Beth Wallis is an environment and science reporter for StateImpact Oklahoma — a collaboration of NPR member stations around the state.
Beth is a 2021 News21 Fellowship alum and an NPR Next Generation Radio alum. She won the 2021 National Mark of Excellence Award for Best Podcast from the Society of Professional Journalists for her podcast, “Destination: Greenwood,” which told the decades-long story of Tulsa’s Greenwood community, Black Wall Street and the events leading up to and after the Tulsa Race Massacre.
The Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists, Professional Chapter awarded her first place for her podcast, “At the Seams,” which chronicled the community of Norman, Okla. during calls to defund the police, recalls of local politicians and ongoing threats and harassment. She also received a Society of Professional Journalists Regional Mark of Excellence Award for best radio feature while covering educators’ struggles during the first phases of the pandemic. She was recently ranked in the nation’s top 20 for the Hearst Awards’ Explanatory Reporting division. She also won third place in the Oklahoma Broadcast Educators Association’s annual contest for “At the Seams.” Bylines include NPR, Indian Country Today, KGOU, The Oklahoman, The Norman Transcript, KFOR, Cronkite News and News21.
Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, she graduated from Oklahoma State University with a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s degree in conducting performance, and then went on to teach band at a public school for five years. She worked for Norman’s local NPR affiliate, KGOU, as a student intern. She has also worked for the university’s student newspaper, The OU Daily, as a reporter, news managing editor, news editor and enterprise editor. She graduated in December 2021.
Beth Wallis 