Sandra Ali

Sandra Ali is an award-winning anchor and reporter who has made several regular network appearances on the Fox News channel, CNN and CNN Headline News. 

Sandra was born and raised in New York City but spent the early part of her childhood growing up in Egypt, where her parents immigrated to the US from.

Sandra graduated summa cum laude from Syracuse University's prestigious S.I. Newhouse School of Journalism when she was 20. For her 21st birthday, she followed up with a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

From there, Sandra went on to her first job in television, at WTAJ, the CBS affiliate, in Altoona Pennsylvania. After two years it was time to move on to the Motor City to WJBK to anchor the top-rated weekend editions of "Fox 2 News at 6" and "Fox 2 News at 10" as well as report for Fox 2 News.

Ali won the Associated Press award for Best Hard News Reporter in 2002, as well as Michigan's Association of Broadcasters' award for Best Breaking News Reporter in 2003. Ali also landed major interviews at the time with then Secretary of State Colin Powell, the Queen of Jordan and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, all while in Detroit.

Sandra joined WLWT, the NBC affiliate in Cincinnati, Ohio in August 2004 as the station's main anchor, anchoring the station's 5, 6 and 11p.m. newscasts.

After spending six years as a primary anchor, Sandra and her family moved back to Detroit and NBC affiliate, WDIV. 

Sandra spent 13 years at WDIV, anchoring the station's 6 and 11 p.m. weekend newscasts, substituting during the week, plus working as a franchise reporter as part of the station's special projects unit.  

While at WDIV, Sandra covered several major national stories, like the 2018 demonstrations in Washington DC after the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School, and again in 2022 in Uvalde, Texas when students from metro Detroit travelled to support children who survived the mass shooting at Robb elementary school.   

She has four young children who keep her on her toes.  You can usually find her running them around to practices and games, or volunteering at school.  When she's not with her little ones, Sandra also likes to stay active.  She likes working out, traveling, reading, and spending time with family and friends.  If you know Sandra, you know she's always on the go and doesn't sit still.  Always coming up with new projects and fun challenges, most recently Sandra ran the Detroit half marathon, twice!      

Sandra is excited to join the team at CBS News Detroit and wake up early with you mornings starting at 5 a.m. alongside Kris Laudien.