Lara Spencer

Lara Spencer – Life, Career, and Memorable Insights

Lara Spencer (born June 19, 1969) is a prominent American television journalist, producer, and author. From diving athlete to co-anchor of Good Morning America, she has built a multifaceted media career. Explore her life, work, philosophy, and favorite quotes in this comprehensive biography.

Introduction

Lara Spencer (full name Lara Christine Von Seelen) is a well-known American television journalist, host, and author. Good Morning America, and also works as a correspondent for Nightline and ABC News.

Her journey from competitive diver to media personality shows both versatility and persistence. Along the way, she has branched into television production, design/antiques programming, and writing. Through it all, Spencer has shared insights about work, creativity, balance, and reinvention. In what follows, we dig into her background, career arc, and some of her most resonant quotes and life lessons.

Early Life and Family

Lara Spencer was born on June 19, 1969, in Garden City, New York on Long Island. Richard Ernest Von Seelen and Carolyn Von Seelen.

She grew up in Garden City and graduated from Garden City High School in 1987.

From an early age, Spencer combined athletic talent with ambition. Her upbringing emphasized creativity, exploration, and the discipline required by competitive sports (which would later shape her media career).

Youth, Education & Athletic Pursuits

After high school, Spencer earned an athletic scholarship to Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), where she competed in springboard and platform diving. All-American athlete.

She completed her undergraduate studies with a degree in broadcast journalism.

Spencer’s background as a competitive diver taught her about precision, performance under pressure, perseverance when outcomes are uncertain—all qualities that would later serve her in journalism and broadcasting.

Career and Achievements

Early Broadcasting & Reporting Career

After college, Spencer entered the NBC Page Program, a training ground for aspiring media professionals.

Her first professional on-air job was at the CBS affiliate WDEF-TV in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where she wore many hats—including shooting, editing, producing, and reporting. News 12 Long Island, and later anchored the 3 AM newscast for WABC-TV in New York.

During her time at WABC, Spencer covered major stories, including the TWA Flight 800 crash—an assignment that helped raise her profile among national news executives.

In 1999, she joined ABC News and Good Morning America as a national correspondent.

Rise at Good Morning America & Beyond

At ABC, Spencer steadily became a familiar face to morning show audiences. Over time, she shifted roles from correspondent to part-time anchor/contributor.

Between 2004 and 2011, she also co-hosted The Insider, a syndicated entertainment newsmagazine. Antiques Roadshow on PBS for the 2004 and 2005 seasons, and Antiques Roadshow FYI, its spin-off, in 2005.

In addition to on-air work, Spencer branched into production, design, and lifestyle programming. Among her ventures:

• Flea Market Flip (HGTV / Great American Country): Spencer hosts and produces this show about treasure hunting at flea markets.

• Everything But the House (HGTV): Another show she developed, focusing on turning household items into sales or design features.

• She also created and served as executive producer on It’s Worth What?, a game show on NBC.

• Spencer has authored books tied to her design and antiques interests. Her first book, I Brake for Yard Sales, was published in 2012. Flea Market Fabulous: Designing Gorgeous Rooms with Vintage Treasures, was released in 2014.

In April 2018, Spencer announced she would scale back her appearance on Good Morning America to three days a week, pivoting more toward her production company, DuffKat Media, while still contributing to GMA and ABC.

Personal Life & Later Developments

Spencer married former CNNfn journalist David Haffenreffer on September 30, 2000, in an Episcopal ceremony.

In January 2018, Spencer became engaged to Richard McVey, a tech entrepreneur (founder & CEO of MarketAxess).

Spencer also faced controversy: in August 2019, she made remarks about Prince George’s ballet lessons that some saw as insensitive. She apologized publicly and on-air.

In more recent years, Spencer has contended with health challenges related to past athletic injuries. In late 2024, she underwent double foot surgeries to address lingering damage from a college diving injury.

Legacy and Influence

Lara Spencer's influence lies not only in her on-camera presence but in her ability to diversify and evolve across media domains.

• Bridging journalism and lifestyle design: Spencer has uniquely combined news reporting, entertainment, interior design, and antiques — carving out a niche that crosses traditional media silos.

• A model of reinvention: Her move from full-time broadcast anchor to partial anchor/producer reflects how media professionals can shift roles while preserving influence and creative control.

• Empowering everyday creativity: Through her design and antiques shows and books, Spencer encourages audiences to see value in thrift, reuse, and making personal spaces meaningful.

• Inspiration in persistence: Her long career, adaptation amid changes in media, and recovery from old athletic injuries speak to endurance and evolution over time.

Though she may not hold a singular record or title in the way athletes might, Spencer’s legacy is as a multidimensional media figure who kept growing, exploring, and engaging.

Personality, Strengths & Challenges

Lara Spencer’s public persona reflects a blend of ambition, affability, and curiosity. Some of her traits and challenges include:

• Curiosity & eclectic interests: Her passion for antiques, design, and repurposing often appears in her media projects and personal reflections.

• Fearlessness in transition: Shifting from hard news to lifestyle programming, and taking on production and authorship, shows she is willing to step outside comfort zones.

• Resilience & adaptation: Navigating career pivots, public criticism, and health issues demonstrates mental toughness.

• Balancing public and private: Spencer tends to protect her family’s privacy, while sharing enough to connect with viewers.

• Health & bodily costs of performance: Her college diving injuries resurfacing later in life underscore how early physical exertion can have long-term impacts.

Memorable Quotes by Lara Spencer

Here are some quotes that reflect Spencer’s mindset, humor, and approach to life:

• “Going from reporter to anchor is like going from wide receiver to quarterback. As anchor, you’re running the plays and having the feel of the show—and knowing when to be more upbeat or slow down.”

• “I love sports. I love being active. I love challenging myself. I was a jock growing up from the time I could walk.”

• “It’s not a bargain if it has bedbugs.”

• “I always recommend rewiring vintage lighting. It’s not a bargain if your house burns down.”

• “I love charity thrift stores. Amazing one-of-a-kind pieces at terrific prices…”

• “If I don’t eat something after I work out, I get shaky and cranky—not a good combination when you’re a television host.”

• “Hollywood Regency never goes out of style.”

These remarks hint at her blend of practicality, wit, and appreciation for both aesthetics and doing things well.

Lessons from Lara Spencer

From her journey, we can draw lessons applicable both in media and life:

1. Diversify your strengths
   Spencer didn’t remain stagnant in one niche; she branched from news to lifestyle, production, writing, and design. A willingness to evolve opens doors.

2. Embrace transitions
   Moving from athlete to journalist, from reporter to anchor, or from on-screen to behind the scenes—all required adaptation. That willingness is a strength.

3. Quality over trendiness
   Her focus on vintage, thrift, and design with personality suggests she values lasting beauty and utility more than passing fads.

4. Persevere through setbacks
   Spencer’s health challenges and public missteps were met with accountability and perseverance—reminding us that setbacks are part of growth.

5. Stay curious & open
   Her interest in antiques, design, and storycraft shows that nurturing varied curiosities can fuel creative work.

Conclusion

Lara Spencer’s story is one of versatility, ambition, and reinvention. From a youthful diver earning All-American honors to a national broadcast personality, production entrepreneur, and design advocate, she has charted a path few would predict—but many could admire.

She reminds us that success need not be one-dimensional. Instead, by following multiple interests, adapting to change, and staying curious, one can craft a career rich in meaning, shape an authentic public voice, and continue growing through every chapter.

If you’d like, I can dig up lesser-known interviews or quotes from Lara Spencer, or compare her trajectory to other broadcast journalists. Would you like me to do that?