Dan Harris was born on July 26, 1971, in Newton, Massachusetts. He grew up in a high-achieving family — his father is a Harvard radiation oncologist, and his mother is a pathologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. Harris graduated from Colby College in 1993, after which he began his broadcasting career in local news in Maine, working his way from Bangor to Portland. 

In 2000, he joined ABC News, where he quickly established himself as a bold, wide-ranging journalist. He reported from war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, covered natural disasters from Haiti to New Orleans, and led the network’s coverage of religion and evangelicalism. In 2010, he was named co-anchor of Good Morning America Weekend, and in 2013, he became a co-anchor of Nightline. He retired from ABC News in September 2021 after more than two decades with the network. 

After leaving TV, Harris channeled his meditation journey into a media venture. His 2014 book, 10% Happier, became a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. He co-founded the 10% Happier app in 2015. In 2024, he departed the company due to creative and financial differences, taking full ownership of the 10% Happier podcast, which he continues to host today.