Natalie Morales is leaving NBC News after 22 years

Natalie Morales is leaving NBC.

The television journalist declared her departure in an internal memo to NBC Information colleagues on Friday, describing that she was excited to be pursuing “a new experience,” but did not disclose information of what is upcoming for her.

Morales will go on to appear as a “Dateline” correspondent by way of the relaxation of 2021, and will be saluted with an on-air farewell tribute on Today in the coming months.

“I wrestle to find the appropriate phrases and there are way much too many folks I require to thank for a wonderful job at NBC News,” Morales, 49, told colleagues in her memo. “I imagine back again to my early times cutting my teeth at (NBC affiliate) WVIT in Hartford, CT then having the huge and — at the time — petrifying leap to MSNBC and alas — scoring the golden tickets to the Currently show and ‘Dateline.'”

“This 1st 50 {cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of my everyday living has been 1 entire of experience, issues, vacation, way also numerous early wake up calls, and indeed prospects to witness heritage unfold and to explain to inspiring and impactful stories that will generally be in my mind’s highlight reel,” she ongoing.

“Talking of that reel: I viewed my family mature up alongside with so many of your very own young children, and as my oldest son gets ready to unfold his wings and head to university shortly, so much too do I feel the time is proper, (ahead of the next fifty percent of my lifestyle) to spread my individual wings and to pursue a new experience,” she included.

She concluded her message, “It is incredibly hard to say goodbye… and we all know in this company it is by no means goodbye but see you afterwards. I’m eternally grateful for the help and deep friendships that will continue being no make any difference where our paths direct. I have so significantly to be grateful for and for every just one of you who aided me get here… muchísimas gracias mis amigos.”

Morales joined Right now in 2006 as a national correspondent, and went on to report throughout all of NBCUniversal News’ platforms, like “NBC Nightly Information,” “Dateline” and MSNBC.

During her decade and a 50 percent at Right now, Morales served as information anchor and co-host of TODAY’s 3rd-hour ahead of currently being named the show’s West Coastline anchor in 2016.

In 2020, when nonetheless anchoring Currently, Morales became an official correspondent for “Dateline NBC.”

She earlier served as host of NBCU’s “Access” and co-host of “Access Reside.”

During her time at NBC, Morales contributed to quite a few significant breaking information stories, together with the sexual harassment scandals, the 2017 Las Vegas massacre, the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing, as perfectly as protection of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s royal marriage in 2011 and the delivery of the couple’s very first kid, Prince George, in 2013.

In October 2010, Morales, who speaks Spanish and Portuguese, reside-translated and claimed on the Chilean miner rescue. Thanks in portion to her efforts, NBC’s coverage of the rescue was identified with a 2010 National Headliner Award.

Morales acquired 3 Daytime Emmy Awards as portion of the Now staff. She also gained a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award for her reporting on Honduran lobster divers for “Rock Centre with Brian Williams” in 2013, and three Gracie Awards for her fantastic reporting.

In 2018, Morales, who shares two sons, Josh and Luke, with partner Joe Rhodes, published her first guide, “At Dwelling with Natalie: Uncomplicated Recipes for Nutritious Living from My Family’s Kitchen to Yours.”

Currently executive producer Tom Mazzarelli despatched a note to NBC News staffers praising Morales for her profession at NBC over the past two a long time.

“She’s been offered an opportunity she’s passionate about and has determined to action absent from NBC Information right after an unbelievable two-decade occupation listed here,” he wrote, incorporating, “So remember to be a part of me in wishing her absolutely nothing but the greatest from her family here at Nowadays.”