Timeline: Lauren Sisler

The name Lauren Sisler rings bells but just a few years ago, she was just getting started. Let’s go back to the very beginning then you as the reader will understand why Lauren is special.

As everyone in the field, Sisler has been into sports since she was younger. Lauren was born and raised in Roanoke, Virginia with her parents, Butch and Lesley Sisler and her brother Allen Sisler. She graduated from Giles High School. Sisler went to attend Rutgers University where she was the captain of the gymnastics team. In 2006 Lauren graduated from the School of Information and Library Studies with her bachelor’s in communication.

The most important and dearest event to happen in her life was between the time of her graduating high school and college. In 2003, Sisler was a freshman in college, she learned the importance of prescription drug overdose.

“I got a phone call from my dad saying my mom passed away, ” Sisler said.

Sisler was in the process of getting on an airplane when she received the phone call from her dad but her story does not end there. While she and her dad were on the phone, it was planned for him to come pick her up from the airport.

Lauren, a freshman in college, was expecting to see her father upon her arrival off the plane but instead, she was embraced by her aunt. Lauren asked about her father, Butch whereabouts and soon she came aware that the bad news did not have an ending.

“My aunt told me my dad died too. Within the couple of hours I was on the plane, both of my parents were gone,”Sisler said

It is rare to meet someone and both of their parents are dead within the same day let alone hours apart. Her parents overdosed on a drug call Fentanyl.

“I did not know my parents had a drug problem because they made it very discrete. No one in my family knew. The only time I seen it was in the freezer,” Sisler said.

This may have put a tremendous dent in Sisler’s life but she continued to keep writing for the next chapter.

While Lauren finished up her years at Rutgers, she interned at the school’s television station. She also had an internship at CNBC working as a reporter and segment producer.

Her first job out of college was working at WDBJ, where she worked as a photo editor. Sisler covered local high schools and colleges for two years. Then she moved to West Virginia to start as a weekend sports anchor at WTAP.

After Lauren spent two years at WTAP she left and landed a job in Alabama where she is today. In 2016, Sisler joined AL.com in Birmingham, Alabama.

Although she has been a host for AL.com, she has the opportunity to report as well. Reporting has its highs and lows. Lauren has been covering events for years and understands how to put her emotions to the side but this one particular story was significant to her. When she first made it to Alabama one of her first stories was about the University of Alabama in Birmingham shutting down their football program.

“It was horrible because for one I was new to the city and just started building rapport with these athletes and community.”

For those that are not familiar with the story, In 2014 UAB cut their football program due to lack of funds, The university had previously asked for 174 million dollars earlier to enhance the program according to AL.com.

But years later Lauren was also there when the university opened the program back up. The shutdown was a downhearted story but just in the same place, she came across a compelling one too. This story is Lauren’s favorite.

In 2013, there was a football player by the name of Timothy Alexander. Alexander attended UAB. October of 2012 Alexander got into a car accident and was left paralyzed from the waist down.

The football program decided to keep him on the team. Alexander was their motivation piece.

Lauren will not say herself but those stories are how she attracted her buzz. While being at WIAT she also covers Alabama and Auburn football. Sisler has been covering them for four years. There is nothing like an in-state rival especially in the state of Alabama. The two almost hate one another, but Sisler was able to bring two of the most influential people of the state and those universities to have a sit-down interview with one another.

The interview that you all have probably seen, Alabama head coach Nick Saban and former Auburn basketball player Charles Barkley, Sisler produced. This interview by far was what made her a person to watch.

Sisler does not have a regular typical schedule. In 2016 she was employed by ESPN all while working for WIAT. When asked about how she manages two jobs in the same industry, she said,

“It is difficult because you are trying to make both happy. Although ESPN is bigger than WIAT, I still keep them as a priority.”

No one that has more than one job has a regular schedule but Sisler manages to briefly break down what her job duties intel.

Although a woman like Lauren may be very busy, she is never too busy to help and guide upcoming aspiring journalists.

“I remember when I was first starting out I wished I had someone or resources.”

If you are a young journalist read this carefully because Sisler had plenty of advice to give. She advises journalists to build relationships. It is hard to connect or make a story if you have no relationships. Sisler went on to say when journalists have built the relationship, start to learn them on a first-name basis.

“This sets you apart,”

She says it makes it personal. People will recognize and be touched by it. Those two pieces of advice were just the surface of her advice. She emphasized these next three.

-finding your passion and purpose

-enjoy the journey

-brand awareness

Lauren explains a journalist finding their passion and purpose, should be the first and most important thing. Many journalists get caught up in themselves wanting to be on air. Finding what and why this industry gets you going is the key to success. Be authentic and it will show through your stories.

The next piece of advice was to enjoy the journey.

“Many of times we are worried about the next story or option that we are robbed from the present.”

So many journalists are thinking about their next move, many do not enjoy what is now. Making what is now the best is key. Many fail to realize that now is what we wanted before.

Finally, she explained the importance of brand awareness. Social media is very prevalent in today’s time. Journalists need to pay attention and be cautious about what they post online. For example, future employers check employees’ social media status and activity for the hiring process. Journalists should also stay cautious because one bad post from years ago can come back to do damage. Many incidents have come up where journalists, athletes and potential political leaders have done or said something significantly to change people’s views of them.

When Sisler is not reporting or producing she travels all around the world bringing awareness to prescription drug abuse. Many things have occurred in Lauren Sisler’s life and many more are still yet to come. In the near future, Sisler will be getting married to her long time fiancé John Willard. The two have been engaged since 2018. Next time the world sees Lauren Sisler she will have a new last name.