Laura Ling Speaker Biography
Award-Winning Journalist and Author
Laura Ling, an award-winning journalist, speaker, and author, has extensively covered significant global issues. As a dedicated human rights speaker, her reporting spans from slave labor in the Amazon to energy poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, she has highlighted the challenges faced by military families within the U.S.
Discovery Communications
As a correspondent and director of development for Discovery Communication’s Seeker Network, journalist speaker Laura Ling focuses on producing engaging content for a millennial audience. Her web series, Rituals, explores the practices of remarkable individuals, examining their paths to achievement and focus. Furthermore, Ling recently received a national Gracie Award. This award recognizes exceptional programming created by women and for women. Consequently, her work with Discovery underscores her commitment to impactful storytelling and her role as a human rights speaker.
Documentary Series Host
Ling has hosted two documentary series broadcast on the E! Network. First, E! Investigates delved into various compelling topics. Second, Society X with Laura Ling examined issues such as bullying and the increasing prevalence of synthetic drugs. Therefore, her work as a documentary host further demonstrates her engagement with critical social issues, aligning with her focus as a human rights speaker.
Journalist
Before her work with E!, Ling served as a correspondent and Vice President of Current TV’s journalism department. During this time, she created Vanguard, the network’s critically acclaimed weekly investigative documentary series. Under her leadership, Vanguard garnered numerous prestigious accolades. These include the Alfred I. DuPont Award and several Emmy nominations. Consequently, her leadership in investigative journalism highlights her dedication to uncovering important truths, a key aspect of her work as a human rights speaker.
Book
In March 2009, while reporting on the trafficking of North Korean women, Ling and her colleague Euna Lee were apprehended by North Korean soldiers along the Chinese-North Korean border. Tragically, the two journalists were arrested and held captive in North Korea for 140 days before receiving a special pardon and returning to the United States. She documented this harrowing experience in her 2010 memoir, Somewhere Inside: One Sister’s Captivity in North Korea and the Other’s Fight to Bring Her Home, co-authored with her sister, Lisa. This personal account powerfully underscores critical human rights issues.
Television
As a correspondent for SoCal Connected, the impactful news magazine series on KCET, Ling’s work earned both an Emmy and a national Edward R. Murrow award. Moreover, Laura Ling has served as a producer for Channel One News and co-created Breaking it Down, a documentary series that aired on MTV. Her reporting has also appeared on ABC’s Nightline, NBC, and PBS. Additionally, she has contributed editorials to the Los Angeles Times and CNN.com. Her extensive work in television and print media amplifies her voice as a human rights speaker.
Honors and Accolades
Journalist speaker Laura Ling was recognized as one of Glamour Magazine’s Women of the Year in 2009. Furthermore, she serves as a Service Ambassador for Points of Light, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to addressing social problems through volunteer service. These honors acknowledge her significant contributions to journalism and her dedication to raising awareness about critical human rights concerns.
Laura Ling Speaking Topics
Journey of Hope
Laura Ling captivates audiences with a raw and candid look inside the life of an international journalist, including the importance of exposing critical global issues, the challenges faced in various parts of the world, and what she learned in one of the world's most reclusive countries. Her story provides a rare and unique window into the so-called "Hermit Nation", and what happens when people from "enemy" nations get a chance to interact and communicate face-to-face. She recounts her time in captivity, from her violent capture, to fears that she might never see her family again, to the glimmers of compassion directed towards her by her captors. Laura talks about what sustained her throughout that terrifying period of isolation and the ways in which she fought to win back her freedom. Ling inspires others not only to find hope and strength within ourselves, but to work towards a common humanity in an increasingly divisive world.
Freedom as a Responsibility
Ling sheds light on critical human rights issues and the struggle for freedom taking place around the world and in the U.S. Her story also provides a rare and unique window into the so-called "Hermit Nation," and what happens when people from "enemy" nations get a chance to interact and communicate face-to-face. She inspires audiences to view freedom, not just as a right, but as a responsibility.
Rituals That Heal the Human Spirit
Ling talks about the power of rituals to overcome our biggest obstacles and how these practices can help us reach our greatest successes. She recounts her time in captivity in North Korea and the lessons she learned about adversity. While Ling shares her ritual of gratitude that that helped sustain her throughout that terrifying period of isolation, she inspires audiences to discover their own daily practices that can lead to new perspectives on life.
A Joint Presentation with Lisa Ling!
Laura Ling Books
Somewhere Inside: One Sister’s Captivity in North Korea and the Other’s Fight to Bring Her Home
Purchase BookLaura Ling Videos
Laura Ling Articles
Laura Ling Speaker Testimonials
"Laura was an incredible delight. We had a standing room only crowd; students and community members said it was the best lecture event they've ever attended at MCLA. One class was even inspired to write music based on her book. Her lecture was endearing and touching, and she was so gracious!"
- | Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
"Laura Ling is an outstanding advocate for service and change. We were honored to have her share her energy and optimism at our National Conference on Volunteering and Service. Laura's compelling story of losing her freedom while she was imprisoned in North Korea captured the imagination of the 5,000 civic leaders in audience. She offered a great reminder to us all of the importance of feeling grateful for the freedom we experience every day."
- Points of Light | Michelle Nunn, CEO
"EXCELLENT!!! She was amazing!! It was so interesting listening to her story after hearing about it in the news. She was great afterwards...many of our members wanted to take pictures with her and she was very gracious and took pictures until there was no one left. Again, she was absolutely wonderful!!!"
- | Women's Transportation Seminar
What a compelling speaker! Laura Ling is articulate, warm, connected with the audience and shared her story in a way that showed her strength and tenacity. I highly recommend Laura Ling.
- | Voices, Inc.
