Dan Ronan - Personal Life

Personal Life

Dan and Lori Waffenschmidt-Ronan have six children, 5 of which are adopted. Lori is the Manager of Broadcast Communications at American Airlines in Fort Worth, after having previously worked at CNN as an Executive Producer and at National Public Radio in Washington as a News Anchor on "All Things Considered." Because of the care and love Ronan received as a child from his Grandparents, he and Lori are big believers in adoption. Leo and Agnes McDevitt were in their early 70's when he moved in with them while in the 3rd grade and he lived with them through his freshman year in high school.

Three of their children were adopted from Foster or Group Homes in Georgia and were under the protection of the Department of Children and Family Services. Part of the story of their joys and struggles with adoption are in the recent book by National Public Radio Correspondent and Host Scott Simon "Baby, We Were Meant For Each Other." In his book, Simon tells the story of the joy he and his wife Caroline discovered after adopting two girls from China. He also details the experiences of several other families who have adopted children including Sportswriter Frank Deford and his wife Carol. Lori and Simon worked together at NPR for 5 years before she joined CNN.

A fan of both professional and college sports, Ronan is a 1983 graduate of the Joe Brinkman Umpire School in Florida, umpiring college baseball from 1983 through 1995 and officiating high school and small college basketball from 1981 through 1992.

Because of his extensive travel schedule, work and volunteer commitments he recently "retired" as a competitive "beer league" ice hockey goaltender.