Donna Stewart, 2014 Silver Circle Inductees

Donna M. Stewart’s 30 year career in broadcast was completely accidental. She grew up in suburban New York watching the Channel 7 Eyewitness News with Roger Grimsby and Bill Beutel. She listened to Cousin Brucie and Dan Ingram on her red Toot-a-Loop radio™. She developed a love for jazz and big band music listening to William B Williams and Jonathan Schwartz on WNEW-AM with her dad. Scott Muni and Alison Steele “The Nightbird” taught her how having passion for music can lead to success in broadcasting. She was inspired to major in Communication but because of her varied academic experience it took her over 30 years to get a four year degree. After so many years in the industry, a Journalism or Communication degree didn’t make much sense so in 2009 she acquired her BS in Information Technology from University of Phoenix.

Donna moved to Phoenix, AZ in 1982. While attending community college classes, she obtained an internship at a small cable station called the Newspaper Channel. Her experience with the internship led to a part-time editing job at KTSP, the CBS affiliate. After a two year stint there, she moved across the street into a full-time editing role at the NBC station, KPNX. It was there she developed her skills for producing year-end retrospectives. In 1988, Donna was hired at KNSD (then KCST) in San Diego. The station encouraged to enter her 1988 year-in review for Emmy® award consideration. That story received her first of many Emmy® award nominations.  She has received three Emmy® awards, a Golden Mic, an NPPA award, as well as several Press Club awards.

Donna began a transition from editing into a management role in 2005 when she became the Supervising Editor. Another promotion to News Operations Manager in 2009 expanded her role to overseeing a staff of nearly 25 photographers and editors. She also serves as the liaison between the News and IT/Engineering departments.

Donna has been a member of NATAS, SPJ, NABJ, and is currently the treasurer of SDABJ. She has served on the NBC-Universal Diversity Council. On a personal note, Donna loves to travel with her partner, is an avid tennis fan and mediocre player. She enjoys still photography and has a fondness for cats and penguins.

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