Collins was a critical part of the CNN anchor team for the capture of Saddam Hussein in early 2004. She has also interviewed Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld and other key political figures for CNN's Anderson Cooper 360? and Paula Zahn Now.
Previously she worked as a news anchor for CNN Headline News, which she joined in July 2002.
Before joining CNN, Collins was with the NBC affiliate KUSA in Denver, Colo., where she was an anchor and also served as a reporter for the 10 p.m. newscast. Before this position, she was the main anchor and a reporter with CBS affiliate KKTV in Colorado Springs, Colo. Previously, Collins was with NBC affiliate KFDX in Wichita Falls, Texas, where she served as anchor, reporter and producer.
Collins has received a variety of honors and awards. In 2000, she received an Emmy nomination in the news writing for reporting category in recognition of a story she covered on a Colorado foster care camp.
Additionally, she has received three Edward R. Murrow awards. She was awarded her first Murrow Award for her coverage of a U.S. Air Force training jet crash in Wichita Falls. Collins won her next two Murrows in the anchor and field-anchor category for her extensive coverage of the 1999 Columbine shootings while she was in Colorado Springs. In 1998, Collins won an Associated Press Award in the best documentary category for a story that she produced and reported covering foster care and adoption in Colorado.
She has done extensive work on behalf of children's foster care. While in Colorado, Collins served as an executive board member for Camp To Belong, a national foster care organization. She has also served as a spokeswoman for the Alliance for People with Disabilities.
Collins has a bachelor of science degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.
--CNN
UNITED STATES