Mary Ann Childers is the co-anchor, alongside Michael Ayala, for the CBS 2 News, from 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM, and also for the 11:00 AM News.

Childers joined CBS 2 as an anchor and reporter in 1994. Throughout her career, she has been widely recognized for field reporting from around the world. Stationed in Israel, Childers was the first Chicago television reporter to file from the Persian Gulf during the War in 1991. In addition, she has reported from Africa, Central America and Great Britain. Childers is also known for her medical reporting, which has included accompanying a team of plastic surgeons from the University of Illinois to Guatemala to perform facial reconstructions on children with birth defects.

Prior to joining CBS 2, Childers anchored WLS-TV newscasts for 14 years and served as the station’s medical editor. She anchored the 10:00 PM news, as well as the 4:30 PM and weekend newscasts. Childers began her broadcasting career in Chicago as an associate producer for “The Phil Donahue Show.” She worked at WAVE-TV in Louisville, Ky., and at WTHR-TV in Indianapolis, Ind. before coming back home to Chicago.

A veteran Chicago journalist, Childers’work has been recognized with numerous professional and community awards over the years, including two Emmy Awards. Her extensive involvement in the community includes active board memberships with the Mental Health Association of Illinois, the Chicago Foundation for Education, and the Women’s Board of United Cerebral Palsy of Chicago.

Her honorary board memberships include the Y-Me breast cancer support program, National Kidney Foundation of Illinois and National Spinal Cord Injury Association. Childers is also a member of the Chicago Cancer Research Foundation, National Advisory Council of Northwestern University’s School of Speech, and the Chicago Network. She has also served as a member of numerous AIDS education and funding efforts.

Childers resides in Chicago and holds a B.S. in Speech from Northwestern University. She is married to Chicago broadcaster, CBS 2’s Jay Levine.

Jay Levine is the Chief Correspondent for CBS 2 News at 10:00 PM,
Monday trough Friday.

Levine joined CBS 2 as a weekend anchor and reporter in 1990 and was named Chief Correspondent in 1991. He later served as anchor for the station’s early morning news, with his wife, Mary Ann Childers, before returning to his role as Chief Correspondent.

Four months into the job at CBS 2, Levine became the first Chicago reporter to broadcast live from Saudi Arabia, the day before the Gulf War began. He was the only Chicago TV reporter in Saudi Arabia from the time the first shots of the Gulf War were fired until after the cease-fire was signed. During that two-month period, Levine filed 260 live reports for CBS 2 and CBS stations around the country.

He has traveled the globe covering politics, international affairs issues and uncovering scandals. Levine’s reports range from interviewing the Pope, to dodging bullets in Beirut, to chasing drug runners in the Andes. In 1996, his coverage of
Cardinal Bernardin’s death was widely acclaimed by both his peers and the public.

Levine’s awards include a National RTNDA Award, four local Emmy Awards, a Jacob Scher Award for Investigative Reporting, and numerous AP and UPI honors.

Prior to joining CBS 2, Levine was WLS-TV’s premier general assignment reporter from 1974 to 1996. He also worked as a news reporter for
WCAU-AM Radio, the CBS owned station in Philadelphia (1972-74). Levine began his journalism career as a news and sports anchor and reporter for WHCU-AM/FM Radio, the CBS affiliate in Ithaca, N.Y., while still in college.

Levine is involved in several organizations around the city, including:
the Children’s Memorial Hospital, the Spinal Cord Injury Association, the Kidney Foundation, the Jewish United Fund and the Latin School of Chicago.

Levine, an avid golfer, graduated from Cornell University with a degree in engineering.