WOW! What an unforgettable evening at the beautiful Biltmore in downtown Los Angeles celebrating journalism, storytelling, and the incredible community of journalists at the 68th Southern California Journalism Awards.

I arrived honored to be a five-time finalist and left absolutely thrilled—and still pinching myself—with three award wins!

These latest honors bring my Los Angeles Press Club recognition to 16 wins and 47 finalist honors across the Southern California Journalism Awards and the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards. I am incredibly grateful to be recognized alongside so many talented journalists whose work I admire.

My Three 2026 Southern California Journalism Awards Honors:

🏆 Second Place – Lifestyle Feature (Print)
Pasadena Magazine
“Frozen Fun on The World’s Final Frontier in Antarctica”

🏆 Third Place – Lifestyle Feature (Audio Journalism)
Make Your Own Map Podcast
“Explore Wild Ireland with Founder Killian McLaughlin!”

🏆 Second Place – Non-Entertainment Personality Profile (Audio Journalism)
Make Your Own Map Podcast
“Tara Schuster Isn’t Afraid to Go There—And You’ll Be Glad She Did”

Stories Behind the Awards

Every story begins with curiosity.

Antarctica has been one of the most extraordinary chapters of my travel storytelling journey. During my expedition with Quark Expeditions, I traveled to the world’s final frontier, crossed into the Antarctic Circle, and returned home with unforgettable memories and stories to share. The experience became my Pasadena Magazine feature, “Frozen Fun on The World’s Final Frontier in Antarctica,” and I’m honored that this story continues to connect with readers. It has also opened doors for additional storytelling opportunities, including my recent work with Travel + Leisure.

Pasadena Magazine, “Frozen Fun on The World’s Final Frontier in Antarctica”

The Wild Ireland story began as part of my Ireland television project, a journey celebrating the landscapes, history, adventure, and people of this incredible destination. The episode featuring Killian McLaughlin became a podcast conversation for Make Your Own Map and earned recognition at both the Southern California Journalism Awards and the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards. This Ireland project has also been recognized across platforms, including a Telly Award and a Platinum dotCOMM Award, making it a particularly meaningful example of how one story can evolve through television, podcasting, and digital storytelling.

Make Your Own Map, “Explore Wild Ireland with Founder Killian McLaughlin!”

My conversation with Tara Schuster represents everything I love about podcasting. The best interviews come from curiosity, trust, and creating space for someone to share their story. This episode of Make Your Own Map, “Tara Schuster Isn’t Afraid to Go There—And You’ll Be Glad She Did,” was recognized at both the Southern California Journalism Awards and the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards, making it a special milestone for the podcast.

Make Your Own Map, “Tara Schuster Isn’t Afraid to Go There—And You’ll Be Glad She Did”

Grateful for the Los Angeles Press Club Community

The Los Angeles Press Club has been an extraordinary part of my journalism journey.

Through its two major award programs—the Southern California Journalism Awards and the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards—the Press Club celebrates excellence across journalism, including print, digital, audio, video, and entertainment reporting. I am honored to have my work recognized alongside so many talented journalists.

But beyond the awards themselves, the Los Angeles Press Club has given me something even more valuable: community. Through mentorship, networking, conversations with inspiring journalists, and opportunities to connect with incredible people, this organization has helped shape my career. I’m also grateful to contribute by supporting the organization’s social media efforts.

A Journey Across Platforms

Over the years, my storytelling has taken many forms—from travel journalism and podcast interviews to television, digital media, and publishing. My memoir BRAVE-ish has received multiple book awards, my television and video storytelling have earned recognition, and my work continues to reach audiences around the world.

Each article, episode, interview, and adventure starts with the same thing: curiosity.

Thank you to my editors, podcast guests, readers, listeners, viewers, friends, and everyone who has supported my journey as a journalist, author, podcast host, and storyteller.

Thank you to the Los Angeles Press Club, the judges, and everyone who celebrated with us at the 68th Southern California Journalism Awards.

I am honored, inspired, and excited for the next story.

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