Paula Patyk Spencer is an American journalist and author who specializes in parenting and family, pregnancy, women's health, and related social issues.
Spenser was a contributing editor to the former ''
Parenting Magazine
''Parenting'' was a magazine for families and it was published in United States between 1987 and 2013. Its final headquarters was in Winter Park, Florida.
History and profile
''Parenting'' was launched in 1987 by Robin Wolaner in a joint venture ...
'',. She also contributes to ''
Baby Talk Magazine,'' and ''
Woman's Day
''Woman's Day'' is an American women's monthly magazine that covers such topics as homemaking, food, nutrition, physical fitness, physical attractiveness, and fashion. The print edition is one of the Seven Sisters magazines. The magazine was f ...
.'' Spencer has written or co-authored a dozen books and more than 400 articles for national magazines. She has also made television, radio, and speaking appearances.
Paula Spencer has four children; Henry, Eleanor, Margaret, and Page.
Biography
A native of
Warren, Michigan
Warren is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2020 Census places the city's population at 139,387, making Warren the largest city in Macomb County, the third largest city in Michigan, and Metro Detroit's largest suburb.
T ...
, Spencer graduated from the
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 col ...
,
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City, offically the City of Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is the home of the University of Iowa and county seat of Johnson County, at the center of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the tim ...
. Before becoming a full-time writer, Spencer was an editor in New York City and in
Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state' ...
.
As an editorial director at
Whittle Communications
H. Christopher Whittle (born August 24, 1947) is an American entrepreneur who has founded four innovative companies in the fields of education and media, serving as the CEO of each. Whittle Communications, a 1,000-person magazine, television, and ...
, a media company partially-owned by
Time Inc.
Time Inc. was an American worldwide mass media corporation founded on November 28, 1922, by Henry Luce and Briton Hadden and based in New York City. It owned and published over 100 magazine brands, including its namesake ''Time'', ''Sports Illu ...
, she headed health, parenting, travel, and lifestyle publications. These included ''Travel Life,'' a bimonthly magazine for travel professionals (twice a finalist in the Magazine Week Publishing Excellence Awards).
Spencer is a senior editor a
Caring.com a website for adult children who are their parents' caregivers. Spencer also writes the blo
Momfidence!on the
Warner Brothers
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
website
Momlogic.com.
Spencer is a member of the
Authors Guild (2004–present); the
American Society of Journalists and Authors
The American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) was founded in 1948 as the Society of Magazine Writers, and is the professional association of independent nonfiction writers in the United States.
History
The organization was established in ...
(1995–present); the
American Pie Council (2004–present); and the
American Society of Magazine Editors
The American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) is an industry trade group for magazine journalists and editors of magazines published in the United States. ASME includes the editorial leaders of most major consumer magazine in print and digital ...
(1986–1999). She is a member of the Medical Journalism Advisory Board and a guest lecturer for the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
.
Spencer has appeared on ''
The CBS Early Show'' and ''
Oprah!''.
Spencer has given talks on writing and
parenting
Parenting or child rearing promotes and supports the physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood. Parenting refers to the intricacies of raising a child and not exclusively for ...
for the
American Library Association
The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members ...
, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the North Carolina Writer's Network, the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association, the Women Today Expo, the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association annual meeting (Parent Night keynote), the Charlotte Parent Moms@Work and Carolina Parent Women@Work events (keynote),the Southern Women’s Show, the Mothers of Boys Clubs, the Women Today Expo, the Knoxville Writer’s Guild, and the North Carolina Writer’s Network Fall Conference.
Awards and honors
Awards and honors include the
American Speech Language Hearing Association 2006 Media Award;
National Women's Political Caucus
The National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC), or the Caucus, describes itself as a multi-partisan grassroots organization in the United States dedicated to recruiting, training, and supporting women who seek elected and appointed offices at all ...
Emma Award for News Features, Large-Circulation Magazines; Western Publications Association “Maggie” for Consumer Magazine Article; and the
Arthritis Foundation
The Arthritis Foundation is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to addressing the needs of people living with arthritis in the United States. There are more than 50 million adults and 300,000 children living with arthritis, the nation's ...
Russell Cecil Award for Magazine Writing.
Bibliography
*''Momfidence!: An Oreo Never Killed Anyone and Other Secrets of Happier Parenting'' (Crown, 2006).
*''Parenting Guide to Positive Discipline''
*''Parenting Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth''
*''Parenting Guide to Your Toddler''
*''Everything Else You Need to Know When You're Expecting: The New Etiquette for the New Mom''
*''Pregnancy Journal: A Week-By-Week Guide to a Happy, Health Pregnancy''
*''Parenting: The New Mom's Gift Kit''
Collaborations
*''Body, Soul, and Baby: A Doctor's Guide to the Complete Pregnancy Experience, from Preconception to Postpartum'' (with Dr. Tracy Gaudet)
*''Consciously Female: How to Listen to Your Body and Your Soul for a Lifetime of Healthier Living'' (with Dr. Tracy Gaudet)
*''The Happiest Toddler on the Block'' (with Harvey Karp)
*''The V Book'' (with Dr. Elizabeth Stewart)
*''Bright from the Start'' (with Jill Stamm)
Work in Anthologies
*''The Experts' Guide to the Baby Years'' (Clarkson Potter, 2006)
*''Guideposts for the Spirit: Stories for Sisters'' (Ideals, 2003)
References
External links
Paula Spencer Web site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spencer, Paula
American columnists
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Writers of blogs about home and family