Allison

Gilbert

Emmy Award-Winning Journalist

Nonfiction Author

Travels from: New York, NY

“What a fabulous evening! The room was packed. The crowd was happy. Everyone walked away thrilled they made the time to come. Let’s do it again soon.” – Susan Engel, Director, Lectures, 92nd Street

Allison Gilbert is an Emmy award-winning journalist and co-author of Listen, World!, the first biography of American writer Elsie Robinson, a newspaper columnist who came from nothing and became the most-read woman in the country and highest-paid woman writer in the William Randolph Hearst media empire. The New York Times raves “One does not tire of spending time with Elsie Robinson” and the Wall Street Journal proclaims the book “an important contribution to women’s history.”

Gilbert is host of “Women Journalists of 9/11: Their Stories,” a 20-part documentary series produced in collaboration with the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. For this, she interviewed such luminaries as Savannah Guthrie, Maggie Haberman, Dana Bash, and Linda Wertheimer. She is co-executive producer of the companion 2-hour film that featured, among many others, Tom Brokaw, Rehema Ellis, Ann Thompson, Scott Pelley, Byron Pitts, Ann Compton, and Cynthia McFadden. Gilbert is the official narrator of the 9/11 Memorial Museum’s historical exhibition audio tour, the only female journalist to be so honored.

Allison Gilbert writes regularly for the New York Times and other publications. On her blog, she features Q & A’s with some of the most notable names in our culture today including, Arianna Huffington, Jon Stewart, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Dani Shapiro, and Gretchen Rubin.

Allison is co-editor of Covering Catastrophe: Broadcast Journalists Report September 11 and author of Always Too Soon: Voices of Support for Those Who Have Lost Both Parents, Parentless Parents: How the Loss of Our Mothers and Fathers Impacts the Way We Raise Our Children, and Passed and Present: Keeping Memories of Loved Ones Alive.

Gilbert lives in New York with her husband and two children.

Allison's Featured Titles

Listen, World! How the Intrepid Elsie Robinson Became American’s Most Read Woman

Seal Press |

September 27, 2022

Nonfiction

The first biography of Elsie Robinson, the most influential newspaper columnist you’ve never heard of

At thirty-five, Elsie Robinson feared she’d lost it all. Reeling from a scandalous divorce in 1917, she had no means to support herself and her chronically ill son. She dreamed of becoming a writer and was willing to sacrifice everything for this goal, even swinging a pickax in a gold mine to pay the bills.

When the mine shut down, she moved to the Bay Area. Armed with moxie and samples of her work, she barged into the offices of the Oakland Tribune and was hired on the spot. She went on to become a nationally syndicated columnist and household name whose column ran for over thirty years and garnered fifty million readers.

Told in cinematic detail by bestselling author Julia Scheeres and award-winning journalist Allison Gilbert, Listen, World! is the inspiring story of a timeless maverick, capturing what it means to take a gamble on self-fulfillment and find freedom along the way.

Journalism, Memoir & Personal Journeys

Passed and Present: Keeping Memories of Loved Ones Alive

Seal Press |

April 12, 2016

Nonfiction

Passed and Present is a one-of-a-kind guide for discovering creative and meaningful ways to keep the memory of loved ones alive.

Inspiring and imaginative, this bona fide “how-to” manual teaches us how to remember those we miss most, no matter how long they’ve been gone. Passed and Present is not about sadness and grieving. It is about happiness and remembering. It is possible to look forward, to live a rich and joyful life, while keeping the memory of loved ones alive. This much-needed, easy-to-use roadmap shares 85 imaginative ways to celebrate and honor family and friends we never want to forget.

Chapter topics include: Repurpose With Purpose: Ideas for transforming objects and heirlooms. Discover ways to reimagine photographs, jewelry, clothing, letters, recipes, and virtually any inherited item or memento. Use Technology: Strategies for your daily, digital life. Opportunities for using computers, scanners, printers, apps, mobile devices, and websites. Not Just Holidays: Tips for remembrance any time of year, day or night, whenever you feel that pull, be it a loved one’s birthday, an anniversary, or just a moment when a memory catches you by surprise. Monthly Guide: Christmas, Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and other special times of year present unique challenges and opportunities. This chapter provides exciting ideas for making the most of them while keeping your loved one’s memory alive. Places to Go: Destinations around the world where reflecting and honoring loved ones is a communal activity. This concept is called Commemorative Travel.

Also included are suggestions for incorporating aspects of these foreign traditions into your practices at home. Being proactive about remembering loved ones has a powerful and unexpected benefit: it can make you happier. The more we incorporate memories into our year-round lives as opposed to sectioning them off to a particular time of year, the more we can embrace the people who have passed, and all that’s good and fulfilling in our present. With beautiful illustrations throughout by artist Jennifer Orkin Lewis,Passed and Present also includes an introduction by Hope Edelman, bestselling author of Motherless Daughters.

Grief & Loss, Nonfiction

Parentless Parents: How the Loss of Our Mothers and Fathers Impacts the Way We Raise Our Children

Hyperion |

September 15, 2011

Nonfiction

Parentless Parents is the first book to show how the absence of grandparents impacts everything about the way mothers and fathers raise their children–from everyday parenting decisions to the relationships they have with their spouses and in-laws.

For the first time in U.S. history, as the average age of women giving birth has increased significantly, millions of children are at risk of having fewer years with their grandparents than ever before. How has this substantial shift affected parents and kids? Journalist, award-winning television producer, and parentless parent Allison Gilbert has polled and studied more than 1,300 parentless parents from across the United States and a dozen other countries to find out.

Through her pioneering research, Gilbert not only shares her own story and the significant and poignant effect that this trend has had on her and hundreds of other families, but also the myriad ways these mothers and fathers have learned to keep the memory of their parents alive for their children, and to find the support and understanding they need.

Nonfiction, Parenting & Families

Always Too Soon

Seal Press |

November 22, 2006

Nonfiction

While the death of a parent is always painful, losing both is life-altering. When author Allison Gilbert lost both parents at age 32, she could not find any books that spoke to her with the same level of compassion and reassurance that she found in the support group she belonged to, so she decided to write one of her own. The result is a sensitive and candid portrayal of loss that brings together experiences from famous and ordinary grief-stricken sons and daughters that explores the regrets, heartache and sometimes, relief, that accompanies pain and healing.

Always Too Soon provides a range of intimate conversations with those, famous and not, who have lost both parents, providing readers with a source of comfort and inspiration as they learn to negotiate their new place in the world.

Contributors include Hope Edelman, Geraldine Ferraro, Dennis Franz, Barbara Ehrenreich, Yogi Berra, Rosanne Cash, and Ice-T, as well as those who lost parents to the Oklahoma City bombing, the World Trade Center bombings, drunk driving, and more.

Grief & Loss, Nonfiction

Covering Catastrophe

Taylor Trade Publishing |

November 17, 2003

Nonfiction

Tells what it was like for TV and radio journalists to report the terrifying story of their lives.

Grief & Loss, Journalism, Nonfiction

WOMEN’S HISTORY & CAREER SUCCESS

Presentations that lift and inspire.

Knowing Your Value: Lessons on Knowing Your Worth From 100 Years Ago
Urgent and timely lessons on owning your value from Elsie Robinson, the most-read woman in America and highest-paid woman writer in the William Randolph Hearst media empire.

Being Unstoppable
Learn what separates individuals who feel they can’t move on from people who believe nothing can stop them.

What Is a Woman Worth?
Why are women’s stories and accomplishments still so often overlooked and what can be done to ensure that more women’s legacies endure for future generations.

GRIEF & LOSS

Talks that harness challenging moments into unexpected opportunities.

Setbacks as Fire
Empowering opportunities for using hardships of all kinds to drive us forward.

Passed and Present: Celebrating Loved Ones and Keeping Their Memories Alive
Inspiring and uplifting ways to celebrate family and friends you never want to forget.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Concrete and actionable talks for living a big, bold life and building a legacy that endures.

Taking Your Health Into Your Own Hands: A Story of Genetics & Survival
An intimate talk revealing the life-saving choices one mother made to stay alive for her children.

Forget-Me-Not: Ensuring Our Legacy
Best strategies for ensuring your life and greatest achievements are remembered in perpetuity.

WRITING & JOURNALISM

Presentations that stir and energize anyone with stories to share.

A Roadmap for Writers
Empowering strategies for getting words on the page and into the hands of readers.

From Book Idea to Published Author
A master plan for securing an agent, developing a winning book proposal, and landing a publishing contract.

Reporting 9/11: An Emmy Award-Winning Journalist’s First-Hand Story
A raw, behind-the-scenes look at what it was like to cover the September 11 attacks and nearly be killed on the job that tragic day.

Macmillan Learning Parent and Caregiver ERG, Village@ML
“We recently had the pleasure of hosting a series of three virtual sessions led by Allison Gilbert, focusing on navigating grief, turning hardships into growth opportunities, and combating loneliness in our increasingly digital world. I can confidently say that the impact on our company’s employees was profound, and I highly recommend Allison’s expertise and presentations to anyone seeking guidance in these delicate areas.”

Macmillan Learning Parent and Caregiver ERG, Village@ML
“Allison Gilbert is a delight as a speaker and brings an understanding and empathy that are magnetic. She has a wonderful way of discussing topics that incorporate understanding with practical applications and ideas.”

Macmillan Learning Parent and Caregiver ERG, Village@ML
“I loved the pace, the positivity, the personal examples, the opportunity to share questions ahead of time…everything. I learned so much – so many tangible examples of what I can do to get through tough times and how I can help others who are doing the same. It is such a powerful and personal topic. I now feel empowered.”

Macmillan Learning Parent and Caregiver ERG, Village@ML
“Allison’s expertise shone through in every session. Many commented on the practical tools and strategies they gained, particularly for managing grief, overcoming personal hurdles, and postering deeper connections. They also highlighted her discussion of the long-term health benefits of addressing loneliness, a topic Allison tackled effectively, emphasizing the importance of emotional well-being in our fast-paced society.”

Macmillan Learning Parent and Caregiver ERG, Village@ML
“Beyond her expertise, Allison possesses a truly genuine and compassionate presence. Her calm and caring demeanor created a safe space for attendees to ask vulnerable questions. This was particularly impactful for those struggling with loneliness in a world that often feels isolating.”

Macmillan Learning Parent and Caregiver ERG, Village@ML
“Allison’s sessions have provided some really good pieces of introspection for my life, and I am beginning to see and explore a healing path for myself.”

Macmillan Learning Parent and Caregiver ERG, Village@ML
“I love how Allison speaks with a slow and thoughtful cadence and gives time and space for listening and letting her words and thoughts sink in for comprehension.”

Susan Engel, Executive Director, 92NY Talks
“What a fabulous evening! The room was packed. The crowd was happy. Everyone walked away thrilled they made the time to come. Let’s do it again soon.”

Susie Kessler, Manager, Shomer Collective, and Past Program Director, JCC in Manhattan
“I have been planning events at the JCC for over nine years and have worked with many authors. From beginning to end, Allison was not only flexible and accommodating, she was simply a pleasure to work with. By all accounts, her recent event was a great success!”

Betty Spence, Head, Women’s Advancement, Seramount, and Past President, National Association for Female Executives (NAFE)
“I attend and oversee dozens of events for women in corporate America every year, and I find Allison an unusually warm, informative, and funny speaker. She brilliantly applies her own hard-won lessons and insights to the business and professional issues that others face. Our members loved her!”

Mary Fetchet, Executive Director, Voices Center for Resilience
“Thank you for the FABULOUS presentation last night! You were inspirational and so thoughtful in the compassionate way you engaged the participants.”

Michael A. Lanotte, Executive Director, New York State Funeral Directors Association
“Allison Gilbert is an excellent speaker. Her presentation was entertaining, enlightening, and crafted perfectly for our audience. Our members are diverse, yet she made points that were relevant to everyone, with powerful, easy-to-execute takeaways. Every state funeral directors association should hire Allison — and fast!”

Allison’s Upcoming Events

Allison’s Blog

Allison’s monthly conversation series with Reimagine

Allison’s Press/Journalism

Allison’s YouTube Channel Link

Honors, Awards & Recognition

“5 new books you need to read” — USA Today (for Allison’s book, Listen, World!)
Winner, Washington Irving Book Award — Westchester Library Association (for Allison’s book Parentless Parents)

Journalism Awards
Three Emmy awards (National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Two Emmy nominations (NATAS)
First Place, Consumer Investigation (National Association of Black Journalists)
MADD Media Award (Mothers Against Drunk Driving)
Best Series, Investigative Reporting (Society of Professional Journalists)
First Place, Best Public Service (Associated Press)