Lauren Baker joined the 13 ON YOUR SIDE team in October 2023 as an anchor and reporter. Lauren anchors 13 ON YOUR SIDE weekend edition on Saturday and Sunday evenings and reports during the week.
Lauren is glad to be back in the Midwest, after spending some time on the east coast. As a Midwestern girl at heart, grew up in Northern Illinois and is excited to start exploring West Michigan.
She received her undergraduate degree in Journalism from Northern Illinois University and her Master of Science in Journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
Lauren loves serving her community, no matter where she lives!
She comes to West Michigan from Greenville, North Carolina, where she worked as a morning and midday anchor and WITN. During her time on the coast, she won second place for best anchor in the RTDNAC awards category.
Before there, Lauren started her career as a producer in Lansing, Michigan before moving to Rockford, Illinois where she began her on-air career as a weekend anchor at WREX 13 News. While in Rockford, Lauren had the pleasure of reporting on major reports like the Black Lives Matter Movement, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the massive Chemtool chemical plant fire. Because of her reporting, Lauren was able to help her team win several awards at the local and national levels.
Those awards include a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Breaking News Report and an Illinois News Broadcasters Association Award for Best Station Award.
Lauren is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and the National Association of Black Journalists.
If you have a story idea or just want to say hello, email her at lbaker1@13onyourside.com.
