NBC News anchor Vicky Nguyen: From Vietnamese refugee to TODAY Show
December 4, 2025
AI Summary
5 min readVicky Nguyen, now an anchor on the Today Show and NBC News’ chief consumer investigative correspondent, was eight months old when her parents fled Vietnam on a small fishing boat with 68 other people. She took her first steps on the beach of a refugee camp in Malaysia. In her new book Boat Baby, she traces the arc from that beginning to a national news desk, and in this conversation with host Michelle Toh, she explains how she navigated the climb—and what she learned about competition, worth, and identity along the way.
What "Boat Baby" actually means
Nguyen was born in 1978, three years after the fall of Saigon. Her parents, she says, realized that raising a daughter under a communist regime was not the future they wanted. When she was eight months old, they left behind everything they knew and took the risk. The term "boat people" describes the millions who fled Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos after the war. Nguyen’s family’s journey took two days and two nights on a small fishing boat. Halfway across the South China Sea, Thai pirates boarded the vessel. They robbed the passengers of gold, money, and jewelry, then let them continue. The family made it to Pulau Bidong refugee camp in Malaysia, where they waited to be sponsored to a new country. Nguyen’s father held out for America. "America's the biggest, America's the best," he told the family. "We're going to wait." Tw
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What you'll learn
- 1 (03:08) **“Boat Baby” Defined: The Refugee Escape** - Vicky Nguyen explains the origin of her book title and details her family’s harrowing journey from Vietnam.
- 2 (06:55) **First Steps in a Refugee Camp** - Vicky recounts her earliest memories and the family’s sponsorship to the U.S.
- 3 (08:23) **Gratitude and Public Service as a Journalist** - Vicky explains how her family’s sacrifice shapes her approach to journalism.
- 4 (12:27) **Navigating Two Cultures as a Child** - Vicky describes the challenge of balancing Vietnamese heritage with American upbringing.
- 5 (13:49) **Discovering Journalism by Accident** - Vicky reveals how a college friend opened her eyes to a career in broadcast news.
- 6 (16:37) **Failure at CNN and the Lesson of Assertiveness** - Vicky shares how her first internship was a humbling experience that taught her a crucial career skill.
- 7 (18:36) **The Investigative Series That Changed Everything** - Vicky identifies the specific work that put her on the map for NBC News.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Vicky Nguyen was just eight months old when she fled Vietnam as a refugee. Today, she's an Emmy-winning journalist, anchor and Chief Consumer Investigative Correspondent for NBC News, now seen on the TODAY Show. Her experiences inspired her new book, "Boat Baby." She joins us this week to discuss: | 00:00 — Introduction | 02:35 — Vicky's early life, escaping Vietnam | 04:53 — Encountering pirates at sea | 05:55 — Taking her first steps on the beach at a refugee camp | 07:16 — Getting sponsored to the US by churches and a family in Oregon | 09:50 — Lessons of resilience from her parents, who never complained or used the word "trauma" | 10:31 — Growing up between cultures | 11:50 — Early career lessons | 14:41 — First internship at CNN and learning to speak up in the workplace | 19:42 — Investigative reporting highlights, including probing conditions for bus drivers and food safety | 26:16 — Reflecting on mistakes and a story about a "hot intern" | 28:52 — Focus on avoiding comparison or jealousy in a brutally competitive industry | 32:50 — The pressure and joys of working in live TV + setting herself up for success behind the scenes | 34:10 — Knowing your worth and negotiating with confidence | 35:57 — Pay transparency: The surprising moment her colleague pulled out their contract to help her advocate for herself | 37:28 — Turning down a dream job at a top network | 40:00 — Coming to redefine personal success | 41:55 — Covering anti-Asian hate during Covid | 43:53 — Writing the book, "Boat Baby," and opening up about her personal life | 45:44 — Vicky's long-term vision | 47:42 — Representation in media and reflections on the "American dream" | 49:45 — Audience question from a young journalist | 52:26 — Rapid-fire round | About Behind the Business:
Behind the Business is a video series and podcast hosted by Michelle Toh, CNN and Fortune alum, that explores the decisions and philosophies behind today's most influential leaders. Recorded in person across the US, the show is grounded in the belief that business is in fact personal, providing the backstories of founders, corporate leaders, investors and creators and how they push through to make the most of both work and life each day. What's the worst day you've faced at your company? How do you cope with crisis or rejection? Or what's a pinch-me moment you'll never forget? In each episode, guests get into it all. New episodes every Thursday.
| About Michelle Toh:
Michelle Toh is an award-winning international journalist. She has covered some of the top stories in global business and tech, most recently as a reporter based in Hong Kong appearing across CNN's digital and television platforms. Before joining CNN, she was an associate editor of Fortune Magazine, and her reporting has appeared in The New York Times, TIME, USA Today, and the South China Morning Post.
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