Whitney Reynolds

Originally from Durant, Oklahoma, Reynolds attended Durant High School from the year 2000–2004.[2]

Throughout her high school years she honed her interest in storytelling through anchoring her high school TV channel, hosting Baylor's half time radio update.[3]

Reynolds is always inspiring the people of Durant to follow their dreams and frequently gives back to her hometown.[4]

Reynolds went on to further her education at Baylor University to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in Communications (2004–2007).[5] Reynolds was engaged in numerous extracurricular activities at Baylor University such as Pi Beta Phi, PBP-Oklahoma Rush Leader, YMCA Camp Counselor, and Habitat for Humanity. Throughout her college years, she worked at Baylor Athletics as a Video Assistant and Bears Radio Announcer.[6]

Post graduation, Reynolds secured a one-year internship with the prestigious television show Good Morning America.[7] Where she began to find her footing in the TV industry. Upon completion of the internship, at the age of 21, Reynolds worked as a reporter and producer at a KTEN Television, an NBC station right outside of Dallas, Texas.[8]

Within three months, Reynolds became an anchor of their morning show. After just over a year at KTEN Television, she left and began her career at WREX where she would film, edit, and report news on a daily story.[8]

Ultimately, she pursued hosting her own talk show.

Reynolds always knew that she wanted to have her television show. As a child, she started interviewing her friends with a makeshift microphone in her living room. During her adolescence, her family's difficult personal journey gave her the desire to share delicate stories that must be told. At the age of 23, her childhood dream became her adult mission and her talk show was born.[3]

Reynolds pursued her passion for people and mission for delicate issues in the talk show industry by establishing The Whitney Reynolds Show.[1] The show discusses a single topic from multiple perspectives. Topics include but are not limited to military veterans, survived hardships, illnesses and stories of hope.[9] Some notable guests to discuss relevant issues on the show include Chelsea Handler, Michael Phelps, Magic Johnson, & Temple Grandin.

Within the first year, the show captivated NBC, and Reynolds had the opportunity to move the show onto their station. In 2012, Reynolds moved The Whitney Reynolds Show to the PBS Network to broadcast in Chicago's Lakeshore PBS,  The Quad Cities' WQPT and Peoria's WTVP.[9]

As the success of the show kept building, in 2015, The Whitney Reynolds Show got nominated for its first Emmy in the category: Outstanding Interview and Discussion Special Programming. Whitney has the honor of presenting at the award ceremony.[1]

In that same year, Lakeshore Public Television added The Whitney Reynolds Show to their network. Reynolds now could reach 3.5 million viewers across the Region.[9]

The Whitney Reynolds Show has often been praised for its mass appeal as the show continues to expand on its markets and has stayed true to its mission.[9] Reynolds new seasons can be seen on PBS and also her YouTube channel that is nearing its millionth view!

Season 9 of The Whitney Reynolds Show premiered in Fall of 2018.[1]

The show expanded its market on July 7, 2019, with the addition of WILL Champaign-Urbana. Not only did the show expand its market, But The Whitney Reynolds Show also expanded the crew and their roles.[10] In addition to market expansions, The Whitney Reynolds Show has started streaming on Amazon and streaming nationally on PBS.[11][12] The show is now in areas across the US, 6 states in total.[13] During the Fall of 2019, The Whitney Reynolds Show began streaming on PBS Video App.[13]

On May 27, 2020, The Whitney Reynolds Show earned a bronze at the Telly Awards. The winning episode, "Overcoming Racism", focused on racism in the United States.[14] As of January 2021, the show will be offered to PBS stations nationwide through the National Educational Telecommunications Association distribution service. [15]

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.[1] She also has a column for Whitney's Women in Chicago Woman Magazine which features Chicago women that give back to the community.[16]

In 2016, she took this concept to print and is available in every issue of Chicago Woman Magazine.[16]

Due to the praise of Whitney's Women, Reynolds was recognized as a Humanitarian Honoree at the FAHF Awards for this segment.[16]

Reynolds wrote a book, Beyond the Interviews: A 52 Week Guide of Inspiration, influenced by the most powerful interviews of the last eight seasons of The Whitney Reynolds Show.[17]

In 2012, Reynolds met her now husband, David Heiner, at a Caribou Coffee in Lakeview, Chicago.[18]

According to Heiner, Reynolds was having trouble hooking up her computer cord to her computer, which Heiner with a background in software, decided to help. They met the day before Whitney pitched her show to PBS. The couple dated for less than six months and they were engaged.[18]

On November 2, 2013, Reynolds and Heiner wed at the West Loop's Soul City Church in Chicago, Illinois with the company of their family, friends, and their dog Puffy Doo-Little. The couple's wedding was broadcast as a two-hour special on I Do, Chicago Style a show on CANTV.[19]

In 2016, Reynolds became pregnant with twins. Then in front of 250 gala guests and a live audience on Facebook, Reynolds, and Heiner held a gender reveal party and were stunned to find out that they were going to have a boy and a girl. A video of their reactions went viral and reached over 30,000 views. Months later, Reynolds and Heiner welcomed their children, Marlowe and Acher on July 29, 2016.[20]

Reynolds and her family currently reside in Chicago, Illinois.[20]

Reynolds has also been deemed a Humanitarian Nominee for We Dream in Color, a charity that puts on events in collaboration with other organizations for fundraising for select causes.[21] Also, Reynolds was the keynote speaker for the 2019 Legacy and Legends gathering for members of the Five Junior League.[22]

In November 2019, Reynolds won a Bronze Stevie Award for Video of the Year for the first episode of the ninth episode of The Whitney Reynolds Show titled "Self Image".[23][24]

• Whitney Reynolds at IMDb
• The Whitney Reynolds Show at IMDb