Honored by the 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.” The NAEJ Awards celebrate excellence in arts, culture, and entertainment journalism across radio, podcasts, television, and digital media. Being recognized by this organization—alongside so many talented journalists, hosts, and storytellers—means more to me than I can easily put into words.

These honors are not just acknowledgments of a single episode or performance. They represent the ongoing work of listening closely, asking thoughtful questions, and creating space for guests to share their stories with honesty, vulnerability, humor, and heart.

Tara’s episode was exactly that—real, generous, and brave. Our conversation explored creativity, mental health, boundaries, and what it means to show up fully in your own life. Being recognized for that interview reminds me why I started Make Your Own Map in the first place: to help people feel less alone, to encourage curiosity, and to remind listeners that it’s okay to take the next step even when the path isn’t clear.

The podcast was born during a moment of transition. I launched Make Your Own Map in December 2022, right as I turned in the final manuscript for my memoir, Brave-ish. It became a space where storytelling could continue—through conversation—bringing together artists, authors, adventurers, and changemakers from around the world. Today, the podcast is streamed in more than 60 countries across all seven continents, and hearing from listeners about how an episode resonated with them is the greatest reward.

Winning First Place for Podcast Host is especially meaningful because hosting is about presence. It’s about listening more than talking, holding space, and guiding a conversation in a way that feels both intentional and human. I’m grateful that the judges recognized that approach. I’m thankful to the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards, to the judges, and to everyone who makes this awards program possible. And most of all, I’m grateful to my guests—like Tara—who trust me with their stories, and to listeners who tune in with open hearts.

https://youtu.be/3lBfIC6JqwA

These recognitions reaffirm something I believe deeply: storytelling has the power to connect, heal, and open doors. I’m honored to be part of that work, and excited to keep asking questions, sharing stories, and making maps—together.

 

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

• Winner — National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards Podcast Host of the Year and lifestyle interview
• Winner — Southern California Journalism Awards Podcast Host
• First Place — Southern California Journalism Awards Lifestyle Feature (Make Your Own Map podcast)
• Third Place — Southern California Journalism Awards Online Journalist of the Year
• Platinum DotCOMM Award Immersing in Ireland — The Jet Set TV
• Silver Telly Award Celtic Charm travel special — The Jet Set TV
• Five-Time Finalist — Southern California Journalism Awards Categories included:
  • Online Journalist of the Year
  • Icon of the Seas TV segment
  • Podcast episode at Giant’s Causeway, Ireland
  • Podcast interview with Alex Jimenez (Travel Fashion Girl)

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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)

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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

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Podcast Reach

• Make Your Own Map has been streamed in 64 countries across all seven continents, connecting global audiences through conversations about creativity, courage, travel, and reinvention.

WINNER: Southern California Journalism Awards 2025 Niver has won many awards including a TELLY! From 2017 to 2025, in the Southern California Journalism Awards and National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards, she has won eleven times and been a finalist forty times for a variety of broadcast, print, podcast and digital categories.

• 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