Liana Handler is the women’s sports business and culture reporter for The Oregonian. A bilingual sports journalist, she interned for the Los Angeles Times, the Orlando Sentinel and The Banner. A graduate of the University of Florida, Handler pursued sports stories in north-central Florida, with bylines in the Independent Florida Alligator, the Tampa Bay Times, the Orlando Sentinel and WUFT News.
Handler was also a member of the Sports Journalism Institute’s 2025 class and part of the 2026 Association for Women in Sports Media Scholars class. She was one of the recipients of the Associated Press Sports Editors’ 2025 scholarship and placed fourth in its student contest. She placed first in the student sports section of the Florida Society of News Editors Journalism Awards and earned the University of Florida’s undergraduate student Walter “Red” Barber Award.
When she’s not writing, she enjoys playing dominoes and spending time at the beach.
Beat: Business & culture of women’s sports
The Oregonian/OregonLive seeks a dynamic and enterprising journalist to cover Portland’s thriving women’s sports scene, including the NWSL Thorns and upstart WNBA franchise, the Fire. This role explores the cultural impact of women’s athletics, from youth to professional levels, and delivers a compelling mix of sports and business stories for passionate and casual fans alike. Candidates should bring creativity, curiosity, and a commitment to equity in sports coverage.