When it comes to journalism, the goal for many aspiring journalists is to work for a national publication, either in print media or television. Sadly, through a combination of lack of dedication, and opportunity, a lot of journalists do not get to this height over the course of their careers. One person who does not fall into this category is Erin McPike.

Without any doubt, those who are great followers of the news, particularly on television are likely to know Erin McPike. She has worked across a few national and international broadcasting news media outlets like Independence JOurnal, CNN, and NBC. She has also made a name for herself in print media with organizations like National Journal and RealClearPolitics. As someone with a robust career, there is so much to unpack about the life of this famed journalist.

1. Erin McPike Is An Alumnus of the American University in Washington D.C

Erin Kathleen McPike was born on the 28th of June, 1983 in Cincinnati, Ohio to parents Richard McPike and Amy Amy Burrill. She attended Sycamore High School from where she graduated in 2001.

Erin later attended American University in Washington D.C, majoring in political science and journalism. An ace student, McPike, at the age of 22, earned her bachelor’s degree with honors in 2005. She was on the University’s Honors Program, on the Dean’s List all eight semesters, and also earned the Presidential Scholarship for tuition, awarded to under 10 percent of each incoming class.

While in college, Erin spent a semester abroad in London where she interned at WAMU 88.5. She was previously a 2004 election intern for her school’s Campaigns & Election’s Magazine.

2. She Began Her Career As A Staff Writer

Erin McPike’s career as a journalist took off at the National; Journal where she functioned as a writer for over 18 months. She covered paid media & polls in 2006 midterms; wrote morning campaigns digest and edited The Hotline’s political columnist weekly

She then went on to serve as an embed at NBC News where she covered the Romney campaign for all platforms of NBC News & National Journal. Her time with NBC was just 7 months from August 2007 to February 2008.

Her profession has seen her work across a few of the top national media publications and broadcasting bodies available in the United States.

The veteran reporter has put in quality time with the likes of CNN, where she functioned as a correspondent and RealClearPolitics as a national political reporter and polling data aggregator.

Erin’s time with RealClearPolitics saw her covering the 2012 United States presidential elections which were quite heated. As the campaign cycle for 2012 was heating up, the Ohio-born reporter took coverage of the happenings in Capitol Hill, following congressional campaigns as they unfolded throughout the nation.

Before her stint with RealClearPolitics she returned to National Journal to serve as the lead political reporter for their Convention Nightly. During her second time with the media outlet, Erin McPike was at the front lines of events as they unfolded, covering national political landscape and all Senate and House races nationwide.

Armed with loads of experience at RealClearPolitics, McPike proceeded to join CNN. At CNN, she served as the correspondent, covering events at the White House. Simultaneously, she served as a special correspondent for the CNN news show, The Lead With Jake Tapper. Erin left CNN in 2015 after putting in two years of work, having joined the network in 2013.

3. Erin Was Criticized By Colleagues For Refusal To Share Information

Erin McPike’s next reporting job was as a White House Correspondent for the Independent Journal Review, a role she assumed in February 2017. In her first year at the IJR, Erin received backlash from her colleagues after she was the only journalist invited on a trip with Rex Tillerson to Asia during his time as the US Secretary of State.

As a result of her time with the Secretary of State, she was privy to a lot of information. The backlash was said to have come as a result of her refusal to share the information that she received from Tillerson with the White House journalism circle. This singular action fueled widespread outrage within the White House Correspondents Association.

4. She Has Also Worked Outside the Boundaries of News Reporting

Worth mentioning is the fact that Erin McPike has had work experience outside of journalism. In February 2016, she took a leap to a Washington D.C based start-up incubator named 1776 to serve in a management role as their Director of Communications.

Reports from her employers at 1776 stated that Erin McPike’s wealth of experience and expertise in the media scene tremendously contributed to their expansionist prospects. However, this role was only for the short term as the journalist served in that capacity for a year, leaving in January 2017.

However, it would seem that McPike enjoyed her time at the startup incubator as she soon returned to a similar role after leaving the Independent Journal in January 2018. As of 2020, her job at the Independent Journal is her last reporting job.

By December of 2018, she joined the press team of Howard Schultz, former Starbucks CEO in his bid as an independent candidate for the 2020 race to the white house; Schultz who per Forbes is worth $4 billion later declined to continue with his white house contest as he did with his previous bids in 2012 and 2016.

McPike then Michael Bloomberg’s campaign team in his 2020 bid for the white house. She served as his National Spokesperson & Communications Director to Diana Taylor – Bloomberg’s longterm partner. McPike’s role ended in March 2020 after Bloomberg bowed out of the race.

In between working for the campaigns of Schultz and Bloomberg, Erin McPike then briefly (for three months) served as a Communications Strategist for Hickenlooper 2020.

McPike now refers to herself more as a Media and Political adviser rather than a journalist. She is now putting her wealth of experience in journalism to use as a partner of Swann Street Strategies, a communications firm she runs with Marsha Catron – a former spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security during the Obama administration.

5. The Identity of Her Spouse Remains Hidden From The Public

Erin prefers to live a low-key life that continues to leave her admirers perplexed about her personal affairs. It appears as if she is making an intentional effort to keep the identity of the man in her life concealed from the general public.

If Erin McPike is married, there hasn’t been a concrete confirmation from her. So far, Erin has maintained the scope of public information about her limited to her work and life as a journalist and media personality.

Regardless, there has been strong interest by many, especially her fans to know about the man in her life. This curiosity eventually sprung forth a name, Whitney Conrad McDonald whom many believe to be her partner.

The Ohio born reporter relented on her resolve to keep her personal affairs under lock and key when she took to Twitter to gush about her “spouse” on the 26th of July 2016. Though there was never a repeat tweet, this singular action speaks volumes about her marital status.