Whitney Reynolds (born April 3, 1986) is an American television talk show host who presents the Whitney Reynolds Show, a nationally syndicated topic-based talk show that airs on PBS stations across the United States as well as via providers such as Amazon, Tubi, YouTube and Roku. She is a media personality, podcast host, author, executive producer, and philanthropist.
Originally from Durant, Oklahoma, Reynolds attended Durant High School. She has a degree in communications from Baylor University. One of the staff there described her "one of the most driven students that’s ever been around."[1]
Early television career
Reynolds interviewing for the Weekends with Whitney.
Reynolds's career started with an internship with Good Morning America, where she moved to New York three years after her college graduation.[2] During her internship, she worked in research, assisted in the studio, and entertained audiences when needed.
After completing her internship, Reynolds joined KTEN News, an NBC affiliate near Dallas, Texas, as a reporter and producer. Within three months, she was promoted to anchor their morning news show, which soon expanded from 1.5 to 2 hours daily. After just over a year at KTEN.[3]
Reynolds relocated to Chicago and briefly worked at Nine West while seeking roles in media. She soon joined WREX-TV in Rockford, Illinois, where she filmed, edited, and reported daily news stories. During this period, Reynolds launched her own online talk show featuring interviews with everyday people. The show’s originality attracted NBC Chicago’s attention and led to Weekends with Whitney (2009 - 2011), a lifestyle segment exploring Chicago’s dining scene, wine culture, and adventures like skydiving. This early format laid the foundation for what would become The Whitney Reynolds Show.[4]
The Whitney Reynolds Show
Her talk show, The Whitney Reynolds Show, discusses a single topic from multiple perspectives. Topics include but are not limited to military veterans, survived hardships, illnesses and stories of hope. It moved first to NBC, and in 2012, Reynolds to the PBS Network to broadcast in Chicago's Lakeshore PBS.[5] The Quad Cities' WQPT and Peoria's WTVP[6]
The show expanded its market on July 7, 2019, with the addition of WILL Champaign-Urbana. Its staff and their roles also changed in 2019.[7] As of January 2021, the show expanded to be offered to PBS stations nationwide through the National Educational Telecommunications Association distribution service.[8]
Reynolds' content is expanded over multiple different mediums and platforms as "X-Overs" (pronounced crossovers) to help promote her messages, "tailored to how viewers, listeners, and streamers want to experience them." Her goal is to make her content accessible in many mediums and to become "the strongest voice of hope".[11][12][13]
Main X-Overs
"The Whitney WRap"
A self-hosted program that delves further into the stories of guests featured on The Whitney Reynold Show, stylized as "The Whitney WRap" or her initials. The program is featured in various formats for audiences:
Podcast: "The Whitney WRap" is featured as a podcast on services such as Spotify and iHeart[14]
Streaming: "The Whitney WRap" is available both online via YouTube and PBS.[15][16]
"Whitney’s Wish List"
"Whitney’s Wish List” is a X-Over program that has aired on networks such as NBC and WGN, the goal of which is to promote various sponsors of The Whitney Reynolds Show, as well as highlight businesses in the Chicago area.[17][18]
Additional collaborations
iHeartRadio
Reynolds is the founder and executive of the radio segment Whitney's Women which airs on "The Weekly Show" on 103.5 KISS FM, 95.5 BIG, 93.9 MYfm and iHeart Radio.[19] In 2016, she started a column for Whitney's Women in Chicago Woman Magazine which features Chicago women that give back to the community.[20]
The Pop and Positivity Podcast
On March 6, 2021, Reynolds began co-hosting The Pop and Positivity Podcast[21] based on love and passion for positivity. The podcast features celebrity guests such as Ava Max, Afrojack, Bella Thorne, Jax, and Mark Wahlberg.[22] The podcast covers a variety of topics that are personal to each guest featured on the podcast, such as being in the public eye.The intent of the podcast is to allow listeners to understand how being a celebrity and creating positivity go hand in hand.[23]
WGN Radio
Starting in 2024, “Wednesdays with Whit” on WGN Radio 720 features Whitney Reynolds with host John Landecker as they discuss what will be featured on her main program The Whitney Reynolds Show.[24]
Published Literature
In 2021, Reynolds released her book, Beyond the Interviews: A 52 Week Guide of Inspiration, influenced by the most powerful interviews of the last eight seasons of TheWhitney Reynolds Show.[25]
Hosting and Appearances
On September 18, 2022, Reynolds hosted the 54th Annual Public Media Awards. The Public Media Awards Gala was presented by the National Educational Telecommunications Association honoring the achievements of public media.[26]
Reynolds was guest speaker for the 2022 Women of Influence event put on by Peoria Magazine. The event was held on December 6, 2022, in Peoria, Illinois.[27]
In December 2022, Whitney was a featured guest on Daytime Chicago for the WGN Holiday Special discussing "Whitney's Wish List: The 2022 Curated Holiday Gift Guide”.
In 2023, Reynolds hosted her first TED Talk that was independently organized by the Chicago community for the TEDxWrigleyville event, held at Wrigley Field in the North Side of Chicago, Illinois.[28]. The talk was titled, "HOPE: A New Acronym for Ethic"l Storytelling." Through the acronym of "HOPE", Reynolds uses these principles as guideposts for her storytelling prowess.
'H' for "Help": "Will the story be able to help heal or inspire?"
'O' for "On Time": "Why does the story need to be told now?"
'P' for "Piece of Mind": "How does the story being told make you feel?"
'E' for "Exposure": "What kinds of ideas are being exposed to public consciousness if they story gets told?"
Philanthropy
In 2019, Reynolds received the Humanitarian Inspiration Award for We Dream in Color, a charity that collaborates with multiple organizations to support fundraising efforts for important causes.[29][30][31] Also that year, she was the keynote speaker for the 2019 Legacy and Legends gathering for members of the Five Junior League.[32]
Whitney Reynolds posing
In 2022, Reynolds attended the 45th anniversary of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana gala to support access to arts education by providing tuition-free arts training programs for current, future, and former students at the Chicago High School for the Arts. The event successfully raised over $1.3 million for nearly 14,000 Chicagoland families.[33][34]
Continuing her philanthropic leadership, Reynolds was a featured co-chair and active member of the Service Club of Chicago in 2023, helping to host the annual Spring Hat Luncheon. This event raised significant funds for the nonprofit’s Philanthropic Grant Program, which provides grants to charities focused on expanding facilities, upgrading equipment, and launching new community programs.[35]
Through her platform Whitney’s Women, Reynolds has amplified the work of numerous nonprofits, often showcasing and emceeing events such as Runway Latinx (RLx), a three-day closing celebration for Hispanic Heritage Month that benefits Pivoting in Heels.[36]
As of 2024, Reynolds has helped raise over $2 million for various charitable organizations through fundraising events, media campaigns, and community partnerships. [37][38]
Awards and Honors
Whitney Reynolds hosting the 54th Annual Public Media Awards.
Reynolds and her television show have garnered several awards throughout the program's ongoing run.
In 2015, The Whitney Reynolds Show got nominated for its first Emmy in the category: Outstanding Interview and Discussion Special Programming, for her show "Veterans".[39][19][10]
In 2018, she was recognized as a Humanitarian Honoree at the FAHF Awards and Female Leader of The Year at the "I'm Possible Conference" for the contributions her show gives to society.[40]
In November of 2019, she won a Bronze Stevie Award for Video of the Year for the episode titled “Self Image.”[41][42]
On May 27th, 2020, her show earned a Bronze Telly Award for the episode “Overcoming Racism,” which focused on racial issues in the United States.[43]
During the 2022 award season, The Whitney Reynolds Show won a Gold People’s Telly Award in the General Regional TV category for the episode “Survivors” and a Bronze Telly Award in the Television General Public Interest/Awareness category for the episode “Did You Know.”[44]
In 2023, Reynolds earned her first Emmy nomination as an executive producer for Outstanding Achievement in Public Service Announcement - Single Spot/Campaign for the PSA, “The Healing Circle and the Effect.”[45] That same year, the show won a Bronze Stevie Award for Achievement in Equal Pay, highlighting its role in advocating for pay equity.[46] Additionally, Reynolds was named to Crain’s Chicago 40 Under 40 list, recognizing her significant contributions to the entertainment industry.[47]
In 2025, she received the prestigious VIDDY Award, which recognizes excellence in digital video storytelling and innovation. The award was presented for the original theme song of The Whitney Reynolds Show, composed by The Voice star Creigh Riepe.[48][49]
Personal life
In 2012, Reynolds met her husband, David Heiner, at a Caribou Coffee in Lakeview, Chicago.[50] They met the day before Reynolds pitched her show to PBS. The couple dated for less than six months and they were engaged.[50] On November 2, 2013, Reynolds and Heiner, married, broadcasting the event in a locally aired, two-hour television special, "I Do, Chicago Style!"[51]
In 2016, Reynolds gave birth to twins.[52][53] Reynolds and her family currently reside in Chicago.[52] Reynolds and her family have been featured in national campaigns over the years. Her twins have worked with brands such as Gerber, VTech, Mazda, and Sundance Spa.[54]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
