Laura McKenzie Biography

Laura McKenzie is an American author, television personality, and a two-time Emmy nominated travel host for her TV series Laura McKenzie's Traveler. Famous for "telling it like it is," her knowledge is recognized and her candor appreciated by global travel authorities as well as tourists. Her understanding of contemporary travel problems make her programs a "must consult" for professional and leisure travelers alike.

Early career

Laura began her career as an NBC reporter, where she developed and became recognized for her informative two-minute Travel Tips segments. These instructive news segments were syndicated nationally throughout the 1980s. Post on-air travel tips, Laura had a syndicated Sunday newspaper column, "Laura McKenzie's Travel Tips."

Laura wrote, hosted and produced 42 home video travel guides for Republic Pictures and in the early '90s she was awarded Billboard Magazine's "Number #1" award and Billboard Magazine's "Video of the Decade" award for the longest running title in the number one position in the special interest category for "Laura McKenzie's Travel Tips: Hawaii."

Laura co-hosted American Adventurer for 10 years with Erik Estrada (later her co-host on The World's Funniest Moments). The show aired on KCAL-TV 9 in Los Angeles, and syndicated to 170 stations in the U.S. and in 100 countries around the world, winning two Telly Awards for "Best Hosts."

Her daily travel reports have aired on the Westwood One and NBC radio networks in the "America in the Morning" show, with favorite topics from business travel tips to travel gadget reviews.

Present career

Laura McKenzie's Traveler received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Special Class Writing in 2009 (McKenzie was head writer), and a nomination for Outstanding Special Class Series in 2010. In 2010, the Traveler episode titled "Vietnam" won the 2010 Gracie Award for 'Outstanding Magazine' from the Alliance for Women in Media, (AWM).

She has won several industry awards including Telly Awards, Davey Awards, Hermes Awards and more.