Donna Byrd

Donna Byrd is Publisher of TheRoot.com, a daily online magazine that provides thought-provoking commentary on today's news from a variety of black perspectives. As publisher, Byrd leverages her expertise in marketing, strategic business planning and digital innovation to lead one of the top African American-focused daily magazines on the Web.

Prior to joining TheRoot.com, Byrd was CEO of Black America Web, where she worked with entrepreneur and national radio personality Tom Joyner to launch one of the top three African-American news and lifestyle websites. Most recently, she was a founding partner with Kickoff Marketing, a strategic planning and brand firm, where she used her extensive experience in brand development, marketing and strategic planning.

Her interest and expertise in the internet space began in 1999 when she served as Vice President of Marketing for Ezgov.com, which facilitates communication and interaction between governments and their constituents.

Byrd has held previous positions at The Coca-Cola Company and Procter and Gamble where she developed and managed marketing strategies and advertising for new products, among other initiatives.

Byrd has a B.A. in American Government from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.