Background
Arianna Huffington is well known for her contributions to journalism and as the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post. Arianna Huffington was born Ariadnē-Anna Stasinopoúlou in Athens, Greece, in 1950. Born into a family of journalists and management consultants, she moved to the United Kingdom at 16 to study economics at Girton College, Cambridge.
Immigration to the United States
She graduated with a master’s degree in economics in 1972 and began working as a columnist, critic, and television host. She appeared on an edition of Face the Music with Bernard Levin and began to write books. After ending a romantic relationship with Levin, Huffington moved from the United Kingdom to the United States and settled in New York in 1980. Her biography of the opera singer Maria Callas sold well and gave Huffington a degree of fame among the city’s social elite.
Professional Background & Achievements
Huffington made her mark in society as a conservative syndicated columnist and launched The Huffington Post in 2005. She also created an online voice portal that provided a place for critical observations in politics. She quickly gained celebrity status and gained a number of high-profile contributors to post their opinions on politics, news, and culture. Under her leadership, HuffPost became, in 2012, the first digital platform to win a Pulitzer Prize in journalism, for its 10-part series on wounded veterans. Since departing HuffPost in 2016, Huffington has launched Thrive Global, a media consulting platform, which Inc. magazine named one of the “Top NYC Startups to Watch in 2017.” Since then Thrive Global has launched operations in India and Greece.
Contributions to the U.S. Economy
In 2009 Forbes added Huffington to its list of the most influential women in media. The Guardian added her to its own top 100 media list, in the 12th spot. The Huffington Post was such a success that AOL bought the company in 2011 for $315 million and made her the president of its media group.
