Bob Woodruff is a correspondent for ABC News and joined the network in
1996. He has covered major stories throughout the country and around
the world. Woodruff succeeded Peter Jennings as anchor of “World
News Tonight” in December 2005. On Jan. 29, 2006, while reporting on
U.S. and Iraqi security forces, Woodruff was seriously injured by a
roadside bomb that struck his vehicle near Taji, Iraq.

In February 2007, just 13 months after being wounded, Woodruff
returned to ABC News with his first on-air report, “To Iraq and
Back: Bob Woodruff Reports.” The hour-long, primetime documentary
chronicled his traumatic brain injury (TBI), his painstaking recovery
and the plight of thousands of service members returning from Iraq and
Afghanistan with similar injuries.

Since returning to the air, Woodruff has reported from all around the
world, covering some of the most influential stories and breaking news
events of the past three decades. He has traveled to more than 100
countries, reporting from the largest and most powerful nations to
some of the smallest and most remote corners of the planet. His work
has ranged from covering wars and humanitarian crises to stories of
recovery, environmental protection, and hope.

Woodruff has produced award-winning coverage from China, North Korea,
Japan, the Philippines, and across Southeast Asia. He has reported on
the persecution of the Muslim Uyghur population in Xinjiang, the
rising tensions in the South China Sea, and the growing influence of
China on the world stage. He has traveled to North Korea five times,
chronicling the shifting dynamics under Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un,
and was among the first Western journalists to document the regime’s
nuclear ambitions.

Woodruff has covered historic moments that have shaped the modern
world. After the Sept. 11 attacks, he was among the first Western
reporters to enter Pakistan. He later became one of ABC News’ lead
correspondents during the war in Afghanistan, reporting from Kabul and
Kandahar during the fall of the Taliban. He also covered the aftermath
of natural disasters in Japan, including the 2011 earthquake and
tsunami, reporting on efforts to stabilize the Fukushima nuclear
reactors.

Woodruff’s work has also focused on the consequences of war and the
resilience of those affected by it. His reporting has examined the
long-term impact of traumatic brain injuries, the opioid epidemic
among veterans, and the physical and emotional recovery of those
returning from combat. His ongoing documentary work has delved deeply
into healing and human connection, including “After the Blast,” in
which he and his son Mack returned to the site of his 2006 injury, and
“Operation Arctic Cure,” a National Geographic project exploring
how awe-inspiring experiences in nature can help veterans and first
responders recover from trauma and stress.

Beyond his reporting on conflict, Woodruff has turned his camera
toward the planet’s most pressing environmental and conservation
challenges. His recent series, “Last Lands” on Disney+, explores
the threats facing national parks in the world’s less developed
countries — on both land and at sea. These projects spotlight
communities and conservationists fighting to protect endangered
species, forests and coastlines, often under threat from poaching,
climate change, and organized crime.

Woodruff’s journalism has been recognized with numerous honors,
including 10 Emmy® Awards, two George Foster Peabody Awards, an
Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award, and the Daniel Pearl Award
for Courage and Integrity in Journalism. He was also part of ABC News
teams honored with duPont and Peabody Awards for their coverage of the
Sept. 11 attacks, the death of Pope John Paul II, the election of Pope
Benedict XVI, and the global refugee crisis.

Following his injury in Iraq, the Woodruff family established the Bob
Woodruff Foundation (BWF) to assist injured service members, veterans,
and their families as they reintegrate into their communities. Since
its founding, the Foundation has grown into one of the nation’s
leading nonprofit organizations serving veterans, funding innovative
programs that help them find meaningful work, secure housing, access
mental health care, and build stronger connections within their
communities.

Before becoming a journalist, Woodruff practiced law and taught law in
Beijing. His life took a dramatic turn in 1989 when he witnessed the
Tiananmen Square uprising. Working as a translator for CBS News during
the protests, he was inspired to change careers and pursue journalism
full-time.

Woodruff holds a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School
and a Bachelor of Arts from Colgate University. He and his wife, Lee,
co-authored the bestselling memoir “In an Instant,” chronicling
their family’s experience following his injury and recovery. They
live in New York with their four children.
