Bio
Liz is a seasoned journalist who covered Hollywood full-time for over a decade until October 8, 2012, when doctors diagnosed her with viral meningitis. Before her illness, Liz was on top of the world making a six-figure salary and in a serious relationship with a man she had planned to marry. Her doctors were baffled as to how she contracted the potentially fatal disease. The disease swelled her brain, left her with brain damage and unable to work or care for herself. Tests later proved that she had hsv2-meningitis and her illness stemmed from the herpes 2 (genital herpes) her ex-boyfriend knowingly exposed and infected her with. (A crime in the state of California under Public Health Law §3198) Liz’s ex lied to her and all her treating physicians about his venereal disease. His deceit obstructed and delayed Liz’s treatment causing her condition to progress into the potentially fatal meningoencephalitis.
Liz is pursuing civil and criminal action against her ex and has gone public with her story. You can read more about her cases here. Her goal is to educate and help others who have struggled with disease, a disability or fallen victim to a sexual assault. She’s spent the past two years restoring her health and fighting for her life back. She still struggles with multiple health problems, but she’s determined to find treatments that enable her to lead a normal life again. She’s completed a novel based on her experiences, and she plans to spearhead and pass legislation for stricter laws and punishments for sexual predators convicted of spreading communicable diseases.
Before Liz became ill, she traveled the world to exotic places and Podunk towns – ranging from The Galapagos Islands chasing Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to Britney Spears’ hometown of Kentwood, Louisiana – and consistently broke front-page news. In 2010 Liz moved to Los Angeles. She’s worked as a West Coast Senior Editor for both Star and In Touch magazines. She also served as a West Coast Reporter for Us Weekly. She’s broken exclusive stories on the demise of several marriages including Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher; Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries; and Katy Perry and Russell Brand. She’s interviewed hundreds of celebrities, covered countless red-carpet events and conducted photo shoots with celebrities such as Holly Madison and Victoria Justice.
She has a bachelor’s in political science and journalism from the University of Iowa. Liz began her journalism career in Washington DC in 2001 after wrapping up an internship with Bill O’Reilly at Fox News Channel. At Fox News Channel, she stayed late everyday to observe Bill tape his shows in the studio. She participated in his pitch meetings, read all his mail, produced a show segment and escorted his guests such as Rev. Al Sharpton and Newt Gingrich to the green room. In DC she interned for the State Department’s news service and covered the White House beat. She reported on the daily morning gaggle with the President’s Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, covered press conferences in the East Room, attended bill signing’s in the Rose Garden, reported at the White House Correspondents’ dinners and even covered a meeting with President George W. Bush and a foreign leader in the Oval Office. She wrote her stories from an office in the basement of the West Wing or at the State Department under Secretary of State Colin Powell.
She launched her long career with the Tribune Company in 2002 with a reporting gig at the City News Service – a bureau famous for launching the career of other high profile journalists including Mike Royko – where she covered crime, politics and other hard news stories in The Windy City. In September of 2003, her first of several hundred RedEye Edition of the Chicago Tribune gossip columns debuted featuring an interview with Eddie Vedder and Steven Tyler. She wrote the popular weekly column for seven years. Liz most recently authored a gossip column for the Chicago Sun-Times Splash titled La La Liz.
Liz launched and ran a successful entertainment blog called TheseBootsAreMadeForStalking.com for two years in Chicago. She’s currently working to re-launch the blog. She also served as In Touch Weekly’s Midwest Editor for two years before she moved to the West Coast. Her In Touch position took her to many cities and countries including Spain, Mexico and The Bahamas where she broke multiple front-page stories on Anna Nicole Smith just months before her tragic death.
She’s made several national TV appearances talking about her front-page celebrity stories on shows such as Extra, Biography Channel specials, AXS Live and hosted two regular TV segments on local Chicago news programs. She’s freelanced for a wide array of entertainment publications such as Globe, National Enquirer, Life & Style, Look, Radar, E! News, Closer and OK! Recently, she’s done interviews about her upcoming book and her civil and criminal cases with outlets such as Cosmopolitan magazine, The Huffington Post, Pop Dust, Playboy Radio and The Stephanie O Show.
Liz’s journey has taken her down a dark path, but she believes with darkness comes light. The struggles she’s overcome have restored her faith in God, and she strongly believes that the obstacles she’s faced are for a higher purpose and a greater good. She hopes her story will inspire, educate and empower other people around the world.