Symone Sanders Townsend is an American political strategist, television host, author, and former senior White House advisor who co-hosts the political talk show The Weekend on MSNBC. Rising to national prominence as the youngest presidential press secretary in modern American history, Sanders Townsend has built a high-profile career spanning top-tier political campaigns, White House communications, and national television broadcasting.
⚡ Fast Facts: Symone Sanders Townsend
Symone Danielle Sanders Townsend
December 10, 1989
36 Years Old (as of 2026)
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Creighton University (B.S.B.A., 2013)
Co-Host, The Weekend (MSNBC)
Shawn Townsend (m. 2022)
$2.5M – $5.0M (Estimated)
Early Life, Nebraska Roots, and Education
Symone Sanders Townsend was born on December 10, 1989, in Omaha, Nebraska, making her 36 years old as of 2026. Raised in North Omaha by her parents, Daniel Sanders (a retired civilian with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) and Terri Sanders (former publisher of the historic Omaha Star), she was immersed in civic advocacy and communication from childhood.
Sanders Townsend attended Mercy High School in Omaha, graduating in 2008. She continued her higher education at Creighton University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) in 2013. During college, she was active in student governance and juvenile justice reform advocacy.
Political Strategy and White House Service
History-Making Presidential Campaigns
In 2015, at just 25 years old, Sanders Townsend was appointed National Press Secretary for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. In this role, she became the youngest national press secretary for a major presidential campaign in American history, managing national media operations and press briefings across the country.
During the 2020 presidential cycle, she served as a Senior Advisor to the Joe Biden campaign, playing a central role in communications strategy, minority outreach, and national debate preparation.
Senior Advisor & Chief Spokesperson to Vice President Kamala Harris
In 2021, following the inauguration of the Biden-Harris administration, Sanders Townsend joined the Executive Office of the President as Senior Advisor and Chief Spokesperson to Vice President Kamala Harris.
In the White House, she managed the Vice President’s global communications team, traveled on diplomatic missions to Europe, Southeast Asia, and Central America, and coordinated major policy announcements on voting rights, domestic infrastructure, and economic revitalization.
Media Career and MSNBC Hosting
Following her White House tenure, Sanders Townsend transitioned to television broadcasting. In early 2022, she signed with MSNBC to host her own weekend show, SYMONE.
Her television role expanded with the launch of The Weekend, MSNBC’s signature weekend morning political broadcast co-hosted alongside Alicia Menendez and former RNC Chairman Michael Steele. Beyond broadcasting, she is the author of the bestselling memoir and political commentary book No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America (HarperCollins, 2020).
Estimated Earnings and Financial Overview
Symone Sanders Townsend’s financial portfolio is built on multiple high-value revenue streams, including her multi-year MSNBC anchor contract, publishing advances, speaking engagements through leading speaker bureaus, and strategic political advisory:
- Television Contract: Industry estimates place anchor compensation for major cable news weekend hosts in the range of $350,000 to $600,000 annually.
- Publishing & Speaking: Her HarperCollins book publication and national university lectures command substantial five-figure speaking honorariums.
Factoring in over a decade of executive-level political consulting, high-level federal government positions, book royalties, and national broadcasting contracts, financial analysts estimate her net worth to be between $2.5 Million and $5.0 Million.
Net-worth figures are estimates based on publicly available information and may not reflect private assets, liabilities, taxes, or undisclosed financial arrangements.
Personal Life and Marriage to Shawn Townsend
Symone Sanders married Shawn Townsend on July 15, 2022, in an intimate ceremony in Washington, D.C. Shawn Townsend is a prominent government relations executive, former D.C. “Night Mayor” (Director of the Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture), and currently serves as President and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW). The couple resides in Washington, D.C.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Symone Sanders Townsend?
Symone Sanders Townsend is an American political strategist, television news host for MSNBC’s The Weekend, author, and former Senior Advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris.
How old is Symone Sanders Townsend?
Symone Sanders Townsend is 36 years old as of 2026. She was born on December 10, 1989, in Omaha, Nebraska.
Where did Symone Sanders Townsend go to college?
She graduated from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Who is Symone Sanders Townsend’s husband?
She is married to Shawn Townsend, a government relations executive and former Director of the Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture in Washington, D.C.