"Saturday Night Live" took Cecily Strong off the Weekend Update desk this season, but the White House Correspondents' Association will welcome her to host their annual dinner in April.
Strong is the first woman to host the event since Wanda Sykes in 2009. The 30-year-old comedian is only the fourth woman to host solo.
"Her political humor is sly and edgy, and it comes with a Chicago accent. Cecily grew up in suburban Oak Park, Ill. And got her start in Chicago's comedy scene with stints at iO and Second City," WHCA President Christi Parsons said in a statement.
The "SNL" star comes from a journalist family. Her father served as Associated Press bureau chief in the Illinois Statehouse.
She started on the NBC comedy sketch show in 2012 and voices a character on Hulu's "The Awesomes" produced by "Late Night" host and "SNL" alum Seth Meyers.
The White House Correspondents' Dinner began in 1920 and comedians have predominately served as hosts since 1983. The President and First Lady traditionally attend the event along with senior government officials, members of the press and Hollywood celebrities.
Past "SNL" alums Al Franken, Conan O'Brien, Darrell Hammond and her former Weekend Update co-host Meyers have all taken the gig that usually roast the president and his administration. The annual dinner is set for Saturday, April 25, 2015 and will be broadcast by C-SPAN.
