Linda Ellerbee

Linda Ellerbee is an outspoken journalist, award-winning television producer, writer, anchor, best-selling author, breast cancer survivor, and one of the most sought-after speakers in America. She is a recognized advocate for cancer patients, using humor as a tool for fighting the disease, and has also spoken out about her experiences with alcoholism.

Ellerbee began her career at CBS and then moved to NBC News where, after years of 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." She also tackled various roles, such as the longtime Washington correspondent for NBC News and co-host of Weekend, which competed with CBS's 60 Minutes. Ellerbee moved to ABC News in 1986 to anchor and write "Our World," a weekly primetime historical series. Her work on "Our World" won her an Emmy Award.

In 1987, Ellerbee and partner Rolfe Tessem quit network news to start Lucky Duck Productions, a New York-based company that produces news, documentaries, and other specials for broadcast and cable. Their production company has created content for every major cable network, including notable programs like the weekly news for children, "Nick News." "Nick News," anchored by Ellerbee herself, is the longest-running children's news program in television history. Known for the respectful and direct way it speaks to children about the important issues of our time, "Nick News" has collected several Peabody Awards and Emmy Awards. In 2009, "Nick News" received the Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Network News Documentary, making history as the first-ever kids' television program to receive this prestigious award.

These days, Ellerbee and her work can be seen all over the television universe, even making appearances on C-SPAN. Lucky Duck produces primetime specials for ABC, CBS, HBO, PBS, Lifetime, MTV, Logo, A&E, MSNBC, SOAPnet, Trio, Animal Planet, and TV Land, among others. Additionally, she has guest-starred as herself in an episode of the sitcom Murphy Brown. She was honored with an Emmy in 2004 for her series "When I Was a Girl," which aired on WE: Women's Entertainment network.

As an author, Ellerbee has published several books, including her autobiography "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 balance in her life. Both have been national bestsellers. She also dabbled in children's literature with her series of "Girl Reporter" books and an eight-part fiction series entitled "Get Real."

In 2011, Ellerbee won the Tribute Award, the highest honor given by the Alliance for Women in Media, and has been honored with prestigious accolades like NOW NYC's Women of Power & Influence Award and a Personal Peabody Award. When 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."

As a popular and versatile speaker, Ellerbee travels thousands of miles each year, inspiring audiences with her insight and filling banquet rooms and concert halls with laughter. 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 (she often speaks to medical groups concerning healthcare from a patient's point of view), and how to accept, and even embrace, a changing world. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, she retired in 2015 after 43 years in journalism but remains a relevant figure in the industry.