Lisa Ling

Lisa Ling is an award-winning journalist, television host, and one of the most respected storytellers in American media. As the host of CNN’s This Is Life with Lisa Ling, she has spent decades traveling the world to uncover underreported stories and give voice to communities and issues that mainstream media often overlooks.

A Fearless Career in Journalism

Ling began her career at 18 as one of the youngest reporters on Channel One News, filing stories from war zones and conflict areas around the globe. She went on to co-host ABC’s The View and served as a special correspondent for The Oprah Winfrey Show and National Geographic Explorer. Her CNN series has run for multiple seasons, earning critical acclaim for its deeply personal and unflinching exploration of topics ranging from addiction and criminal justice to immigration and communities on the margins of American life.

Giving Voice to the Unseen and Unheard

Ling is the author of Somewhere Inside, a memoir about her sister Laura’s imprisonment in North Korea in 2009 and the family’s fight for her release. She has received multiple journalism awards and has been recognized for her commitment to human rights and social justice. Her keynotes draw on her extraordinary career to deliver compelling presentations on storytelling, diversity, social justice, the power of curiosity, and the importance of seeking to understand communities and perspectives different from our own.

Open Heart, Open Mind

In today’s culture of “sound bite news,” many important issues get overlooked, if they get covered at all. Lisa Ling has dedicated herself to shedding light on stories impacting the world in which we live. In her presentations, complete with a lively Q&A session, Lisa shares a collection of stories from her over 20 year career in media that have profoundly affected her outlook on life. Her hope is that through her experiences people may be provoked to think about things differently and allow themselves to expand their horizons.

The Importance of a Global Perspective

Lisa recounts stories that profoundly changed her life and talks about how travel and going beyond one’s comfort zone is wholly transformative, making one smarter, more well-rounded and more marketable.