6 Pregnant On-Air Reporters Created Community in the Workplace (Exclusive)

The female anchors and reporters at CNBC are always navigating an ever-changing news cycle — but now, some of them are seeing changes in their personal lives as the network goes through a baby boom!

Six of CNBC’s on-air anchors and reporters are currently pregnant at the same time – and two of their reporters are on maternity leave or just coming back from it — making this monumental moment extra special. The expecting reporters and anchors spoke with PEOPLE about how they’ve been leaning on each other for support and finding community during this pivotal time.

“Part of the support during our ‘baby boom’ is implicit,” explains CNBC’s technology reporter Kate Rooney, who is currently expecting her second baby. “There’s something really powerful in knowing you’re not doing this alone.”

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“I’ve found so much strength in knowing other coworkers on the East Coast are battling the same exhaustion, and everything that comes with pregnancy, while on air,” Rooney continues. “Whether it’s Kelly [Evans] anchoring a show while juggling five young kids at home, or Megan Cassella clocking 12-hour days on the White House lawn, there’s a solidarity in watching your colleagues operate at the top of their game while pregnant.”

CNBC’s tech check anchor Deirdre Bosa, who is currently pregnant with her fourth baby, agrees with Rooney. “There’s no formal system. Just a lot of mutual respect, unspoken understanding and the occasional reality check,” she explains.

“We’re all still showing up, still chasing stories, still in the thick of it,” Bosa says. “Sometimes that’s the most supportive thing of all; seeing each other do both with grit and grace.”

The women also have another way they’ve been offering support and swapping parenting tips — a Teams group chat for moms.

“We, along with other moms at CNBC, have a Teams group chat where we share tips, ask questions and support each other throughout all the twists and turns of parenting,” says Angelica Peebles, CNBC’s health and pharmaceutical reporter, who is currently expecting her second baby.

“It’s a great way to keep in touch even when everyone has such busy schedules,” continues Peebles. “And it’s nice because we can all relate to the specifics of working in television.”

CNBC’s anchor for The Exchange and Power Lunch Kelly Evans, who is currently pregnant with her sixth baby, calls the group chat a “godsend” and Megan Cassella, CNBC’s Washington correspondent who is pregnant with her first baby, credits the community with helping her find a balance of home and work life.

“I’ve talked with these women about different types of baby gear, about how to handle pregnancy exhaustion amid crazy hours, about which clothing brands sell the best work trousers with stretchy waistbands,” Cassella says. “I’ve exchanged texts and Teams chats with coworkers about what it’s like to juggle a first-time pregnancy with an on-air job, when sometimes what helps the most is just being able to talk through things with someone else who knows exactly what this pretty unique experience feels like.”

Sometimes, Cassella says, it’s just nice to be around other women who are going through the exact thing she’s facing.

“I’ve always heard people say that it takes a village — but I’m learning how true that is even before the baby comes,” she says.

Finding support while balancing their busy schedules is already difficult, and some admit that being pregnant has only added another piece to the puzzle. But they all say they feel lucky to be amongst this newfound community as they get ready to welcome their little ones.

“I’ll say it isn’t easy,” Cassella says. “I found out my little guy was on his way just three days before Inauguration Day this year, so he’s been with me every day at the White House during the Trump administration. It’s a much-needed reminder to slow down and take a break from the news cycle when I can, to set a boundary between work and life when I need to and to recognize when I can’t do something because I need to take care of myself.”

Bosa agrees, saying the support she’s received at CNBC and from her colleagues makes her feel like it’s possible to be the working mom she wants to be.

“I’m about to have my fourth child, which still surprises people, especially in an industry like mine,” says Bosa. “For a long time, women were expected to pick a lane: career or kids. But CNBC has never made me feel like I had to choose.”

“It’s a place that not only allows for both, but actually supports it, and that’s rare. It’s one of the reasons I’ve been at CNBC for more than a decade,” Bosa continues. “The work is demanding, but so is parenting. And when both are valued, it’s possible to show up fully in each, without erasing the rest of who you are.”

Rooney says that while many of them were drawn to their job due to the “thrill” of breaking news, that type of position doesn’t always fit with the “realities” of parenting.

“There are days where you need to give work your all — there’s a breaking story that requires travel or you need to drop everything for source calls,” Rooney explains. “There are even more days when family takes precedence: kids are sick, childcare falls through or your spouse is traveling.”

“I’ve given up on the idea of perfect balance,” she continues. “The best way I’ve found to handle it is with a sense of humor. You can’t take yourself too seriously. Some news days are just nuts. The stakes are high, the mistakes are painful. You have to look back and laugh, brush it off and be ready for whatever comes the next day.”

“Being a parent has put all of that in perspective in a healthy way,” Rooney says. “My toddler doesn’t know, or care, about what happened in the markets or on air that day. That’s refreshing to come home to [and] helps me tune out some of the necessary chaos that often comes with this job.”

Evans says the lesson she’s taken away is that you have to keep evolving and finding new ways to get through some of the tougher moments.

“You just keep having to work smarter. You don’t have time for the small work dramas that don’t matter,” Evans says. “You just focus on getting the job done and done well.”

“It’s actually helpful in [a] sense,” she explains. “Work can distract you from the difficult moments at home that can be incredibly isolating, and home is a welcome respite at the end of the day from work.”

Pippa Stevens, CNBC’s markets and investing reporter who is currently expecting her first baby, says she’s found a different method to get around some of the craziness.

“It helps that I can already survive on very little sleep!” she quips.