Juju Chang Speaker Biography
Emmy Award-Winning Co-Anchor of ABC’s Nightline
Juju Chang, one of the most prominent women in broadcast news, the Emmy Award-winning co-anchor of Nightline and a regular contributor to Good Morning America and 20/20, has a superpower. It’s an incredible amount of compassion that shines through in everything she does—from always willing to lend a helping hand to inspiring others, especially with her storytelling abilities. Throughout her career reporting on the most pressing issues of our time, Chang has become a symbol of hope and resilience—shining a light on the best of humanity in the hardest of times. Byron Pitts, co-anchor of Nightline, said it best when describing his work colleague, “When there’s goodness, there’s Juju.” And everyone who has ever met her agrees. This empathy comes from a childhood where she didn’t always feel like she belonged. Born in South Korea, she immigrated with her parents to Northern California when she was just four years old. It was a time when there were not many Asian Americans in the area. “Obviously, I was a definite minority, and I felt very different and othered,” she says.
Journalist
The same held true for her family. Chang witnessed a lot of prejudice against her dad and remembers not having the words to really describe what she was seeing, but just knowing in her gut that it didn’t feel right. It felt malicious and wrong and was a perspective honed at a very young age that helped her see the world in a certain way as she went about being a journalist for the last 30 years. An ABC News veteran, Chang joined the network as an entry-level desk assistant in 1987 after graduating with honors from Stanford University. Prior to her current roles at ABC, she was a producer for World News Tonight, a co-anchor on the overnight show World News Now and news anchor for Good Morning America. Chang’s work has been recognized with numerous awards, including multiple Emmys, Gracies, a DuPont, a Murrow and Peabody Awards.
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Community
Chang is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a founding board member of the Korean American Community Foundation. With the rise of hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, Chang leveraged her platform to become a much-admired champion of social change. She made U.S. broadcast history co-anchoring the 2021 ABC News Live special, Stop The Hate: The Rise In Violence Against Asian Americans, alongside fellow Korean-American co-anchor Eva Pilgrim and a cast of AAPI journalists, thought leaders, lawmakers and celebrities. Chang also reported from the scene of the mass shootings at three Asian-themed spas in Atlanta, co-anchoring the ABC News 20/20 breaking news special, Murder In Atlanta.
Human Rights
Chang’s highly visible reporting on Asian Hate is the culmination of decades of covering everything from natural disasters to terrorism, mass shootings, immigration, violence against the LGBTQIA+ community and, most recently, the inequities of the COVID-19 pandemic. Known for her in-depth personal narratives and long-form storytelling, Chang has won acclaim for stories with underlying themes of civil and women’s rights and social justice. These include her critical examination of the controversial “Remain in Mexico” immigration policy, which she told through the eyes of one pregnant woman and her family living among the 60,000 asylum seekers camped for months along the Rio Grande. Her award-winning report, “Trans and Targeted,” on violence against transgender women of color, was the latest of a series of stories on the targeting of LGBTQIA+ Americans, including a GLAAD award-winning report on Matthew Shepard’s murder. Internationally, Chang has been a powerful voice on gender-based violence, including a trip through Central Africa on the front lines against Boko Haram and #bringbackourgirls. She also traveled to Honduras for “Femicide: the Untold War,” an eye-opening look at rampant violence against women.
High Profile Interviews
In addition to reporting, Chang has profiled newsmakers like Joe Biden, Oprah Winfrey and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg; entertainers such as Tom Hanks, Chris Pratt and Nicki Minaj; and social media moguls Kendall Jenner and Dude Perfect.
Juju Chang Speaking Topics
Women’s Leadership: Bringing Your Life Experience to Work
When Juju Chang started out as a young journalist, she would dress in masculine clothing to “look as tough as the guys” and shy away from reporting on the AAPI community for fear of being pigeon-holed. Today, she not only embraces her identities as a woman, mother of three sons, wife, volunteer, Jew by Choice and Asian American — she actively brings her lived experience to her work as an award-winning journalist and network anchor. From co-hosting a prime-time news special on Asian Hate and highly praised coverage of the Atlanta Spa Shootings, to covering gender inequality, immigrant stories and human rights around the world, Juju has elevated her career by whole-heartedly bringing her life experience, identities and passion for social justice to her work. In this inspiring talk, Juju empowers more women to celebrate their authentic selves, blend their talents with their passions, and bring their invaluable lived experiences to their professional roles. According to Juju, it’s also a win-win for any organization. Celebrating diversity of experience helps to create more inclusive and innovative workplace cultures that are also more in touch with their communities and customers.
The Power of Storytelling: Sharing Truth, Inspiring Change
Juju Chang has spent her career uncovering the stories that connect us, challenge us, and move us forward. In this inspiring keynote, she explores how storytelling allows each of us to share our truth—and why those truths matter. Stories can be joyful, painful, uplifting, or raw—but whether filled with light or shadow, they help us find meaning, resilience, and hope. Juju shares how even the hardest stories can reveal strength and humanity, reminding us that where there is darkness, there is often light. With empathy, insight, and unforgettable moments from the field, she shows how storytelling can bridge divides, spark change, and remind us that we’re never alone in our experiences.
Moderating/Interviewing/Hosting
Juju Chang brings a unique blend of warmth, intelligence, and energy that instantly elevates any event. As an Emmy Award-winning journalist and anchor of ABC’s Nightline, she knows how to guide meaningful conversations while keeping audiences engaged and connected. Whether she’s moderating a panel or hosting a main stage session, Juju brings clarity, flow, and a natural presence that makes every moment count. Her ability to combine substance with approachability makes her a standout choice for conferences and association events. With Juju leading the conversation, your event will feel both polished and unforgettable.
50% Korean. 100% Jewish.
“50% Korean. 100% Jewish.” That’s how Jew by Choice Juju Chang describes her three sons with husband Neal Shapiro. Their blended cultures share a reverence for education, a powerful immigrant experience, and sadly, a history of persecution, discrimination, “otherism” and scapegoating in the United States. In this highly personal talk, Juju shares her journey to Judaism and Jewish identity and discusses the historical parallels between Asian Hate and anti-Semitism. Noting that the Trump and COVID-era rise in internet hate speech against Asians was first flagged by the Anti-Defamation League’s Jonathan Greenblatt, Juju calls for the two communities to become allies against the rising forces of hate in our country.
What the Pandemic Revealed About Healthcare Disparities
In May of 2020, when New York City was the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, Juju Chang reported from one of the epicenters of the epicenter: the South Bronx. Home to 1.5 million, people, the South Bronx had the city’s highest rate of COVID deaths. Contributing factors included a high proportion of essential workers, inability to work at home, density of housing, and intergenerational households. But Juju’s reporting revealed that the true root cause was actually poverty itself. In the Bronx and in poor communities across the U.S., COVID was merely shining a light on long-standing healthcare disparities and inequities. In this America, children were twice as likely to have asthma because of environmental pollution, mold, mildew and vermin; adults have higher rates of hypertension, diabetes; and all are impacted by food insecurity and lack of access to healthcare. In fact, even before COVID, someone living in the Upper East Side of Manhattan lived 10 years longer than someone in the South Bronx. In this powerful talk highlighted by clips that give voice to actual South Bronx residents ranging from a nurse and a hospital sanitation worker to community activists, Juju examines healthcare disparities in America — and how we must not forget the fatal inequities that the pandemic laid bare.
Understanding the AAPI Experience
The AAPI identity includes over 50 ethnic or language groups, but there’s one thing they have in common: A feeling of “otherism” that includes being asked “but, where are you really from?” even if their family has been in the U.S. for generations. This “otherism” was weaponized during the pandemic, with anti-Asian hate crimes rising 169% in 15 American cities during the first three months of 2021 alone. In a conversation with members of your organization, Juju Chang takes on key components of biases against Asian Americans and the ways they are harmed, including scapegoating and the fetishization and dehumanization of women. She also confronts the “model minority myth,”: the “Crazy Rich Asian” mischaracterization that renders a huge populations of low-income Asian Americans invisible. Believing that the best way to end unconscious bias is to get to know someone different and hear their personal story and points of view, Juju leads a thought-provoking conversation that increases understanding and amplifies allyship.
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Juju Chang Speaker Testimonials
Juju is the most gracious, outgoing, on-point, communal...absolute BEST! She was an absolute joy from the moment she landed in Portland. Juju called me to check in from the car. Unheard of! She asked for information on those she'd be interacting with during the program so she could be prepared. Unheard of! She read our Community Study (it's long) and used stats in her remarks - UNHEARD OF- so effective and appreciative. She is relatable, her story is poignant, she's funny, she's everything. I cannot say enough wonderful things about Juju Chang. Book her as frequently as she's willing and available in the Jewish community. She will help engage and raise money!
- Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, OR |
Last night was a huge success. Juju knocked it out of the park for us. We got our Annual Campaign off to a roaring start with close to 600 people in the room. She engaged with as many people as possible. Thanks to all of you for making this a smooth ride.
- Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte |
I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you again to you and Juju. Juju is an incredibly gifted storyteller and the feedback and praise for her has simply been outstanding. I'm so grateful that she was able to take time out of her busy schedule to have a thoughtful, truthful, and inspiring conversation with us and to share her lived experiences with our audience. It was really special, magical even. Thank you so much. I look forward to collaborating with you and other speakers in the near future.
- American Board of Surgery |
Juju Chang was an absolute delight to work with. Our students, faculty, and staff nodded in agreement and clapped at excitement each time she spoke. She was very accommodating and provided a lot of insight into what she would be speaking about as well as being very easy going upon arrival. Working with APB was also instrumental in making the process so smooth. We would bring Juju back any time!
- Columbia University |
