Kim Barker

Author, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot & NYT Investigative Reporter

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Biography

“A sort of Tina Fey character who unexpectedly finds herself addicted to the adrenaline rush of war.” That’s how The New York Times first described Kim Barker when they reviewed her darkly comic memoir Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (originally published as The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan). Not surprisingly, Tina Fey soon bought the movie rights. Fey now stars as the character inspired by Barker, capturing the essence of the award-winning journalist’s humorous, self-deprecating, and “witty and illuminating” style. Read More >

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is Kim Barker’s highly lauded account of her years as the South Asia bureau chief for the Chicago Tribune, directing coverage of Pakistan, Afghanistan and India between 2004 and 2009. After leaving the Tribune, Barker became the Edward R. Murrow press fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, spending her time studying and writing about South Asia. She then covered nonprofits and campaign finance for the nonprofit investigative news outlet ProPublica. Kim Barker joined The New York Times in June 2014, focusing on investigative stories for the metro desk. She has won numerous awards for investigative reporting, with work appearing in Foreign Affairs, The Daily Beast, The Washington Post and The Atlantic. She has also appeared on The Colbert Report, CNN, MSNBC, and other outlets.

A gifted storyteller, Barker is passionate about connecting local audiences to international affairs through the engaging stories of the individuals that have shaped her world view. She is known for forging a strong connection with her audiences, gauging reactions and temporarily going off road to follow their interests. Combined with her signature “Ask me Anything Q&A”, Barker ensures that every speaking experience is inspiring, informative, and memorable—with no two presentations being exactly the same. Read Less ^

Speaker Videos

Speaking Reel

Kim Barker & Tina Fey on The TODAY Show

Advice for Wannabe War Reporters

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (Official Trailer)

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Speech Topics

The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan & Pakistan

Testimonials

"Kim was fantastic. She gave a great speech and was a pleasure to work with. Loved her sense of adventure and sense of humor. Everything with Kim was great, glad we brought her!"

- Northern Michigan University, Platform Personalities

"Fantastic. Great content. She shared some wonderful, intimate experiences from her experiences in the Middle East. Guests loved her."

- Events Manager, Americas, Hogan Lovells US LLP

"The event went really well! We had a lot of the Omaha Public in attendance which is awesome! I had great joy getting to know her. Thanks again for all of your help throughout this!"

- Creighton University CSU Program Board

"WE LOVED KIM BARKER! AWESOME SPEECH! Standing Ovation! She was such a great person to have."

- Southern Connecticut State University