People often told Katie Couric that she was too cute and perky to be considered a serious news reporter. In fact, one of Katie's earliest appearances in front of the camera led her boss to proclaim that he never wanted to see her on the air again. But Katie didn't let that stop her. She always knew she was destined to be a TV journalist. After rising to stardom as co-host of NBC's Today show in the 1990s, Katie reached the pinnacle of her profession in 2006 on the CBS Evening News, becoming the first solo female anchor of a network nightly news program. Katie's determination extends beyond her career. Since the death of her husband, Jay, from colon cancer in 1998, she has worked tirelessly as an advocate for cancer research.