George Lavender

Emmy award-winning journalist and executive producer on more than 30 #1 podcasts. 2026 Sulzberger Fellow

Portland, Maine Metropolitan Area

About

George Lavender is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has executive produced more than 30 #1 podcasts including Dr Death, The Shrink Next Door, WeCrashed and Harsh Reality. He previously reported for NPR, Marketplace and 99 Percent Invisible among others and taught at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. He has also taught storytelling workshops around the world including for Sundance Collab and the International Documentary Association. He was named one of the Hollywood Reporter’s “35 Rising Executives Under 35.”

Experience

  • Sulzberger Fellow at Columbia University
    Jan 2026 - Present · 7 mos

    Developing new funding models to help ambitious journalism projects get off the ground.

  • Wondery (7 yrs 4 mos)
    • Head of Creative Production, Limited Series
      Feb 2023 - Apr 2025 · 2 yrs 3 mos

    • Head of Limited Series
      Feb 2021 - Feb 2023 · 2 yrs 1 mo

    • Senior Vice President of Content
      Jan 2020 - Feb 2021 · 1 yr 2 mos

  • Instructor at University of Southern California
    Sep 2016 - Jun 2019 · 2 yrs 10 mos

    Directing podcast producers in shaping the podcasts, identifying story ideas and keeping to schedules. Working one-on-one with student reporters on story development, interviewing, writing and recording voice tracks and the final production of their stories. Assisting students in producing multimedia elements for their podcasts and stories. Guiding students in distributing content through social media and other means. Providing consultation on legal, ethical and usage questions; and conducting workshops for students if needed.

  • Independent Reporter and Producer at Self Employed
    Aug 2010 - Dec 2018 · 8 yrs 5 mos

  • City News Reporter at KCRW
    May 2017 - Oct 2017 · 6 mos