Sharyn Alfonsi

Feb. 6, 2009— -- Sharyn Alfonsi is an ABC News correspondent based in New York. She reports for all ABC News broadcasts and platforms, including "World News with Diane Sawyer," "Nightline" and "Good Morning America," as well as ABC News Radio, ABC News NOW and ABCNEWS.com.

Most recently, Alfonsi made headlines as part of an ABC News "Nightline" investigation of the puppy mill industry in the heart of Pennsylvania's Amish country, gaining exclusive access inside the secretive world of commercial animal breeders.

Before joining ABC News in January 2008, Alfonsi was a correspondent for the "CBS Evening News" based in New York. During her time at CBS News, she traveled extensively throughout the Middle East, covering the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza and later the conflict between Israel and Lebanon. Domestically she covered Hurricane Katrina and later Hurricane Rita in New Orleans. She also led the network's coverage of the Virginia Tech Massacre in Blacksburg and the Sago Mine Disaster in West Virginia.

Before being named a correspondent at CBS News, Alfonsi was a correspondent for CBS Newspath, the network's 24-hour affiliate news service. There she covered a wide range of stories, including Martha Stewart's trial and the return of U.S. soldiers from Iraq.

Before joining CBS News, Alfonsi was a reporter and substitute anchor for WBZ-TV, the CBS affiliate in Boston, from 2001-2004. There she covered the Catholic Church scandal and the Rhode Island nightclub fire, among other stories. From 1999-2001, she was a reporter for KIRO-TV, the CBS affiliate in Seattle, where she covered the World Trade Organization riots. She also served as a general assignment reporter for WVEC-TV, the ABC affiliate in Norfolk, Va., from 1997-1999, traveling extensively with the military. One day after her college graduation, Alfonsi began her career in broadcast journalism at KHBS-TV, the ABC affiliate in Fort Smith, Ark., where she served as a news reporter, weekend weather anchor, photographer and editor.

Alfonsi was raised in McLean, Virginia. She is a graduate of the University of Mississippi in Oxford and a James Love Scholar.