Stephen Lucas, BA’80, is an Emmy award-winning director who retired in 2019 after nearly 40 years of working in the television news industry.
Most recently, he directed “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt,” a position he held for five years. During his time at NBC, Lucas also directed other network shows, including the “Today Show,” “Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda,” “Dateline” and various specials. Lucas also had a cameo directing appearance in the movie “Get Him to the Greek!”
Prior to joining the NBC network, Lucas directed and/or produced news, sports, children’s television and entertainment shows at both owned-and-operated stations and network affiliate stations around the country.
In addition to being recognized with 13 local and national Emmys and more than 15 Emmy nominations, Lucas has been a recipient of the McDonald’s Black Media Legends Award and the Greater Boston YMCA Black Achievers Award. He was also selected to participate in the NBC Diversity Leadership Program, which recognizes future leaders in the company.
Throughout his career, Lucas has served formally and informally as a mentor to many. He was a member of the steering committee of NBC’s Black Employee Network group, a volunteer organization set up to foster and grow a strong Black employee base at NBCUniversal. In addition, he met with interns during internship rotations at NBC News.
He has received two national Emmy awards for his work on the Olympics in Athens, Greece, and in Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as 11 local Emmys for directing and producing.
He has been nominated for 15 Emmys for directing coverage during major national news stories, including the Boston Marathon bombing, the Fukushima disaster in Japan, the funeral of Ted Kennedy and the Las Vegas massacre.
Lucas was also on the air at WNBC-TV on Sept. 11, 2001, directing the station’s coverage of the attack on the World Trade Center as the news broke that morning. Lucas’ brief recounting of the day was included in the book “Running Toward Danger: Stories Behind the Breaking News of 9/11.” The book was created by the Newseum, a museum dedicated to journalism and the First Amendment that until a few years ago was in Washington, D.C.
At his retirement, members of the “NBC Nightly News” production team awarded him a plaque bestowing him with a newly created title “The People’s Director.” It contains the inscription: “For our Steve, the People’s Director, with respect, affection and love to the best director ever, on your retirement” and is one of the most cherished memories from his career.