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Linda Ellerbee

Award-Winning Television Producer, Journalist and Author

Linda Ellerbee is a top journalism speaker and the host of the longest-running children’s news program in television history. Nick News is watched by more children than watch all other news programs combined – and has earned honors traditionally associated with adult programming.

  • Linda Ellerbee Keynote Speaker Fee Fee range is for U.S. events, depending on location and organization type

    $30,001 - $40,000

  • Languages Spoken

    English

  • Travels From

    New York, USA

  • Linda Ellerbee Keynote Speaker Fee Fee range is for U.S. events, depending on location and organization type

    $30,001 - $40,000

  • Languages Spoken

    English

  • Travels From

    New York, USA

Why Linda Ellerbee

  • Can speak honestly and from the heart to survivors and those touched by breast cancer about what it’s like to go through it AND give the medical community her “patient’s perspective” while making the room laugh, and cry.
  • Can fire up a roomful of executives and wannabe executives ages 20-80 about dealing with change, overcoming obstacles, getting fired, running your own company, and becoming a success all the while not losing yourself and your values.
  • Can speak to both aspiring journalists and those already established about what it’s like to go from covering fires and parades to presidential campaigns and now, to be racking up prestigious awards as she reports the news to our nation’s most important citizens: kids. Seasoned veteran with lots of funny and inspiring stories but most importantly, Ellerbee blazed her own trail.

Keynote Speaker Topics

  • Cancer Keynote Speakers
  • Healthcare Keynote Speakers
  • Journalism Keynote Speakers
  • Women Motivational Speakers

Suggested Keynote Speaker Programs

CHANGE IS A FORM OF HOPE

Ellerbee uses her well-known wit and her personal stories to send a strong message that change, life’s only constant, need not be met with fear, that to risk change is to believe in tomorrow, and that you can indeed survive a changing world with your heart intact...

Ellerbee uses her well-known wit and her personal stories to send a strong message that change, life’s only constant, need not be met with fear, that to risk change is to believe in tomorrow, and that you can indeed survive a changing world with your heart intact. She’s survived the trials of being one of the first women in her field, working for years in corporate America, raising two kids as a single mother, starting her own company, losing both her breasts to cancer, and overcoming her own pig-headedness (something she still has to work at). She shares her personal rules for surviving change, inspiring women (and men) to be strong, encouraging them to make noise, and urging them to do the right thing. In her extraordinary life and career, Ellerbee has learned that change is the norm, and that it’s better to make it than be caught by it.

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SURVIVING BREAST CANCER TO LAUGH ANOTHER DAY

Ellerbee knows that cancer is a family disease, even a cancer that strikes mostly women. In her rightfully famous speeches on this subject, she describes her own journey through cancer, from the devastation of diagnosis, the loss of both breasts, walking through the...

Ellerbee knows that cancer is a family disease, even a cancer that strikes mostly women. In her rightfully famous speeches on this subject, she describes her own journey through cancer, from the devastation of diagnosis, the loss of both breasts, walking through the dark valley of chemo, wrestling with the fear of death — and how good it feels to still be on the right side of the grass over 20 years later. She talks of dealing with the medical profession, family and friends — all of whom, even when well intentioned, occasionally seem misguided or absurd, if not downright silly. Ellerbee encourages women to become partners in their treatment, to stand up for themselves, to make a big noise, to fight — and fight back. She speaks directly to the hearts of women, sharing stories that make them laugh and make them cry, and then show them how to find the beauty — and healing powers — of laughter through tears. Life goes on. So can you.

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AND SO IT GOES ADVENTURES IN JOURNALISM

She began her career by getting fired from the Associated Press three months after getting hired — which turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her career. From newspapers to networks, Ellerbee went from covering fires and parades to covering ...

She began her career by getting fired from the Associated Press three months after getting hired — which turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her career. From newspapers to networks, Ellerbee went from covering fires and parades to covering presidential campaigns and international terrorism, anchoring ground-breaking television series such as Weekend, NBC News Overnight, Our World, and Nick News with Linda Ellerbee, which, in its 21st year on the air, is television’s longest running news program for kids. She became known for her writing and for respecting her audience, and collected TV’s most prestigious awards along the way. Her best-selling book, And So It Goes, a humorous look at TV News, is still used as a journalism textbook over 25 years after it was published. Once upon a time, they called her an irreverent newcomer, then a seasoned veteran and now a pioneering female journalist. Throughout her career, Ellerbee has become famous for doing it her way. She’s had a helluva good time, and hopes that maybe, just maybe, she changed television news a tiny bit. Ellerbee, who still does it her way, also has a lot to say about journalism today and journalism tomorrow. Her commencement speeches to young journalism graduates are designed to encourage them to take their work seriously without taking themselves seriously, and to inspire them to make journalism better — because they can.

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About Keynote Speaker Linda Ellerbee

Linda Ellerbee is an outspoken journalist, award-winning television producer, best-selling author, a breast cancer survivor, a mom, a grandmother and one of the most sought-after speakers in America.

Linda Ellerbee began her career at CBS, and then moved to NBC News where, after years covering national politics, she pioneered the late-night news program NBC News Overnight, which she wrote and anchored. Overnight was cited by the duPont Columbia Awards as “the best written and most intelligent news program ever.” In 1986, Linda Ellerbee moved to ABC News to anchor and write Our World, a weekly primetime historical series. Her work on Our World won her an Emmy.

In 1987, Linda Ellerbee and Rolfe Tessem, her partner, quit network news to start Lucky Duck Productions, first producing documentaries for PBS. In 1991, Lucky Duck began producingNick News for Nickelodeon with Linda Ellerbee writing and hosting.

The longest running children’s news program in television history, Nick News is watched by more children than watch all other news programs combined – and has earned honors traditionally associated with adult programming. Known for the respectful and direct way it speaks to children about the important issues of our time, Nick News has collected three Peabody Awards (including one for Ellerbee’s coverage of the Clinton investigation) a duPont Columbia Award and eight national Emmys for Outstanding Children’s Program. In 2009,Nick News received the Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Network News Documentary – the first children’s television program ever to receive this prestigious award.

Linda Ellerbee’s first foray into books for kids, an eight-part fiction series entitled Get Real, published in 2000, won her raves among middle-school readers. Both of Ellerbee’s previous adult books—And So It Goes, a humorous look at television news, and Move On, stories about being a working single mother, a child of the ‘60s and a woman trying to find some balance in her life—have been national best sellers. Her latest book is, Take Big Bites: Adventures Around the World and Across the Table.

As a popular and versatile speaker, Linda Ellerbee travels thousands of miles each year, inspiring audiences with her insight and humor. They come to hear her trademark wit and wisdom on everything from how to survive corporate America with your values intact, to how to survive breast cancer and live to laugh about it (also, she often speaks to medical groups concerning healthcare from a patient’s point of view), and in general how to accept, even embrace a changing world, perhaps making a few changes yourself.

More About Speaker, Linda Ellerbee . . .
These days, Linda Ellerbee’s work can be seen all over the television universe. Lucky Duck has and continues to produce primetime specials for ABC, CBS, HBO, PBS, Lifetime, MTV, Logo, A&E, MSNBC, Trio, Animal Planet and TV Land, among others. In 2004, Linda Ellerbee was honored with an Emmy for her series, When I Was a Girl, which aired on Women’s Entertainment network.

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In 2011, Linda Ellerbee received the Tribute Award, the highest honor given by the Alliance for Women in Media. On presenting the award, former CNN anchor Aaron Brown said to a ballroom full of women, “The two most important women in the history of television news are Barbara Walters and Linda Ellerbee. Barbara Walters made it possible for you to be on television news; Linda Ellerbee made it possible for you to be YOU on television news.”

Although Linda Ellerbee has won all of television’s highest honors, she says it’s her two children who’ve brought her the richest rewards. Linda Ellerbee spends her personal time in New York City and Massachusetts with her partner Rolfe and their dogs.

Testimonials

“Evaluations of your keynote presentation were extremely positive. The attendees and staff obviously had great respect and admiration for you! I would highly recommend you as a keynote speaker to anyone that inquires…”

Administrative Professionals Conference Las Vegas, NV

 

“Your keynote address was a huge hit with our female audience and your ‘seven rules’ are applicable to any woman at any stage in her life. Thanks for sharing your wit and wisdom with all of us…”

Professional BusinessWomen of California

Sacramento, CA

“I’ve heard nothing but praise for Linda’s appearance! She did such a wonderful job…She’s so well spoken…Our CEO was very impressed!…”

Sam's Club

Kansas City, MO

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