Laura Hettiger is an American broadcast journalist, television anchor, host and podcaster best known for her long-running work with KMOV-TV in St. Louis, now branded as First Alert 4.
She has spent more than a decade at the station, working across morning news, traffic reporting, breaking-news coverage and lifestyle programming. Hettiger is also closely associated with News 4 Great Day, the Live with Laura podcast and her annual charity event, Laura’s Run 4 Kids.
Her career has included serious news assignments as well. She reported from the ground during the 2014 Ferguson unrest, work that contributed to regional Emmy recognition.
Away from broadcasting, Laura is married to Mark Allen, is a mother, and has built a strong connection with the St. Louis community through charity and local events.
Laura Hettiger Quick Info
| Quick Info | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Laura Hettiger |
| Married Name | Sometimes referenced as Laura Hettiger Allen |
| Date of Birth | June 3, 1987 |
| Age | 39 years old as of 2026 |
| Hometown | Flora, Illinois, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Journalist, news anchor, TV host, podcaster |
| Current Employer | KMOV / First Alert 4 |
| Current Base | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Known For | First Alert 4, News 4 Great Day, Laura’s Run 4 Kids |
| Education | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Bachelor’s Degree | News-Editorial Journalism |
| Master’s Degree | Broadcast Journalism |
| Husband | Mark Allen |
| Son | Leo Allen |
| Stepson | Henry Allen |
| Height | About 5 ft 5 in (165 cm), based on secondary profiles |
| Joined KMOV | August 2012 |
| Estimated Salary | Industry estimates roughly $85,000–$160,000+; not confirmed |
| Net Worth | No verified figure; third-party estimates vary widely |
Who Is Laura Hettiger?
Laura Hettiger is a St. Louis television journalist whose career combines traditional news reporting with morning television, traffic coverage, lifestyle programming, podcasting and community involvement.
She joined KMOV-TV in August 2012 after working in Charleston, South Carolina. Over the following years, Hettiger became one of the station’s familiar morning personalities.
KMOV now operates under the First Alert 4 branding, but Hettiger’s relationship with the station stretches back well before that change.
Her responsibilities have included morning traffic coverage, anchoring, general assignment reporting and hosting News 4 Great Day.
She also hosts the interview-based Live with Laura podcast, extending her work beyond traditional television broadcasts.
Readers interested in other American television journalists can also read FameMystery’s Lauren Simonetti biography.
Laura Hettiger’s Early Life and Background
Laura Hettiger was born on June 3, 1987, and grew up in Flora, Illinois, a small community in Clay County.
Her Midwestern upbringing has remained part of the way she presents herself publicly.
According to the research supplied for this biography, Laura has spoken positively about her family and credits her upbringing with helping develop the work ethic that later supported her broadcasting career.
Laura also has an older sister, Jessica Hettiger.
Her sister’s college experience reportedly played a part in Laura’s own decision to attend the University of Illinois. Both sisters were involved in cheerleading.
Laura initially had strong interests in athletics and cheerleading, but a knee injury helped shift more of her attention toward journalism and broadcasting.
That change eventually shaped her professional direction.
Laura Hettiger’s Education
Laura attended Flora High School before enrolling at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
She completed both undergraduate and graduate-level journalism education there.
According to the supplied research, Hettiger earned a:
- Bachelor of Science in News-Editorial Journalism
- Master of Science in Broadcast Journalism
She was also involved in cheerleading for the Illinois Fighting Illini during her college years.
Her journalism experience began developing before graduation.
The research dossier associates her early professional work with organizations including:
- Big Ten Network
- US Weekly
- American Cheerleading Magazine
These opportunities exposed her to sports, entertainment and media production before she entered local television full-time.
Laura Hettiger’s Early Journalism Career
Before coming to St. Louis, Laura worked at WCBD-TV, News 2, an NBC affiliate in Charleston, South Carolina.
Her role there required considerably more than simply appearing on camera.
According to the research dossier, Hettiger worked as a:
- Multimedia journalist
- Reporter
- Photographer
- Producer
- Sports anchor
That meant developing many of the practical skills required in local television news.
She covered a range of subjects, including politics, crime, sports and severe weather.
The experience provided a foundation for the broader assignments she would receive after moving to St. Louis.
Joining KMOV in St. Louis
Laura Hettiger joined KMOV-TV Channel 4 in August 2012.
Her early responsibilities included general assignment reporting and morning traffic coverage.
The move became the beginning of what would turn into a long relationship with the St. Louis television market.
Unlike reporters who regularly move between stations every few years, Hettiger remained with KMOV and gradually expanded her on-air responsibilities.
She became strongly associated with the station’s morning programming and eventually took on a major role with News 4 Great Day.
KMOV later adopted the First Alert 4 branding under Gray Media, but Laura remained part of the station’s on-air team throughout the transition.
Covering the Ferguson Unrest
One of the most serious assignments of Laura Hettiger’s career came during the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014.
Hettiger worked as a general assignment reporter during the period, covering developments on the ground.
Her reporting received regional recognition and was associated with a Mid-America Regional Emmy Award.
The assignment demonstrated another side of her career.
Viewers who primarily know Hettiger from morning traffic or lifestyle television may not realize that her professional background also includes major breaking-news and field reporting.
News 4 Great Day
Hettiger later became closely identified with News 4 Great Day, KMOV’s lifestyle-oriented morning program.
The show takes a different approach from a conventional hard-news broadcast.
Segments can include:
- Local businesses
- Food
- Entertainment
- Community organizations
- Health and wellness
- Fashion
- Family topics
- Local events
- Interviews
That format allowed Laura to develop a more conversational television style while still drawing on her journalism experience.
According to the supplied research, she has held a prominent hosting role on the program since around 2017.
First Alert 4 and Laura Hettiger’s Current Role
KMOV’s branding eventually changed from News 4 to First Alert 4.
Laura remained with the station through that transition.
Her professional work now spans television, digital media and podcasting rather than being limited to one daily broadcast.
She continues to be associated with morning programming and News 4 Great Day while also hosting Live with Laura.
The podcast gives her an opportunity to conduct longer conversations than are usually possible within short television segments.
Listeners can find Live with Laura on Apple Podcasts.
Laura’s Run 4 Kids
Community service has become an important part of Laura Hettiger’s public profile.
She founded Laura’s Run 4 Kids, an annual charitable running event benefiting The Little Bit Foundation.
The organization works with students in the St. Louis region who face barriers affecting education and basic needs.
According to the supplied research, the initiative has helped raise substantial funding for programs assisting thousands of students throughout dozens of area schools.
The event typically combines a 5K with family-oriented activities.
More information about the fundraiser is available through The Little Bit Foundation’s Laura’s Run 4 Kids page.
The project has helped make Hettiger’s community involvement a recognizable part of her identity outside television.
Laura Hettiger’s Major Achievements
Laura’s career achievements extend across both journalism and community work.
One of her most notable professional milestones is her Mid-America Regional Emmy recognition connected with general assignment reporting during the Ferguson unrest.
The research dossier also notes multiple Emmy nominations across broadcasting, hosting and human-interest reporting.
Another significant achievement is longevity.
By 2026, Laura had spent roughly 14 years at KMOV/First Alert 4, an unusually long run in a broadcasting industry where reporters and anchors frequently change markets.
Her development from a general assignment reporter into a morning personality, lifestyle host and podcaster also shows how her role has expanded over time.
Laura Hettiger’s Personal Life
Although Laura has a public television career, she hasn’t kept every part of her personal life completely separate from viewers.
She shared parts of her engagement, marriage and transition into motherhood with her St. Louis audience.
Her husband is Mark Allen, who is sometimes referred to publicly as “Dr. Mark.”
The couple’s relationship became especially visible around their engagement and wedding period in 2021–2022.
However, the exact wedding day is less clearly documented in the authoritative information supplied for this biography.
Some low-quality sites publish obviously incorrect dates—including one claim that she married in 2002, when Laura would have been about 14 years old.
The supplied research therefore supports a marriage around 2022, while treating claims about an exact day more cautiously.
Who Is Laura Hettiger’s Husband?
Laura Hettiger is married to Mark Allen.
Mark maintains a lower public profile than his television-personality wife, although he has appeared with Laura in family-related station content.
Their relationship has occasionally been discussed through Laura’s broadcasts and social media.
The couple publicly shared significant milestones with viewers, including their marriage and the arrival of their son.
Laura is also stepmother to Mark’s son from an earlier relationship.
Laura Hettiger’s Children and Family
Laura’s family includes her son Leo Allen and her stepson Henry Allen.
Leo was born in December 2022.
Laura later introduced him to viewers on Great Day St. Louis in February 2023, appearing on the program with Mark and their newborn.
The research dossier also indicates that Laura’s family later expanded further through another child announcement, although it does not provide enough detailed source information in the supplied material to confidently give the child’s name and exact birth details.
For that reason, the Quick Info table lists the children whose identities are clearly supported by the research rather than filling in missing details.
Laura Hettiger’s Age
Laura Hettiger was born on June 3, 1987, according to the research dossier supplied for this biography.
That makes her 39 years old as of August 2026.
Her age is sometimes reported differently on low-quality biography sites, which is why cross-checking dates matters.
The 1987 birth year also fits the broader educational and professional timeline contained in the research.
Laura Hettiger’s Height
Laura Hettiger is commonly listed by secondary broadcasting and biography directories at approximately 5 feet 5 inches, or about 165 cm.
However, her employer does not appear to provide an official measurement in the research supplied.
The figure should therefore be regarded as a reported estimate, not a network-confirmed physical statistic.
Laura Hettiger’s Salary
Laura’s exact KMOV/Gray Media compensation isn’t publicly disclosed.
The research dossier estimates that experienced television anchors and hosts in a large market such as St. Louis may earn approximately $85,000 to $160,000 or more annually.
That range is useful for understanding the profession, but it is not proof of Laura Hettiger’s salary.
Some websites publish considerably higher figures without providing employment contracts, payroll records or other evidence.
Unless Gray Media, Laura herself or another credible financial source releases her compensation, an exact annual salary should not be presented as fact.
Laura Hettiger’s Net Worth
Laura Hettiger’s precise net worth has not been established through reliable public financial disclosures in the supplied research.
Online estimates vary dramatically.
Some low-quality websites claim figures as high as $24 million, but the dossier identifies those claims as unsupported and lacking credible methodology.
A more realistic third-party estimate for a veteran regional television personality is sometimes placed between approximately $500,000 and $2 million.
Still, even that range is an estimate.
Laura’s documented professional income sources include:
- Television broadcasting
- Hosting
- Podcasting
- Public appearances
- Speaking opportunities
But income alone doesn’t establish net worth.
A person’s net worth requires knowing assets, investments, liabilities and debts—information that isn’t publicly documented here.
Therefore, FameMystery does not present a specific Laura Hettiger net-worth figure as confirmed fact.
Interesting Facts About Laura Hettiger
- Laura grew up in Flora, Illinois.
- She attended Flora High School.
- Her older sister Jessica also cheered for the University of Illinois.
- Laura became an Illinois Fighting Illini cheerleader.
- A knee injury helped redirect her interests toward journalism.
- She earned both undergraduate and graduate journalism degrees from the University of Illinois.
- Her early media experience included the Big Ten Network.
- She worked in Charleston, South Carolina before moving to St. Louis.
- Laura joined KMOV in August 2012.
- She reported during the 2014 Ferguson unrest.
- Her reporting received regional Emmy recognition.
- She later became closely associated with News 4 Great Day.
- Laura founded Laura’s Run 4 Kids.
- She hosts the Live with Laura podcast.
- She has remained with KMOV through its transition to the First Alert 4 brand.
- Her son Leo was introduced to St. Louis television viewers after his birth.
Where Is Laura Hettiger Now?
As of the latest information supplied for 2026, Laura Hettiger remains active with KMOV / First Alert 4 in St. Louis.
Her professional work continues to include morning television and News 4 Great Day, while she has expanded into longer-form digital content through the Live with Laura podcast.
She also remains closely involved with Laura’s Run 4 Kids and other St. Louis community activities.
That continuing local involvement has become a major feature of her career.
After more than a decade at the same station, Laura is no longer simply a reporter who happens to work in St. Louis. Her professional identity has become strongly connected with the city and its viewers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Laura Hettiger?
Laura Hettiger is an American television journalist, anchor, host and podcaster who works with KMOV-TV, branded as First Alert 4, in St. Louis, Missouri.
How old is Laura Hettiger?
Laura Hettiger is 39 years old as of 2026. Her reported birth date is June 3, 1987.
Where is Laura Hettiger from?
She grew up in Flora, Illinois.
Where did Laura Hettiger go to college?
She attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism.
When did Laura Hettiger join KMOV?
Laura joined KMOV in August 2012 after previously working at WCBD-TV in Charleston, South Carolina.
Is Laura Hettiger still on KMOV?
Yes. The research supplied for this biography identifies her as an active First Alert 4/KMOV personality in 2026.
Who is Laura Hettiger’s husband?
Laura Hettiger is married to Mark Allen, sometimes publicly referred to as Dr. Mark.
When did Laura Hettiger get married?
The strongest information in the supplied dossier places her marriage around 2022. A precise wedding date wasn’t sufficiently established in the research material.
Does Laura Hettiger have children?
Yes. Her family includes her son Leo Allen and stepson Henry Allen. The supplied research also mentions a later family expansion.
When was Laura Hettiger’s son Leo born?
Leo was born in December 2022 and was introduced to viewers in early 2023.
How tall is Laura Hettiger?
Secondary profiles commonly list Laura at approximately 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm), although no official network measurement was included in the supplied research.
What is Laura Hettiger’s salary?
Her actual Gray Media/KMOV contract terms are private. Industry estimates for experienced anchors in the St. Louis market can range from roughly $85,000 to $160,000 or higher, but this should not be treated as Laura’s confirmed salary.
What is Laura Hettiger’s net worth?
No reliable financial disclosure confirms Laura’s net worth. Online estimates vary considerably, and especially large figures such as $24 million lack credible supporting evidence in the supplied research.
What is Laura Hettiger doing now?
She remains active at First Alert 4 in St. Louis, hosts News 4 Great Day, works across morning programming and hosts the Live with Laura podcast.
Final Thoughts
Laura Hettiger has built her career through a combination of journalism, morning television and community involvement.
Her professional journey began with journalism education at the University of Illinois, followed by hands-on local television experience in South Carolina. Moving to KMOV in 2012 gave her a larger platform, and she gradually developed from a general assignment reporter and traffic anchor into one of the station’s recognizable lifestyle personalities.
Still, her résumé isn’t limited to lighter morning television.
Hettiger’s reporting during the Ferguson unrest demonstrated her experience covering difficult breaking-news stories, while her later work shows an ability to move comfortably between journalism, interviews, lifestyle television and digital media.
Her connection with St. Louis has grown alongside that career.
Through Laura’s Run 4 Kids, her television work and community appearances, Hettiger has become closely associated with the audience she has served for more than a decade.
Sources and Further Reading
First Alert 4 — Official Website and News Team
The Little Bit Foundation — Laura’s Run 4 Kids
Apple Podcasts — Live with Laura
City Lifestyle — Local Women of Influence