Sonya Hamlin | Awards & Firsts

Emmy Awards: Sonya has received two Emmys- one for hosting the Sonya Hamlin show and one for writing, filming and directing her innovative documentary China :A Different Path.

Produced and hosted first evening series on the arts on commercial television -- WHDH-TV Boston

Created, wrote, choreographed and hosted Meet the Arts on WGBH-TV PBS (Presented in U.S. schools for 14 years)

An educational series for young people introducing all the arts and a history of Western art.
Represented the United States and won The Japan Prize - international educational television competition. First win for the U.S

First Cultural reporter on the nightly news in the U.S. on WBZ-TV Boston

Ongoing reports on the nightly news about all cultural events and reports on the aesthetics of our lives in the greater Boston and New England area. Ohio State University Award for "original, unique and beautiful cultural programming".

First woman host of her own daily issues-oriented talk show
The Sonya Hamlin Show on WBZ TV Boston was a ground-breaking, innovative program dealing with women's issues, politics, current events, scientific discoveries, work, culture, human concerns etc.

Many Firsts For This Show:

Hired an all- woman staff including producer and director- first in TV.
First to introduce the ground-breaking books and articles which formed basis for the nation's women's movement.
Exclusive launch of Ms. Magazine, the first serious periodical about the women's movement's, the week before its first publication.
Earliest discussions about women in the work force and alternative ways of working-i.e.- flex-time, shared jobs, four day work week, maternity and paternity leave, child and elder care at work
First- ever broadcast of a natural childbirth after following a pregnant woman throughout her pregnancy. Covered psychological and physiological issues around child-bearing, parenting, sibling rivalry, changes in marital relationship, fathering, grandparenting. Effect of this series was feedback from thousands who then had the courage to try natural childbirth and to gain insight into the whole process of parenting as a result of this series.
Followed a group of overweight and obese people for a year, watching their struggle to lose weight, understanding psychological aspects, gaining insight through intimate personal stories, and exposing audience to first- ever serious on-air study of these issues.
Co-hosted first-ever Women's Conference in South America (in Colombia). Dealt with women's issues in health, education, communication, labor, economics, opportunities for advancement and examples from the United States. Brought 10 noted U.S. women experts to discuss these subjects.

Awards related to Television

Only New England Broadcaster's Award for outstanding achievement ever given to a woman
Mayor Kevin White declared "Sonya Hamlin Day" in celebration of her various achievements.
Boston University's Howard Gottlieb Archival Research Center archives all of Sonya Hamlin's works
Emmy nomination for hosting "Sunday Open House" weekly magazine series, WCVB-TV Boston.
Emmy nomination for producing "CHINA: A DIFFERENT PATH" - a television documentary film written, produced, filmed and presented by Sonya Hamlin.

CHINA: A DIFFERENT PATH - documentary television film

Invited by People's Republic of China to spend month making documentary film about life in China: cultural institutions, political beliefs, prison and education systems, children's community centers.
Produced, written, edited, and presented by Sonya Hamlin. Hamlin personally filmed and recorded the sound track in China and narrated it.

Launching of Lifetime cable network

Speak Up and Listen: written, directed and hosted by Sonya Hamlin, one of several TV personalities chosen to launch the "Lifetime" network.
Insights into how and why people communicate as they do, where they get stuck in relationships, work and family dealings. New techniques explored.

Pioneer in the field of jury and trial consulting
Hamlin created a course: "Communication in the Courtroom" at the Harvard Law School. Never taught before, this launched a new field of jury and trial consulting - non-lawyer experts helping lawyers on communication issues, witness preparation, and developing demonstrative evidence.

Hamlin's focus has made an impact on the jury system by focusing on the difficulty of jurors relating to legal procedure and complex technical issues in a trial. Hamlin has created new ways for litigators to understand and respond to what jurors need.

First non-lawyer on many law faculties.

Institute for Trial Advocacy. Served for 15 years.
On faculty of American Bar Association, American Law Institute of the American Bar Association, International Association of Defense Counsel, International College of Trial Advocates, American Academy of Trial Lawyers, many Appellate Judges' Circuit Conferences, Federal Judicial Center, National Conference of Women Judges, Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Bar Associations of most states in U.S.
Four-time seminar presenter at Oxford University U.K.- program for Barristers and Queen's Counsel
Faculty of U.S. Attorney General's Advocacy Institute
Visiting Lecturer at Law Schools: Boston University, University of California, University of Colorado, Harvard University, University of Houston, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, University of Michigan, New York University

Television commentator and contributor for law, communication, political and media issues on television networks (NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox). Analyzed famous cases such as O.J.Simpson, Oklahoma City bomber, Clinton Impeachment trial, Michael Jackson, Martha Stewart etc. Analysis and discussion of jury responses, verbal and body language components, innate prejudices, lawyer performance, television techniques and images etc.

University Course Teaching

Radcliffe Dance Department- Chairman. Daily modern dance classes in technique and choregraphy; director/choreographer Radcliffe Dance Group
Harvard Graduate School of Education - communication and persuasion to graduate students who wished to lobby committees and boards for educational change. Adjunct lecturer
Boston University Medical School - courses on The Doctor-Patient Relationship as well as On Death and Dying- interviewing and communication skills. Adjunct associate professor
Harvard Law School- Communication in the Courtroom - lecturing plus individual sessions with each student re performance, organization, effects on jury, solving individual communication problems. Adjunct lecturer
Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University - Politics and the media. Communication and writing skills. Understanding audience needs. Adjunct lecturer
Boston University School of Communication - courses in aesthetics and creativity . Adjunct lecturer

Author

Meet the Arts : Text and workbook to accompany Meet the Arts television series. 21 inch Classroom-publisher.
What Makes Juries Listen - Groundbreaking book for attorneys on courtroom communication. Plus audio tape series. 10 printings. Harcourt Brace Law and Business Pub. 1984
How to Talk so People Listen; the real key to job success - skills and strategies for communication at work from many points of view-understanding the needs and issues of workers, staff, management, entrepreneurs, clients. 10 printings over 15 years in U.S. and seven foreign countries. HarperCollins. 1988
What Makes Juries Listen Today - What has happened to today's juries culturally, educationally and communicationally; what new techniques are needed to reach them now. 800 pages, illustrated. Plus 10 part audio tape/CD series . West Publishing. Pub. 1998
How to Talk So People Listen: Connecting in Today's Workplace - The old forms of communication -- talking and listening-are becoming obsolete, courtesy of our all our technological options. But you can't explain, persuade or sell anything-- your ideas, your product, your services, yourself -- without personally presenting it and getting others to listen. This latest book gives techniques for communicating in today's workplace. HarperCollins. Pub.2006
Numerous articles for American Bar Association magazine; Litigation magazine;
On-line series about Communicating at Work for OXYGEN cable network.


Bio Sonya's Blog Client List Awards & Firsts Recent Activities Acting Career Total Business Communication Courtroom Communication and Strategy Media Contributor & Analyst: Media Training Personal Relationships Now What Makes Juries Listen How to Talk So People Listen What People Say Contact Sonya Home For speaking engagements and all media inquiries please contact: Adria Belport 203-853-9100 ABelport@gmail.com	Emmy Awards: Sonya has received two Emmys- one for hosting the Sonya Hamlin show and one for writing, filming and directing her innovative documentary China :A Different Path. Produced and hosted first evening series on the arts on commercial television -- WHDH-TV Boston Created, wrote, choreographed and hosted *Meet the Arts* on WGBH-TV PBS (Presented in U.S. schools for 14 years) An educational series for young people introducing all the arts and a history of Western art. Represented the United States and won The Japan Prize - international educational television competition. First win for the U.S First Cultural reporter on the nightly news in the U.S. on WBZ-TV Boston Ongoing reports on the nightly news about all cultural events and reports on the aesthetics of our lives in the greater Boston and New England area. Ohio State University Award for "original, unique and beautiful cultural programming". First woman host of her own daily issues-oriented talk show *The Sonya Hamlin Show* on WBZ TV Boston was a ground-breaking, innovative program dealing with women's issues, politics, current events, scientific discoveries, work, culture, human concerns etc. Many Firsts For This Show: Hired an all- woman staff including producer and director- first in TV. First to introduce the ground-breaking books and articles which formed basis for the nation's women's movement. Exclusive launch of Ms. Magazine, the first serious periodical about the women's movement's, the week before its first publication. Earliest discussions about women in the work force and alternative ways of working-i.e.- flex-time, shared jobs, four day work week, maternity and paternity leave, child and elder care at work First- ever broadcast of a natural childbirth after following a pregnant woman throughout her pregnancy. Covered psychological and physiological issues around child-bearing, parenting, sibling rivalry, changes in marital relationship, fathering, grandparenting. Effect of this series was feedback from thousands who then had the courage to try natural childbirth and to gain insight into the whole process of parenting as a result of this series. Followed a group of overweight and obese people for a year, watching their struggle to lose weight, understanding psychological aspects, gaining insight through intimate personal stories, and exposing audience to first- ever serious on-air study of these issues. Co-hosted first-ever Women's Conference in South America (in Colombia). Dealt with women's issues in health, education, communication, labor, economics, opportunities for advancement and examples from the United States. Brought 10 noted U.S. women experts to discuss these subjects. Awards related to Television Only New England Broadcaster's Award for outstanding achievement ever given to a woman Mayor Kevin White declared "Sonya Hamlin Day" in celebration of her various achievements. Boston University's Howard Gottlieb Archival Research Center archives all of Sonya Hamlin's works Emmy nomination for hosting "Sunday Open House" weekly magazine series, WCVB-TV Boston. Emmy nomination for producing "CHINA: A DIFFERENT PATH" - a television documentary film written, produced, filmed and presented by Sonya Hamlin. *CHINA: A DIFFERENT PATH* - documentary television film Invited by People's Republic of China to spend month making documentary film about life in China: cultural institutions, political beliefs, prison and education systems, children's community centers. Produced, written, edited, and presented by Sonya Hamlin. Hamlin personally filmed and recorded the sound track in China and narrated it. Launching of Lifetime cable network Speak Up and Listen: written, directed and hosted by Sonya Hamlin, one of several TV personalities chosen to launch the "Lifetime" network. Insights into how and why people communicate as they do, where they get stuck in relationships, work and family dealings. New techniques explored. Pioneer in the field of jury and trial consulting Hamlin created a course: "Communication in the Courtroom" at the Harvard Law School. Never taught before, this launched a new field of jury and trial consulting - non-lawyer experts helping lawyers on communication issues, witness preparation, and developing demonstrative evidence. Hamlin's focus has made an impact on the jury system by focusing on the difficulty of jurors relating to legal procedure and complex technical issues in a trial. Hamlin has created new ways for litigators to understand and respond to what jurors need. First non-lawyer on many law faculties. Institute for Trial Advocacy. Served for 15 years. On faculty of American Bar Association, American Law Institute of the American Bar Association, International Association of Defense Counsel, International College of Trial Advocates, American Academy of Trial Lawyers, many Appellate Judges' Circuit Conferences, Federal Judicial Center, National Conference of Women Judges, Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Bar Associations of most states in U.S. Four-time seminar presenter at Oxford University U.K.- program for Barristers and Queen's Counsel Faculty of U.S. Attorney General's Advocacy Institute Visiting Lecturer at Law Schools: Boston University, University of California, University of Colorado, Harvard University, University of Houston, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, University of Michigan, New York University Television commentator and contributor for law, communication, political and media issues on television networks (NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox). Analyzed famous cases such as O.J.Simpson, Oklahoma City bomber, Clinton Impeachment trial, Michael Jackson, Martha Stewart etc. Analysis and discussion of jury responses, verbal and body language components, innate prejudices, lawyer performance, television techniques and images etc. University Course Teaching Radcliffe Dance Department- Chairman. Daily modern dance classes in technique and choregraphy; director/choreographer Radcliffe Dance Group Harvard Graduate School of Education - communication and persuasion to graduate students who wished to lobby committees and boards for educational change. Adjunct lecturer Boston University Medical School - courses on The Doctor-Patient Relationship as well as On Death and Dying- interviewing and communication skills. Adjunct associate professor Harvard Law School- Communication in the Courtroom - lecturing plus individual sessions with each student re performance, organization, effects on jury, solving individual communication problems. Adjunct lecturer Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University - Politics and the media. Communication and writing skills. Understanding audience needs. Adjunct lecturer Boston University School of Communication - courses in aesthetics and creativity . Adjunct lecturer Author *Meet the Arts* : Text and workbook to accompany *Meet the Arts* television series. 21 inch Classroom-publisher. *What Makes Juries Listen* - Groundbreaking book for attorneys on courtroom communication. Plus audio tape series. 10 printings. Harcourt Brace Law and Business Pub. 1984 *How to Talk so People Listen; the real key to job success* - skills and strategies for communication at work from many points of view-understanding the needs and issues of workers, staff, management, entrepreneurs, clients. 10 printings over 15 years in U.S. and seven foreign countries. HarperCollins. 1988 *What Makes Juries Listen Today* - What has happened to today's juries culturally, educationally and communicationally; what new techniques are needed to reach them now. 800 pages, illustrated. Plus 10 part audio tape/CD series . West Publishing. Pub. 1998 *How to Talk So People Listen: Connecting in Today's Workplace* - The old forms of communication -- talking and listening-are becoming obsolete, courtesy of our all our technological options. But you can't explain, persuade or sell anything-- your ideas, your product, your services, yourself -- without personally presenting it and getting others to listen. This latest book gives techniques for communicating in today's workplace. HarperCollins. Pub.2006 Numerous articles for American Bar Association magazine; *Litigation* magazine; On-line series about *Communicating at Work* for OXYGEN cable network. Tweet