Will McInerney

Will McInerney is an award-winning spoken word poet, storyteller, educator, and journalist specializing in the intersection of conflict resolution and creative expression. Will hosts and produces Stories with a Heartbeat, a new podcast that explores the complexity of the human condition in conflict through poetry, stories, and conversation. In addition, Will helps with education reporting and produces the My Teacher Project.

Will's work has been featured in media outlets, at universities, and on stages across the US and around the world, including parts of Central America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. In recognition of his work utilizing poetry to confront Islamophobia, Will was recently selected as one of the top six emerging storytellers in America by the International Storytelling Center.

Will has worked as a freelance reporter and producer for North Carolina Public Radio for the past five years and has reported from Egypt, Tunisia, the Palestinian West Bank, Jordan, Turkey, and domestically in the US. Will is a US State Department Program Fellow, a Beacon of Light Award-winner, a Southern Poetry Slam Champion, a National Poetry Slam Finalist, and a National Duo Slam Champion.

Will drinks too much coffee and is always looking for more frequent flyer miles.