Natalie Morales is headed west…

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican/Brazilian American broadcast journalist is moving to Los Angeles to become Today’s West Coast anchor, as well as host of NBCUniversal’s Access Hollywood and Access Hollywood Live.

Morales, who has been part of the Today show team since 2006, will also continue to play a prominent role on Dateline.

“Natalie has already been spending a lot of time in California, reporting live from special events like the Oscars, Golden Globes and Billboard Latin American Music Awards, conducting celebrity interviews and set visits, and spearheading two big series spotlighting women who are leaders in Silicon Valley and Hollywood.  With our show’s increasing focus on West Coast stories, it became clear to me that having a permanent anchor presence in LA would be of enormous value,” says Today’s  SVP Noah Oppenheim in a memo. “Additionally, when NBCU Domestic TV Distribution heard that a talent of Natalie’s caliber and entertainment experience might soon be LA-based, they immediately jumped at the opportunity to have her host Access Hollywood and Access Hollywood Live.”