Foundation has also helped institute new insurance codes and funds the Hannah Storm Journalism Internship at Notre Dame.
Storm has penned two books: Notre Dame Inspirations (Doubleday, 2006), and Go Girl!: Raising Healthy, Confident and Successful Daughters through Sports (Sourcebooks, 2002; 2011 re- release). Storm has also contributed to Cosmopolitan, The Hollywood Reporter, Nick Jr., Family Circle, Child, and Notre Dame Magazine.
In addition to her regular roles on television, Storm has appeared in films and television shows including: Like Mike, Valentine’s Day, Creed, Arli$$, Scrubs, and As the World Turns.
Storm has received numerous awards, including the 2018 “Woman of Influence” from Multichannel News; the 2017 “Lifetime Excellence in Sports Communications Award” from Marist College; “The Champion of Literacy Award” from the Literacy Advance of Houston; the Gracie Award® for “Pioneering Work as a Female in the World of Sports Broadcasting”; the Gracie Award® for “Outstanding Anchor, News”; the University of Notre Dame “DistinguishedAlumni Award”; the March of Dimes “Sports Legend Award”; the YWCA “Brava Award”; the Traditional Home Classic “Woman Award; and the Paley Center for Media’s “She Made It, Women Creating Television and Radio” Hall-of-Fame.
Storm graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1983, where she received degrees in communications and political science. Storm also holds an honorary Doctorate degree from the University of Portland for Public Service. She currently resides in Connecticut with her husband, Dan Hicks, and their three daughters.
