A Journalist's Search for Truth

Some of the most compelling stories journalist Artis Henderson has told are her own.

From love and devastating loss to family secrets and the mysteries of Florida’s past, Henderson brings a reporter’s curiosity and a memoirist’s candor to her work. On Thursday, November 12, she will join veteran journalist and Press Club member Dayna Harpster for a wide-ranging conversation at the Press Club of Southwest Florida’s Newsmaker Luncheon at Vi at Bentley Village in North Naples.

Readers may know Henderson through her writing for Gulfshore Business, The New York Times, National Geographic, Reader’s Digest and Sierra. A certified master naturalist and advanced open water diver, she also explores the connections between people and the natural world. She received a Fulbright–National Geographic Award in 2024.

Her acclaimed first memoir, Unremarried Widow, recounts her marriage to Army pilot Miles Henderson and her struggle to rebuild her life after he died in a helicopter crash in Iraq. She was just 26. The book became a New York Times Editors’ Choice.

Her latest memoir, No Ordinary Bird: Drug Smuggling, a Plane Crash, and a Daughter’s Quest for the Truth, turns her investigative skills toward another deeply personal story. Henderson survived the plane crash that killed her father when she was five. Decades later, her search for answers uncovered his involvement in drug smuggling and a tangled history of secrecy and intrigue.

Together, Henderson and Harpster offer the makings of a memorable conversation about storytelling, resilience and what happens when a journalist investigates her own life.

Bring a guest and join us! Tickets are limited.

DATE & TIME: Thursday, November 12, 2026, noon to 1:30 p.m. Registration starts at 11:30 a.m., and opening remarks begin at noon.

LOCATION: Vi at Bentley Village, 850 Retreat Drive, Naples, Florida. PARKING INSTRUCTIONS: Enter at the main gate. The guardhouse will have a list of attendees. Give your name and tell them you are attending the press club luncheon at the East Clubhouse, also known as the private dining room, the Bentley Room. Park in the main big parking lot.

DIETARY NEEDS: Email us at [email protected] to let us know if you have special dietary needs.