Barbara Crane was the daughter of The Honeymooners comedy writer Harry Crane and along with her first husband actor Paul Gilbert, adopted Melissa and Jonathan Gilbert of Little House on the Prairie fame.
She began her career at KTTV-TV (FOX) in Los Angeles, where she worked her way up from being a messenger to an on-air reporter.
From there, she spent seven years at KOVR-TV13 (CBS) in Sacramento, California, covering breaking news and state politics, and anchoring the morning and midday newscasts.
In April 1998, she was hired by the newly launched Fox News, as their Bay Area correspondent.
Cowan was previously married to sports agent Steve Baker and has twin children.