Mary Ann Ahern Facts: Bio, Age, Height, Weight, Family, and Net Worth

Mary Ann Ahern is a journalist and political reporter for WMAQ-TV-TV-TV.

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Best Known For:The television show NBC 5 Chicago News

Breakthrough:Graduated from John Carroll University in 1976

10 Quick Facts About Mary Ann Ahern

Full Name: Mary Ann Ahern
Profession: Journalist and reporter
Known For: The television show NBC 5 Chicago News
Current Role: Political reporter
Current Employer: WMAQ-TV
Marital Status: Married
Spouse / Partner: Thomas Ahern
Popular As: Mary Ann Bergerson Ahern
Beats: Politics / Government and International / Foreign Affairs
Media Level: Local

Mary Ann Ahern Age

Mary Ann Ahern's exact age is not publicly confirmed.

Education

Her educational background includes studies at John Carroll University, Northeastern Illinois University, and other institutions.

John Carroll University
- Qualification: Bachelor of Arts
- Period: Graduated 1976
Northeastern Illinois University
- Qualification: Master's degree
- Field of Study: Education
Northwestern University
- Qualification: Master's degree
- Field of Study: Journalism

Career & Work

Mary Ann Ahern's career includes news and reporting roles with WMAQ-TV-TV, a television station and WXIA-TV.

Organization: WMAQ-TV-TV

Role: Political Reporter

Period: 2006–Present

Details: Chicago, Illinois

Organization: WMAQ-TV-TV

Role: Reporter

Period: 1989–2006

Details: Chicago, Illinois · Joined NBC 5 Chicago in March 1989 and reported on politics, religion and major local and national stories.

Organization: WXIA-TV

Role: Political Reporter

Period: 1985–1989

Details: Atlanta, Georgia · Covered political affairs and presidential campaigns.

Organization: WEEK-TV

Role: Reporter and Weekend Anchor

Period: 1982–1985

Details: Peoria, Illinois · Worked in local television news reporting and anchoring.

Role: High School English Teacher

Period: Before 1982

Details: Chicago area, Illinois

Rise to Fame

Mary Ann Ahern rose to prominence for her role on the television show NBC 5 Chicago News.

Notable Works

Notable media work includes NBC 5 Chicago News, Religion and Journalism in Chicago, and NBC 5 Chicago 2026 Election Coverage.

Television

TV Show: NBC 5 Chicago News (Political Reporter, 1989-Present) — Television news reporting covering Chicago, Illinois and national political affairs
TV Show: NBC 5 Chicago 2026 Election Coverage (Political Reporter, 2026) — State and national election coverage

Podcasts

Podcast: Religion and Journalism in Chicago (Interview Guest, 2026) — American Writers Museum discussion about religion reporting and Chicago's connections to the papacy

Work: 2025 Election of Pope Leo XIV (Vatican Correspondent, 2025) — On-location NBC Chicago coverage of the selection of Pope Leo XIV
Work: Catholic Church and Vatican Reporting (Reporter) — Long-running reporting on Catholic Church affairs, papal transitions and institutional accountability

Notable Coverage

Illinois and Chicago Political Campaigns – NBC 5 Chicago – Reports on Chicago, Illinois and national political developments
Catholic Church Clergy Abuse Crisis – NBC 5 Chicago – 1991 – Reported on clergy sexual abuse allegations and their implications for Chicago's Catholic institutions
Papal Elections and Vatican Affairs – NBC 5 Chicago – Covered major Vatican events, papal transitions and Catholic Church leadership
Christopher Reeve Final Television Interview – NBC 5 Chicago – 2004 – Conducted a television interview with Christopher Reeve shortly before his death
2008 and 2012 United States Presidential Campaigns – NBC 5 Chicago – 2012 – Traveled through presidential primary states and covered campaign and election-night developments
Election of Pope Leo XIV – NBC 5 Chicago – 2025 – Reported from the Vatican when Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost became Pope Leo XIV
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Public Forum – NBC 5 Chicago – 2026 – Co-moderated an August 2026 public conversation about Chicago issues
2026 Midterm Election Coverage – NBC 5 Chicago – 2026 – Participated in election-night coverage of state and national races

Awards & Achievements

Peter Lisagor Lifetime Achievement Award — Chicago Headline Club — 2012 — Lifetime achievement in journalism.
Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards — Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences — 2025 — Two Emmy Awards recognizing her Vatican reporting during the election of Pope Leo XIV.

Mary Ann Ahern Family & Relationships

Mary Ann Ahern is married to Thomas Ahern.

Lesser Known Facts

Ahern is from Michigan City, Indiana.
She worked as an English teacher before establishing her television journalism career.
She has reported extensively on Catholic Church affairs and Vatican events.