Meet Donna, WCF Board Member
Donna Terrell is a familiar face to those in the Little Rock area. Donna anchors FOX16 News weekdays at 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. She joined FOX16 in February of 2004, arriving from Detroit, Michigan, where she served as Anchor for WKBD-TV and WWJ-TV. Before moving to Detroit, she worked at WKYC-TV in Cleveland, Ohio. She also held anchoring and reporting positions in South Bend, Indiana and Battle Creek, Michigan.
Throughout her broadcast career, Donna has been honored with several awards. Most recently earning a Regional Emmy Award for her work as a News Anchor. She also won the National American Legion Fourth Estate Award and an Associated Press Award for her special reports on Grieving a Child. She garnered two more Emmy Awards for her work bringing light to cosmetic surgery and breast cancer issues. She has been nominated for many other Emmy Awards including a story she did involving Arkansas’ Little Rock 9, a story she covered on her daughter’s battle with colon cancer and for her work as an Anchor. Donna also earned an Associated Press Award for her story on the controversial patients’ Right To Die.
Donna join the board of WCF in July 2015. She has a long history of reporting on issues involving domestic violence and was very familiar with the work that WCF does. Donna was asked to emcee the Woman of the Year Gala in 2015 and came to tour the shelter to familiarize herself with the programs and services prior to the event. “I was forever touched by a conversation that I had with a mom who was in the shelter when I came and toured”, said Donna. “She had escaped from her abuser with her two children and had been living out of her car until a stranger led them to the shelter.” This woman made an impression on Donna and she knew she wanted to join and help WCF any way she can. As a board member, Donna has continued to use her platform on FOX16 to bring awareness to the issue of domestic violence in Central Arkansas. This last March, Donna helped to host the Victory Over Violence Telethon, which raised over $30,000 for the shelter.
Donna is fully committed to her community. In addition to serving on the board of WCF, she created Donna Terrell’s Yoga Warriors Fighting Colon Cancer, a 501(c)(3) non profit organization that raises money for liquid nutrition for survivors of colon and other cancers currently in treatment and needing financial assistance. Yoga Warriors is in memory of her daughter Queah (pronounced: Quaya) who died from colon cancer but during her battle found benefits from yoga. Yoga Warriors has at least one free community-wide yoga fundraising event each year. She is a former board member for Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Ronald McDonald House. She has also served as an Ambassador for the American Cancer Society.
Donna has a Bachelor of Applied Arts Degree in Broadcast and Cinematic Arts from Central Michigan University. She is a member of the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences, the National Association of Black Journalists and the Little Rock Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.
Donna enjoys being active. You’ll find her making many appearances at events around the community. She tells everyone Arkansas is a beautiful state and the Little Rock area is a well-kept secret. WCF is thankful to have her as an advocate and a part of our board!