LORRI ALLEN runs a company that works with people who want to craft a clear media message and with organizations that want their employees to present more effectively. She is the co-author of Be A Newsmaker: Master the Media with Clarity, Command & Credibility and Speak to Success: Present with Power, Panache & Purpose.

Lorri is also the writer/host of a two-part video training series for police and fire departments called Media Savvy. As a journalist, Lorri has interviewed more than 10,000 people, and one day she realized that it seemed unfair that some people did better on camera than others. Shouldn’t everyone have the chance to get his or her message across? That’s when she began her work to eliminate the fear of the news media.

Lorri coaches newsmakers who want to improve their ability to answer questions or who need confidence in front of reporters. In addition, Lorri provides “insurance” against looking silly or stupid on television.

Lorri is qualified to do this after 25 years as a broadcast and print journalist. She has reported, anchored and produced newscasts, coordinating coverage for events ranging from the local possum festival and state Supreme Court decisions to the Oklahoma City bombing, the attacks of September 11, 2001 and Hurricane Katrina. In addition, Lorri reported live from the floor of the 2004 national political conventions.

Her clients have gone on to appear on PBS, the Home Shopping Network, HBO, Good Morning America as well as local news programs.

Lorri knows what it is like to be on both sides of the camera. For four years, she was the popular host of “Mornings,” simulcast on Sirius and FamilyNet Television. Before joining FamilyNet, Lorri was the spokesperson for Primedia Workplace Learning. Lorri remains a valued and award-winning instructor for Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business.

Lorri holds a degree in Broadcast Journalism from The University of Texas at Austin. She’s a member of the National Speakers Association, and at the North Texas chapter, Lorri was twice named Member of the Year. She served on the board of Metrocrest Social Services, a United Way agency, and Christian Care Centers, Inc., a group of long-term care facilities based in North Texas. For fun, she runs long distances and writes novels.