Lisa Ellen Niver
Lisa Ellen Niver (Lisa Niver Rajna) is a passionate writer, educator, social media expert, speaker and global citizen who has traveled to over one hundred countries and six continents. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, she is the first child of Frank and Judi Niver. She attended the University of Pennsylvania and writes for both "Wharton Business Magazine" and the Penn alumni blog, Frankly Penn. Niver writes for many online and offline publications and her specialties include social media strategies for travel industry, insights on the future of science education, creating engaging lifelong learning, book reviews, and travel blogging with international travel writing contests.
Early Years
Niver was born in Boston and lived briefly in Texas while her father finished basic training after his Penn Dental and Boston University Periodontal training. Her sister was born at Fort Benning and the family enjoyed snowless winters in Georgia which prompted a move to California and a lifetime of wandering. From an early age, Niver was always writing, reading and ready to explore. A family cruise to the Mediterranean brought history alive with visits to the Acropolis, the pyramids, Ephesus and the Dead Sea and encouraged a teen trip to Israel and a college semester in Jerusalem.
Traveler
After teaching in San Francisco and receiving her Masters in Education, Niver worked for a year at Club Med skiing in Colorado and snorkeling the Bahamas. Her next travel career move was to sail the seven seas. Niver worked as Senior Assistant Cruise Director and Youth Activities Coordinator on Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Renaissance Cruises for seven years. MSN and More.com have interviewed her for articles on career growth and re-inventing yourself abroad as related to a career in travel.
Niver returned to Los Angeles to teach science and run Simply Science Camp. She met George Rajna online in 2007, and their first trip to a "Dog Hotel" in San Luis Obispo seemed to spell disaster for the relationship and was reported about in the Chicago Tribune. The couple persevered and went on sabbatical from 2008-2009, traveling in Asia while losing sixty pounds and getting engaged underwater in Koh Lipe, Thailand and writing a memoir, Traveling in Sin.
Shape.com asked her about weight loss and dating
and Match.com interviewed her about dating and deal breaker habits.
Teaching Science
Niver has taught preschool through grade eight in public, private and religious schools. She has been responsible for creation of curriculum and holds five state licenses for teaching and administration. Returning to teaching in Los Angeles in 2009, Niver started the Los Angeles Science Teachers Network (LASTN) in September 2009 in her home. In May 2013, the professional development network will have its fourteenth session. Over seventy teachers and forty schools have been involved to date.
In Westside Today, information about teaching, science and LASTN was presented. In the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Impatient Optimists article, "Teachers Need A Village," the importance of teachers needing support from groups like LASTN is explored.
In Bootsnall's article, "How a Career Break can Help Your Career!", Niver gave examples of how traveling creates engaging teaching are shared from Mongolia and Indonesia.
Frequently asked about teaching science integrated with her travel experience, she has been quoted in Parenting.com, PBS.org, Green Living Arizona (in print), the Huffington Post and been on National Television on the show, Career Day.
Niver wrote a column for LA Mom Magazine, "Science and Your Child," ran a successful science summer camp and has a science-based website called, Science Isn't Scary.
Her teaching style has been the subject of other articles, including "Success Story: Science Fair Projects with Real-World Impact” about how her students use technology and real world connections to learn about their passions and get inspired to solve today’s biggest issues. Her article on learning with a Newbery Award winner was in print in the Jewish Journal.
Niver has also written about brain research in regards to education and social media, as well as the race to return to the moon.
We Said Go Travel
Niver is a member of the Travelers' Century Club, and began We Said Go Travel. a website with earned ratings of PR 5 and PA 50 in May 2010. The website shares stories of culture and meaning with video and photos and its primary purpose is to bring global awareness. Early acclaimed articles: "A Royal Cremation in Ubud" in National Geographic Intelligent Traveler, and in print about the festival at Inle Lake in the Myanmar Times.
George and Lisa were invited to speak in Kathmandu by the Nepal Tourism Board, and read from their travel memoir for the first time. The feature editor interviewed her and George Rajna and a full-page article was published in the Himalayan Times.
Both are bloggers for Huffington Post as well as the Jewish Journal. Their first Huffington Post articles were a "He Said, She Said" on their travels in Bagan, Myanmar. George's article: "One Thing My Wife and I Don't Agree on" Lisa's article: "Terrorized by My Bike For My Birthday in Bagan" Niver and Rajna are the co-authors of the 2013 memoir, Traveling in Sin. Niver and Rajna were divorced in 2014. Niver continues to run We Said Go Travel
Writer
Book reviewer
Niver has published over three dozen book reviews in the Huffington Post, Jewish Journal and Technorati. Her essay on revolution, gender relations and violence against women in India was in the World Section of the Huffington Post. An article on inspiration reviewing several books on travel was published in the Books section of the Huffington Post. She has published many reviews on Technorati.com in the Travel, Lifestyle and Women sections. She was invited to be part of the TLC Book Tour for Have Mother, Will Travel. Jonathan Tropper's book, One Last Thing Before I Go, was the subject of one of her most popular reviews and Huffington Post pieces about regrets and are you living your best life? The questions of inspiration, purpose and living a meaningful life often appear in her articles.
Travel Writing Contests
Over 1600 people from 75 countries have participated in the first five travel writing contests hosted by We Said Go Travel. The sixth contest on Gratitude features lyrics from the Broadway show, "If/Then," to inspire writers and travelers. The seventh contest began in January 2015.
USA Today 10 Best
Niver signed to be a freelance writer for USA Today 10 Best as a Los Angeles expert in July 2014. In January 2015, Niver was invited to work as a Travel expert and write about worldwide destinations.
Film and Television
In March 2014, Niver was invited to film as the co-host with Richard Bangs, Orbitz and the Puerto Rico Tourism board on a ten-video project to promote tourism and travel to Puerto Rico. In 2014, Niver began work as a studio teacher at Nickelodeon on the new show, "Bella and the Bulldogs." In November 2014, Niver filmed with Orbitz and the Bermuda Tourism board as the travel host for a seven video series. The press release for the trip was picked up by Nasdaq.
Awards and accolades
*Top 100 Travel Tweeter 2015
*Sexiest Female Travelers Alive 2014
*2014 Nominee for the Charles Bronfman Prize
*2012 Nominee for the Presidential Award For Excellence in Math and Science Teaching
*Top 100 Travel Tweeter 2014
*Top 100 Travel Blog, We Said Go Travel
*From US Senator Barbara Boxer
*From California State Senator Fran Pavley
*From California State Assembly Member Holly Mitchell
*From Los Angeles City Council Member Eric Garcetti
*From the State Superintendent, California Department of Education Tom Torlakson
*From City of Los Angeles City Council Member, Bill Rosendahl
*Number Five in Top 50 Best Travel Blogs of 2012
Early Years
Niver was born in Boston and lived briefly in Texas while her father finished basic training after his Penn Dental and Boston University Periodontal training. Her sister was born at Fort Benning and the family enjoyed snowless winters in Georgia which prompted a move to California and a lifetime of wandering. From an early age, Niver was always writing, reading and ready to explore. A family cruise to the Mediterranean brought history alive with visits to the Acropolis, the pyramids, Ephesus and the Dead Sea and encouraged a teen trip to Israel and a college semester in Jerusalem.
Traveler
After teaching in San Francisco and receiving her Masters in Education, Niver worked for a year at Club Med skiing in Colorado and snorkeling the Bahamas. Her next travel career move was to sail the seven seas. Niver worked as Senior Assistant Cruise Director and Youth Activities Coordinator on Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Renaissance Cruises for seven years. MSN and More.com have interviewed her for articles on career growth and re-inventing yourself abroad as related to a career in travel.
Niver returned to Los Angeles to teach science and run Simply Science Camp. She met George Rajna online in 2007, and their first trip to a "Dog Hotel" in San Luis Obispo seemed to spell disaster for the relationship and was reported about in the Chicago Tribune. The couple persevered and went on sabbatical from 2008-2009, traveling in Asia while losing sixty pounds and getting engaged underwater in Koh Lipe, Thailand and writing a memoir, Traveling in Sin.
Shape.com asked her about weight loss and dating
and Match.com interviewed her about dating and deal breaker habits.
Teaching Science
Niver has taught preschool through grade eight in public, private and religious schools. She has been responsible for creation of curriculum and holds five state licenses for teaching and administration. Returning to teaching in Los Angeles in 2009, Niver started the Los Angeles Science Teachers Network (LASTN) in September 2009 in her home. In May 2013, the professional development network will have its fourteenth session. Over seventy teachers and forty schools have been involved to date.
In Westside Today, information about teaching, science and LASTN was presented. In the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Impatient Optimists article, "Teachers Need A Village," the importance of teachers needing support from groups like LASTN is explored.
In Bootsnall's article, "How a Career Break can Help Your Career!", Niver gave examples of how traveling creates engaging teaching are shared from Mongolia and Indonesia.
Frequently asked about teaching science integrated with her travel experience, she has been quoted in Parenting.com, PBS.org, Green Living Arizona (in print), the Huffington Post and been on National Television on the show, Career Day.
Niver wrote a column for LA Mom Magazine, "Science and Your Child," ran a successful science summer camp and has a science-based website called, Science Isn't Scary.
Her teaching style has been the subject of other articles, including "Success Story: Science Fair Projects with Real-World Impact” about how her students use technology and real world connections to learn about their passions and get inspired to solve today’s biggest issues. Her article on learning with a Newbery Award winner was in print in the Jewish Journal.
Niver has also written about brain research in regards to education and social media, as well as the race to return to the moon.
We Said Go Travel
Niver is a member of the Travelers' Century Club, and began We Said Go Travel. a website with earned ratings of PR 5 and PA 50 in May 2010. The website shares stories of culture and meaning with video and photos and its primary purpose is to bring global awareness. Early acclaimed articles: "A Royal Cremation in Ubud" in National Geographic Intelligent Traveler, and in print about the festival at Inle Lake in the Myanmar Times.
George and Lisa were invited to speak in Kathmandu by the Nepal Tourism Board, and read from their travel memoir for the first time. The feature editor interviewed her and George Rajna and a full-page article was published in the Himalayan Times.
Both are bloggers for Huffington Post as well as the Jewish Journal. Their first Huffington Post articles were a "He Said, She Said" on their travels in Bagan, Myanmar. George's article: "One Thing My Wife and I Don't Agree on" Lisa's article: "Terrorized by My Bike For My Birthday in Bagan" Niver and Rajna are the co-authors of the 2013 memoir, Traveling in Sin. Niver and Rajna were divorced in 2014. Niver continues to run We Said Go Travel
Writer
Book reviewer
Niver has published over three dozen book reviews in the Huffington Post, Jewish Journal and Technorati. Her essay on revolution, gender relations and violence against women in India was in the World Section of the Huffington Post. An article on inspiration reviewing several books on travel was published in the Books section of the Huffington Post. She has published many reviews on Technorati.com in the Travel, Lifestyle and Women sections. She was invited to be part of the TLC Book Tour for Have Mother, Will Travel. Jonathan Tropper's book, One Last Thing Before I Go, was the subject of one of her most popular reviews and Huffington Post pieces about regrets and are you living your best life? The questions of inspiration, purpose and living a meaningful life often appear in her articles.
Travel Writing Contests
Over 1600 people from 75 countries have participated in the first five travel writing contests hosted by We Said Go Travel. The sixth contest on Gratitude features lyrics from the Broadway show, "If/Then," to inspire writers and travelers. The seventh contest began in January 2015.
USA Today 10 Best
Niver signed to be a freelance writer for USA Today 10 Best as a Los Angeles expert in July 2014. In January 2015, Niver was invited to work as a Travel expert and write about worldwide destinations.
Film and Television
In March 2014, Niver was invited to film as the co-host with Richard Bangs, Orbitz and the Puerto Rico Tourism board on a ten-video project to promote tourism and travel to Puerto Rico. In 2014, Niver began work as a studio teacher at Nickelodeon on the new show, "Bella and the Bulldogs." In November 2014, Niver filmed with Orbitz and the Bermuda Tourism board as the travel host for a seven video series. The press release for the trip was picked up by Nasdaq.
Awards and accolades
*Top 100 Travel Tweeter 2015
*Sexiest Female Travelers Alive 2014
*2014 Nominee for the Charles Bronfman Prize
*2012 Nominee for the Presidential Award For Excellence in Math and Science Teaching
*Top 100 Travel Tweeter 2014
*Top 100 Travel Blog, We Said Go Travel
*From US Senator Barbara Boxer
*From California State Senator Fran Pavley
*From California State Assembly Member Holly Mitchell
*From Los Angeles City Council Member Eric Garcetti
*From the State Superintendent, California Department of Education Tom Torlakson
*From City of Los Angeles City Council Member, Bill Rosendahl
*Number Five in Top 50 Best Travel Blogs of 2012
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