Regina Brett

Regina Brett (born May 31, 1956) is an American author, newspaper columnist currently writing for The Plain Dealer and The Cleveland Jewish News, and an inspirational speaker.

She was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for commentary in 2008 and 2009. Her first book, "God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life's Little Detours" was published in April, 2010 by Grand Central Publishing. It is now in 26 countries. Her second book, "Be the Miracle: 50 Lessons for Making the Impossible Possible", was published in 2012. Her third book, "God is Always Hiring: 50 Life Lessons for Finding Fulfilling Work," was published in 2015. All three books have been bestsellers in Poland.

Previous to her work at The Plain Dealer, Brett worked as a columnist for the Akron Beacon Journal in Akron, Ohio for seven years. Over the course of her career, Brett has written over 2,000 newspaper columns.

From 2006 to 2010, Brett hosted The Sound of Ideas, a radio show on Cleveland NPR affiliate WCPN 90.3 FM. From 2011-2013, she hosted The Regina Brett Show on Akron, Ohio NPR affiliate WKSU 89.7 FM. The weekly program was inspired by Brett's book.

Brett has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Kent State University and a master's degree in religious studies from John Carroll University.

In 1998, Brett was diagnosed with breast cancer and included her experiences of chemotherapy and her recuperation in her columns in the Akron Beacon Journal. These columns earned her a National Headliner Award.

In 2006, Brett wrote a column for The Plain Dealer entitled "50 Life Lessons", which has since been the most distributed column she has written to date, appearing on blogs as well as social networking websites like Twitter and Facebook. In many of these instances, Brett is misidentified as a 90-year-old woman. The "50 Life Lessons" column was expanded to fifty chapters for her first book, "God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life's Little Detours".

• 1999 Lifetime Achievement Batten Medal
• 2009 Cleveland Press Club Hall of Fame inductee
• Two-time National Headliner Awards winner.
• 1998 Northern Ohio Live Magazine Award of Achievement.
• Five-time Ohio Associated Press award winner (including Best Columnist in Ohio in 2008 and 2009).
• 2003 The Society for Professional Journalists "Best Columnist in Ohio" Award.
• National Society of Newspaper Columnists Humor Writer Award (she was the President from 1998 to 1999).
• Liberty Bell Award from the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
• Silver Gavel Award from the American Bar Association,
• 2009 Ohio Library Council "Citizen of the Year"
• 2013 Ohio Excellence in Journalism Award in radio show category
• 2013 National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest
• 2014 Simon Rockower Awards for Excellence in Jewish Journalism from the American Jewish Press Association
• The Louis Rapoport Award for Excellence in Commentary for newspapers with a circulation of 14,999 and under

• American Society of Newspaper Editors 2009 Awards February 20, 2009
• http://www.pressclubcleveland.com/hall-of-fame-archives.aspx
• 2009 National Headliner Awards Winners
• History of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists
• 2009 Silver Gavel Award Winners
• The 33rd Annual Simon Rockower Award Winners