{{Short description|American author and journalist}} {{Infobox person | name = Allison Gilbert | image = Allison Gilbert.jpg | known_for = The Joy of Connections: 100 Ways to Beat Loneliness and Live a Happier and More Meaningful Life | occupation = Journalist, author | spouse = | children = | website = {{URL|http://www.allisongilbert.com/}} }} '''Allison Gilbert''' is an American journalist, bestselling author<ref>{{Cite web |title=Best-selling Booklist |url=https://www.usatoday.com/booklist/booklist |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref>, and speaker<ref>{{Cite web |title=When we "meet our grief bravely" – the healing begins |url=https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/news/2023/11/16/when_we_meet_our_grief_bravely_the_healing_begins/ |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=Iceland Monitor}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-09 |title=2025 Positive Business Speakers & Leaders |url=https://positivebusinessconference.com/2025-positive-business-speakers-leaders/ |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=Positive Business Conference |language=en-US}}</ref> whose work focuses on human connection, social health, and grief. She has written or co-written six books including ''The Joy of Connections'' with Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer. The book grew out of Gilbert's article for ''The New York Times'', “Dr. Ruth Saved People's Sex Lives. Now She Wants to Cure Loneliness,” which covered Westheimer's appointment as New York State's Ambassador to Loneliness.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite news |last=Gilbert |first=Allison |date=2023-11-09 |title=Dr. Ruth Saved People’s Sex Lives. Now She Wants to Cure Loneliness. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/09/nyregion/dr-ruth-loneliness-ambassador.html |access-date=2025-07-17 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
==Career== ===Social health and connection=== Gilbert hosts 92NY's Connected Lives series<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gretchen Rubin’s secrets of happiness |url=https://www.92ny.org/about-92ny/92ny-insider/culture/gretchen-rubin-s-secrets-of-happiness |access-date=2026-04-27 |website=www.92ny.org}}</ref> and her most recent book, ''The Joy of Connections,'' was named one of the 10 best well-being books for 2024 by Audible<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 10 best well-being books of 2024 |url=https://www.audible.com/blog/article-2024-best-well-being-audiobooks |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=Audible Blog |language=en}}</ref> and named one of The Best Books and Podcasts in 2024 About Aging and Retirement by ''The Wall Street Journal.''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cole |first=Diane |date=2024-12-01 |title=The Best Books and Podcasts in 2024 About Aging and Retirement |url=https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/books-podcasts-aging-best-of-2024-3cbce354 |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}}</ref>
Gilbert has written for or been featured in many publications including ''The New York Times,''<ref name="auto">{{Cite news |last=Gilbert |first=Allison |date=2024-07-18 |title=Long After ‘Sexually Speaking,’ Dr. Ruth Taught Me About Friendship |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/18/style/dr-ruth-advice-friendship.html |access-date=2025-07-17 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> ''The Wall Street Journal'',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spindel |first=Barbara |title=‘The Joy of Connections’ Review: Prescriptions From Dr. Ruth |url=https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/the-joy-of-connections-prescriptions-from-dr-ruth-e4353736 |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=WSJ |language=en-US}}</ref> and ''USA Today.''<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Joy of Connections: 100 Ways to Beat Loneliness and Live a Happier and More Meaningful Life |url=https://www.usatoday.com/booklist/books/the-joy-of-connections-100-ways-to-beat-loneliness-and-live-a-happier-and-more-meaningful-life/9780593736227 |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> Gilbert has been interviewed on Good Morning America,<ref>{{Cite web |last=America |first=Good Morning |title=Cultivating friendships with “The Joy of Connections” |url=https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/video/117162532 |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=Good Morning America |language=en}}</ref> NPR,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Discussing sex, rejecting shame, and unpacking the legacy of Dr. Ruth |url=https://the1a.org/segments/discussing-sex-rejecting-shame-and-unpacking-the-legacy-of-dr-ruth/ |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=1A |language=en}}</ref> TED Radio Hour<ref>{{Cite news |last=N |last2=P |last3=R |date=2024-11-01 |title=A guide to being brave in relationships |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/11/01/1210938556/being-brave-in-relationships |access-date=2026-04-22 |work=NPR |language=en}}</ref>, and more.
===Grief and September 11 attacks=== Gilbert was a journalist covering the September 11 attacks and went on to co-edit ''Covering Catastrophe: Broadcast Journalists Report September 11'', a historical record of how broadcast journalists covered the attacks.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maas |first=Jennifer |date=2021-08-12 |title='Reporting 9/11' Doc, Companion Series on Female Journalists Covering Terrorist Attacks Set at Wondrium (Exclusive) |url=https://www.thewrap.com/9-11-documentary-reporters-september-11-terrorist-attacks-wondrium-memorial-museum/ |access-date=2022-03-22 |language=en-US}}</ref> Gilbert is the official narrator of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum’s historical exhibition audio tour and her voice is introduced by Robert De Niro on the museum's “Witnessing History” tour.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Audio Guide {{!}} National September 11 Memorial & Museum |url=https://www.911memorial.org/visit/museum/exhibitions/audio-guide |access-date=2022-03-22 |website=www.911memorial.org}}</ref> She is the co-executive producer of the documentary Reporting 9/11 and Why It Still Matters and host of the companion 20-part documentary series Women Journalists of 9/11: Their Stories, produced in collaboration with the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and Wondrium for the 20th anniversary of 9/11.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Minutaglio |first1=Rose |last2=Feller |first2=Madison |date=2021-09-01 |title='I Wasn't Dressed for War:' Female Reporters on What It Was Like Covering 9/11 |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/a37399201/september-11-anniversary-journalists-reporting/ |access-date=2022-03-22 |website=ELLE |language=en-US}}</ref> These projects include interviews with journalists such as Savannah Guthrie, Maggie Haberman, Scott Pelley, Byron Pitts, Dana Bash, and Linda Wertheimer.
Gilbert has written or reported on grief for ''The Washington Post''<ref>{{Cite news |last=Loudin |first=Amanda |date=2017-07-14 |title=When her daughter died, she turned to exercise to quell her grief |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/when-her-daughter-died-she-turned-to-exercise-to-quell-her-grief/2017/07/14/19c45e26-51db-11e7-be25-3a519335381c_story.html |access-date=2026-04-22 |work=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>'', The Atlantic''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alter |first=Cathy |date=2011-06-18 |title=What Happens When Parents Have No Parents? |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/06/what-happens-when-parents-have-no-parents/240447/ |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}</ref>'','' The TODAY Show<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3a149c9HVM |title=Today Show: Allison Gilbert, author and grief expert, on bereavement leave |date=2017-02-13 |last=Allison Gilbert |access-date=2026-04-22 |via=YouTube}}</ref>, CNN<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g95966L5oAI |title=CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta interviews Allison Gilbert and Dr Mark Smith |date=2022-02-28 |last=Allison Gilbert |access-date=2026-04-22 |via=YouTube}}</ref>, and more.
===TV news=== Allison Gilbert started her career in TV news. At CNN, Gilbert produced TV segments and wrote stories for CNN.com.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 25, 2014 |title=We Were Choking on the Same Soot, We Were One With the Story |url=https://newday.blogs.cnn.com/2014/05/25/we-were-choking-on-the-same-soot-we-were-one-with-the-story/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022111415/http://newday.blogs.cnn.com/2014/05/25/we-were-choking-on-the-same-soot-we-were-one-with-the-story/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 22, 2014 |access-date=April 13, 2022 |website=New Day CNN}}</ref> Before CNN, she was a special projects producer at WABC-TV and an investigative producer at WNBC-TV.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Oei |first=Lily |date=2002-04-22 |title=WNBC tops N.Y. Emmy race with 9 victories |url=https://variety.com/2002/tv/awards/wnbc-tops-n-y-emmy-race-with-9-victories-1117865809/ |access-date=2022-03-22 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Awards and honors ==
* Received three New York Emmy awards<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oei |first=Lily |date=2002-04-22 |title=WNBC tops N.Y. Emmy race with 9 victories |url=https://variety.com/2002/tv/awards/wnbc-tops-n-y-emmy-race-with-9-victories-1117865809/ |access-date=2026-04-27 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=THE 46th ANNUAL NEW YORK EMMY AWARDS – 2003 WINNERS |url=https://www.nyemmys.org/media/files/files/97aa81f5/nyemmyawards46.pdf |access-date=April 27, 2026 |website=NY Emmy Awards}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2002 |title=THE 45th ANNUAL NEW YORK EMMY AWARDS – 2002 WINNERS |url=https://www.nyemmys.org/media/files/files/4e6ef752/nyemmyawards45.pdf |access-date=April 27, 2026 |website=NY Emmy Awards}}</ref>, five New York Emmy nominations for various hard news reporting.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002 |title=2002 List of Nominees |url=https://www.nyemmys.org/media/files/files/f5581354/2002_List_of_Nominees_Updated_10_19_2016.pdf |access-date=April 27, 2026 |website=NY Emmy Awards}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /> * ''The Joy of Connections'' named a USA Today bestseller<ref>{{Cite web |title=Best-selling Booklist |url=https://www.usatoday.com/booklist/booklist |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> * ''The Joy of Connections'' named one of the best books on aging by ''The Wall Street Journal''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cole |first=Diane |date=2024-12-01 |title=The Best Books and Podcasts in 2024 About Aging and Retirement |url=https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/books-podcasts-aging-best-of-2024-3cbce354 |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> * ''The Joy of Connections'' named a top-10 well-being book of the year by Audible<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 10 best well-being books of 2024 |url=https://www.audible.com/blog/article-2024-best-well-being-audiobooks |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=Audible Blog |language=en}}</ref> * Washington Irving Book Award for ''Parentless Parents''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Washington Irving Book Awards |url=https://www.westchesterlibraryassociation.org/washington-irving-book-awards/ |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=www.westchesterlibraryassociation.org}}</ref> * Northern California Book Award, General Nonfiction Award for ''Listen, World!''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poetry Flash > programs |url=https://poetryflash.org/programs/?p=ncba_2023 |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=poetryflash.org}}</ref> * New York Press Club, Commentary Online Winner for CNN.com article, “A Woman Who Composed the First Draft of History Finds Herself Written Out of the History Books<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-13 |title=2024 Gold Keyboard Award to Spectrum News NY1 Team for Story on Child Welfare Deaths in New York Full Slate of Journalism Awards Announced - The New York Press Club |url=https://www.nypressclub.org/2024-gold-keyboard-award/ |access-date=2026-04-22 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Publications== ===Books=== * ''The Joy of Connections: 100 Ways to Beat Loneliness and Live a Happier and More Meaningful Life'' with co-authors Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer and Pierre Lehu (Rodale: 2023) * ''Listen, World!: How the Intrepid Elsie Robinson Became America's Most-Read Woman'' with co-author Julia Scheeres (Seal Press: September 2022) * ''Passed and Present: Keeping Memories of Loved Ones Alive'' (Seal Press: 2016) * ''Parentless Parents: How the Loss of Our Mothers and Fathers Impacts the Way We Raise Our Children'' (Hyperion: 2011) * ''Always Too Soon: Voices of Support for Those Who Have Lost Both Parents'', edited by Christina Baker Kline (Seal Press: 2006) * ''Covering Catastrophe: Broadcast Journalists Report September 11'', co-edited with Phil Hirshkorn, Melinda Murphy, Mitchell Stephens, and Robyn Walensky; (Bonus Books: 2002)
===Select essays and reporting=== * Meet the Zoomers preaching 'Appstinence' to their peers (January 2026) ''Times of London''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Allison |date=2026-01-30 |title=Meet the Zoomers preaching ‘Appstinence’ to their peers |url=https://www.thetimes.com/us/news-today/article/zillennials-appstinence-gen-z-phones-3tspc88p8 |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=www.thetimes.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> * The secret to great sex isn't really a secret. It's asking the right question, 81-year-old sex professor says (February 2025) ''CNN''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Allison |date=2025-02-14 |title=The secret to great sex isn’t really a secret. It’s asking the right question, 81-year-old sex professor says |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/14/health/dating-over-70-sex-professor-wellness |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> * Long After ‘Sexually Speaking,’ Dr. Ruth Taught Me About Friendship (July 2024) ''The New York Times''<ref name="auto"/> * Opinion: Dr. Ruth taught us not only about sex but also chosen family (July 2024) ''CNN''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Allison |date=2024-07-13 |title=Opinion: Dr. Ruth taught us not only about sex, but also chosen family |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/13/opinions/dr-ruth-obit-chosen-family-wellness-gilbert |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> * Dr. Ruth Saved People's Sex Lives. Now She Wants to Cure Loneliness. (November 2023) ''The New York Times''<ref name="auto1"/> * Opinion: A woman who composed the first draft of history finds herself written out of the history books (August 2023) ''CNN''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Allison |date=2023-08-14 |title=Opinion: A woman who composed the first draft of history finds herself written out of the history books |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/14/opinions/women-history-smithsonian-archives-elsie-robinson-gilbert |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> * The Grief Crisis Is Coming (April 2021) ''The New York Times''<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Gilbert |first1=Allison |date=April 12, 2021 |title=The Grief Crisis Is Coming |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/12/opinion/covid-death-grief.html |access-date=30 December 2021 |work=New York Times}}</ref> * Why Looking at a Photo Can Ease Loneliness and Grief (November 2016) ''O, The Oprah Magazine''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Allison |title=Why Looking at a Photo Can Ease Loneliness and Grief |url=https://www.oprah.com/health_wellness/how-nostalgia-relieves-loneliness-and-grief |access-date=2022-03-22 |website=Oprah.com}}</ref> * Journalist and Survivor: The Rules Blurred on 9/11 (May 2014) CNN.com<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Allison |date=2014-05-15 |title=Journalist and survivor: The rules blurred on 9/11 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2014/05/15/opinion/gilbert-9-11-museum-opening/index.html |access-date=2022-03-22 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>
==Education== * Ethical Culture Fieldston School * Georgetown University
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gilbert, Allison}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:American women television journalists Category:American investigative journalists Category:21st-century American women journalists Category:21st-century American journalists Category:21st-century American biographers Category:American women biographers Category:CNN people Category:American self-help writers Category:People associated with the September 11 attacks