Lori Byers Walsh

Lori Walsh

Multi-talented Lori Walsh is many things. Most may know Lori as the host and senior producer of In the Moment, South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s news and culture radio broadcast. What you might not know is that Lori served in the United States Marine Corps, is a blogger, book critic, children’s book writer, photographer, and poet. Prior to these reincarnations Lori worked as a freelance journalist for the Sioux Falls Argus Leader and as a humanities scholar for the South Dakota Humanities Council leading veterans writing groups.

Her desire to be a journalist in the Marine Corps became six years as a cryptologic Korean linguist, once the Marines discovered she had studied Spanish in high school and had an aptitude for language. Walsh had a desire to serve her country and to do significant work that would last a lifetime. She graduated from the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California and studied humanities at Hawaii Pacific University in Honolulu. When her service with the Marine Corps was finished, the fire to be a journalist was still burning, so Lori returned to South Dakota, and earned her bachelor's degree in journalism from Augustana University. She is a member of the National Book Critics Circle and the Society for Children's Book Writers & Illustrators.

In 2020, the United States marked the centennial of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, commemorating women's right to vote. SDPB partnered with the Her Vote. Her Voice. campaign and Lori provided insightful interviews with historians sharing the history of suffrage in South Dakota yesterday and the stories of women making a difference today.  Lori has interviewed more than 6000 guests on-air, in the studio, or on stage during her career in public radio.

 Consider lifting up an incredible woman in your life today as a part of Women's History Month. Visit www.hervotehervoice.org/statewide-honor-wall to get started.