Madonna Chism Pinkard serves as Director of Community Relations for WFMJ/WBCB Television, Inc. Madonna is a Youngstown native, a product of the Youngstown City Schools, and a graduate of Youngstown State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Combined Sciences and Master of Science in Organizational Communication and Leadership from Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA.

As a community volunteer, Madonna is affiliated with many civic and volunteer organizations. She is currently a member of the Trumbull County League of Women Voters, Greater Warren/Youngstown Urban League, and the Dress for Success Board of Directors. Her service to our community has garnered her several awards, including YWCA- Woman of the Year, JC Penney Golden Rule Award Winner, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Mahoning Valley Big Sister of the Year Award, The East Ohio Gas G. J. Tankersley Community Service Award, Western Reserve Public Relations Society Effective Communicator Award, Excellence in Minority Relations Award-NANBPWC and the Business and Professional Woman Award-BPW. Madonna is a member of the NABJ (National Association of Black Journalists), Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and is also a Licensed Optician with the State of Ohio.

Madonna also coordinates all station community relations between WFMJ/WBCB Television, Inc. and our local communities in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, and Mercer counties.  She also hosts a weekly half-hour show, Community Connection, that airs Sunday mornings at 6:30 a.m. on 21 WFMJ and 11 a.m. on WBCB.

You can e-mail Madonna at communityrelations@wfmj.com.

This week on Community Connection

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Patricia Crawford, RN with the Mercy Health Diabetes Department, will join host Madonna Chism Pinkard to discuss the three types of diabetes; how it affects the community, lifestyle changes, and health benefits of the education department.