I’m honored to be a five-time finalist in the 2026 Southern California Journalism Awards. After carefully reviewing more than 2,700 entries, the judges selected this year’s finalists, and I am grateful to be recognized among such talented journalists and storytellers.
This year’s nominations reflect the variety of work I love creating—from print and digital journalism to podcast interviews that connect listeners with inspiring voices and meaningful travel experiences.
My nominations include two print features for Pasadena Magazine: “Frozen Fun on The World’s Final Frontier in Antarctica” and “Castle Green: Embracing Luxury, Adventure and Whimsy,” which explored Ireland through the lens of history, luxury, and adventure.
I was also recognized for two episodes of my Make Your Own Map podcast: “Explore Wild Ireland with Founder Killian McLaughlin!” and “Tara Schuster Isn’t Afraid to Go There—And You’ll Be Glad She Did.” As I continue into Season 8 of the podcast with 85 countries listening, I remain grateful to every guest who has shared their stories, expertise, and experiences with my audience.
Rounding out the nominations is my digital feature for Reader’s Digest, “Here’s What You Need to Know About ‘Aisle Lice’ Before Your Next Flight,” a story that resonated with travelers navigating today’s airport experience.
I’m especially grateful to the editors, publications, podcast guests, readers, listeners, viewers, and industry colleagues who continue to support my work. From award-winning print and digital journalism to recognized podcasting, bestselling-author events, and a YouTube channel that has nearly 2.8 million views, I am continually inspired by the opportunity to tell stories that inform, connect, and encourage curiosity.
Thank you to the Southern California Journalism Awards and the Los Angeles Press Club for this recognition. I am honored to be nominated and excited to celebrate journalism and storytelling with this year’s finalists.
See my five finalist nominations below:
E5. PRINT LIFESTYLE FEATURE
Lisa Niver, Pasadena Magazine, “Frozen Fun on The World’s Final Frontier in Antarctica”
Brian W. Carter, Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper, “St. Eugene’s ONSTAGE Performing Arts
Program Brings the Talent from the Playground”
Ana Figueroa, Beverly Hills Courier, “José Andrés Wants It All”
Holly Gleason, POLLSTAR, “Koe Wetzel: Red Dirt Renegade Smashes Confines & Rocks The FOut”
James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, “Knives Out: Celebrities Reveal Plastic SurgerySecrets — But One Procedure Still Taboo”
H6. MAGAZINE FEATURE (Under 1,000 Words)
Lisa Niver, Pasadena Magazine, “Castle Green: Embracing Luxury, Adventure and Whimsy”
Shana Nys Dambrot, Palm Springs Life Magazine, “Murals by Shepard Fairey, Benjamin JeanJean, Others Decorate Desert Hot Springs”
Selome Hailu, Variety, “How Planned Parenthood’s Caren Spruch Works With Lena Dunham and Other Creatives to Sensitively Portray Abortion on Screen”
Brad A. Johnson, OLTRE, “Showdown at The Grand”
Michael Saponara, Billboard, “Country Power Players Innovator: BigXThaPlug”
K4 AUDIO JOURNALISM Radio broadcast, podcast or stream produced in Southern California.
LIFESTYLE FEATURE
Lisa Niver, Make Your Own Map, “Explore Wild Ireland with Founder Killian McLaughlin!”
Caroline Feraday, KCLU, “A rescue camel lives with his human best friend on a ranch”
Robert Garrova, Josie Huang, LAist, “The macabre history of the Verdugo Hills Cemetery”
K6. PERSONALITY PROFILE/INTERVIEW, Non-Entertainment Personalities (Over 10 Minutes)
Lisa Niver, Make Your Own Map, “Tara Schuster Isn’t Afraid to Go There—And You’ll Be Glad She Did”
Billy Binion, Reason Magazine, “Helen Prejean: Why This Nun Is Fighting To End the Death Penalty”
Esther D. Kustanowitz, Erin Benmoche, The Bagel Report, “Breaking Down the Prince of Egypt with Tzivia Schwartz-Getzug”
Larry Mantle, LAist, “The CEO of SoCal Edison’s parent company discusses the Eaton Fire, answers listener questions”
L21. LIFESTYLE FEATURE
Lisa Niver, Reader’s Digest, “Here’s What You Need to Know About “Aisle Lice” Before Your Next Flight”
Rance Collins, IndieWire, “How Cinespia Turned a Cemetery Into L.A.’s Weekend Hot Spot”
John Lavitt, The Hollywood Times, “The Royal Hawaiian: Waikiki’s Pink Palace of History, Luxury, and Aloha”
Rebecca L. Root, Noema Magazine, “Would You Eat This Bug To Save The World?”
Weilian Zhu, Matjaž Tančič, Noema Magazine, “China’s Pet Parents Choose ‘Fur Kids’ Over Human Children”
MORE ABOUT MY OTHER AWARDS:
National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards: First Place for Podcast Host
I’m deeply honored to share that my podcast, Make Your Own Map, was recognized by the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards (NAEJ) with First Place for Podcast Host, along with Second Place for my one-on-one interview with Tara Schuster, “Tara Schuster Isn’t Afraid to Go There—And You’ll Be Glad She Did.”
In 2025, my Ireland Travel Special on The Jet Set TV, Celtic Charm, earned recognition across three of the industry’s most respected platforms — forming a true Triple Crown of honors in digital media, broadcast television, and journalism.
🏆 Platinum – dotCOMM Awards
🏆 Silver Winner (Travel & Tourism) – Telly Awards
🏆 First Place, Lifestyle Feature – Southern California Journalism Awards
Awards & Honors
Over the past several years, my work across podcasting, television, and journalism has been recognized by leading industry organizations, reflecting a continued commitment to thoughtful storytelling, cultural curiosity, and meaningful conversations.
2025
- Platinum DotCOMM Award
Immersing in Ireland — The Jet Set TV - Silver Telly Award
Celtic Charm travel special — The Jet Set TV - First Place Winner — National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards
Podcast Host of the Year - First Place Winner— Southern California Journalism Awards
Lifestyle Feature (Make Your Own Map podcast) - Third Place — Southern California Journalism Awards
Online Journalist of the Year
2024
- Winner — National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards
Diversity in the Entertainment Industry - Winner (2x) — Southern California Journalism Awards
Podcast interviews with:- Samantha Brown (Places to Love)
- Tony Phelan (A Small Light)
- Finalist (4x) — National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards
- Online Journalist of the Year
- Podcast interviews with:
- Beth Santos (Wanderful)
- Carolyn Ray (JourneyWoman)
- Samantha Brown (Places to Love)
- Finalist (6x) — Southern California Journalism Awards
Categories included:- Online Journalist of the Year
- Podcast Host
- Podcast interviews with Andrew McCarthy, Samantha Brown, Christie Tate, and Tony Phelan (A Small Light)
2023
- Winner — National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards
Diversity in TV/Streaming - Finalist (3x) — National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards
- Podcast Host
- Diversity in Entertainment
- Personality Profile
- Make Your Own Map has been streamed in 68 countries across all seven continents, connecting global audiences through conversations about creativity, courage, travel, and reinvention.
- 2025 Winner: 1st place Lifestyle Feature for Make Your Own Map, “Ireland: Neville’s Stories at Giant’s Causeway”, 3rd place Online Journalist of the Year
- 2025 Winner: Silver Telly Award for Celtic Charm travel special!
- 2025 5x Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for Online Journalist of the Year, TV/Streaming/Radio Feature, Lifestyle Feature (Podcast) & Travel Reporting (Podcast)
- 2024 Winner: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards Diversity in the Entertainment Industry
- 2024 4x Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards finalist for Online Journalist of the Year, and for three of my podcast interviews with Beth Santos, Wanderful, Carolyn Ray, JourneyWoman, and Samantha Brown, Places to Love.
- 2024 2x Winner: Southern California Journalism Awards for podcast segments with Samantha Brown, Places to Love, and Tony Phelan, A Small Light
- 2024 6x Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for Online Journalist of the Year, Podcast Host and for my podcast interviews with Andrew McCarthy, Samantha Brown, Tony Phelan and Christie Tate
- 2023 Winner: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards Diversity in Entertainment
- 2023 3x Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards
- 2023 2x Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for Travel Reporting and Podcast Interview
- 2022 Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for BOOK CRITICISM
- 2021 Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards for Commentary Diversity/Gender and Commentary Analysis/Trend — Film
- 2021 Winner: Southern California Journalism Awards for TECHNOLOGY REPORTING
- 2021 Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for BOOK CRITICISM
- 2020 Winner: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards for Book Critic. See all of Lisa’s book reviews here.
- 2020 Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards for Book Critic
- 2020 Winner: Southern California Journalism Awards for print magazine article: Hemispheres Magazine for United Airlines
- 2020 Five Time Finalist: Southern California Journalism awards
- 2019 Winner: NAEJ Award for KTLA TV segment
- 2019 Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards in three categories
- Category H2a. Soft News: Ms. Magazine: Polar Bears Can’t Vote So You Have To
- Category F6a. Soft News Feature – Under 5 Minutes—Film/TV: KTLA TV Oscars Countdown to Gold with Lisa Niver
- Category C1b. Business, Music/Tech/Art: My Wharton Magazine article: Four Female Founders Share Their Origin Stories
- 2019 Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for Broadcast Television Lifestyle Segment: Ogden Ski Getaway
- 2018 Finalist for three categories of Southern California Journalism Awards:
- SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY REPORTING: Smithsonian
- TRAVEL REPORTING: Popsugar Fitness
- PERSONALITY PROFILE: Saturday Evening Post
- 2017 2nd place winner for Southern California Journalism Award Print Column “A journey to freedom over three Passovers” and finalist for Travel Reporting.
More about Lisa Niver: https://lisaniver.com/awards/
Have you read my memoir, BRAVE-ish? My book has won 10 awards!
2025 International Impact Book Awards—Travel
2024 Gold Medal – Inspirational – North American Book Awards
2024 Gold Bookfest Award – Nonfiction Memoir Travel
2024 Gold Nonfiction Book Award – Nonfiction Authors Association
2024 Literary Titan Gold Book Award – Non-fiction
2024 Silver Bookfest Award – Nonfiction Self-Help Inspiration
2024 Readers’ Favorite Honorable Mention – Non-Fiction – Women’s Genre
2023 Hearten Book Awards First Place Winner – Inspiring & Uplifting Non-Fiction
2023 Zibby Awards Runner-up – Best Book for The Strong Woman
2023 Goody Business Book Awards Winner – Memoir/Self-Help
Featured in Conde Nast Traveler Women Who Travel Book Club: 10 New Books We Can’t Wait to Read this Fall
As seen in Forbes Best New NonFiction
