Taliesin Woodward is the daughter of American journalists Bob Woodward and his wife, Elsa Walsh. Taliesin’s parents married in 1989 and have been together since. Taliesin’s father is an investigative journalist who has worked for The Washington Post since 1971. Her mother has worked as a reporter in firms like The Washington Post and The New Yorker. Elsa is also an editor and works on her husband’s books. Elsa’s most notable work was her book Divided Lives: The Public and Private Struggles of 3 Accomplished Women.
Did Taliesin follow in her parent’s footsteps and pursue a career as a journalist? Keep reading to find out.
Taliesin Woodward Bio
Taliesin Woodward was born on 10 November 1976 and is aged 45 as of 2022 to Bob Woodward and Elsa Walsh. Her paternal grandparents were Alfred E. Woodward, an attorney, and Jane Upshur. Taliesin professionally goes by the name Tali Woodward, and she is the deputy editor at The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom that covers reports on gun violence. Taliesin is also a reporter and adjunct professor of journalism at Colombia University.
Taliesin Woodward Career
Taliesin initially had no plans of following in her father’s footsteps as a journalist. However, a college internship changed her plans. She attended the University of California, earning a bachelor’s degree in history. She initially worked as a staff writer for San Francisco Bay Guardian from February 1999 to May 2006. While at the firm, she wrote about different topics like health care, education, local politics, and the media.
Taliesin left the San Francisco Bay Guardian and enrolled in the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. She earned a Master’s degree in 2007 and worked as a freelance writer to date. She went back to Columbia as an assistant director and adjunct associate professor, where she guided the upcoming journalists. She got a promotion in 2011 and served as the Director of Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism for over nine years.
Currently, Taliesin is Deputy Editor of The Trace, a newsroom whose focus is shining light on America’s gun violence crisis.
Taliesin Woodward’s Personal Life
Taliesin is married to fellow journalist Gabriel Roth, a senior editor at Slate Magazine. The couple wed in 2008, and they have two children. Taliesin has a sister named Diana Woodward, who keeps away from the limelight.
Taliesin Woodward Parents
Taliesin’s father has been married three times. His first wife was a high school sweetheart named Kathleen Middlekauff from 1966 to 1969. He then married Frances Kuper in 1974 and divorced in 1979. His third and current wife is Elsa Walsch of The New Yorker.
Elsa and Woodward have a daughter named Diana. The couple was featured in the 2020 book What Makes a Marriage Last: 40 Celebrated Couples Share with Us the Secrets to a Happy Life by Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue.
While Woodward focuses mainly on investigative journalism, his wife covers broader subjects. Her 2005 book Divided Lives: The Public and Private Struggle of 3 Accomplished Women is her major selling point. She interviewed three women about their experience balancing careers and marriage.
Wrapping Up
Taliesin had a perfect background that cemented her career as a journalist. Instead of wallowing in her father’s fame, she made a name for herself.