1964

Donna has held many titles since serving as Miss America: university instructor, author, television executive producer and TV hostess, professional speaker and civic leader. Her Miss America scholarship was used to complete her Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees at the University of Arkansas in Speech/Drama, Radio/TV/film. In 1988, Donna was named a Distinguished Alumnus.

What She's Doing Now

Donna now serves the University as a member of the University of Arkansas Chancellor’s Advisory Board and served on the Steering Committee of the Campaign for the 21st Century, which raised $1 billon, $26 million.  Her contribution named the new Fitness Center.  Heavily involved in the arts on the local, state and national levels, Donna is Past Chairman of the Texas Cultural Trust and serves on the Executive Committee of the National Committee for the Performing Arts for the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.  She also serves on the Executive Committees of the Van Cliburn Foundation, the Fort Worth Symphony and the Texas Christian University College of Fine Arts Advisory Board.  Donna is also on the Advisory Board of the Dallas/Fort Worth World Affairs Council.

In 2004, Donna was the first Miss America elected to the Miss America Board of Directors.  She serves on the Executive Committee as Secretary, Co-Chair of the Judges Committee and Co-Chair of the State License Committee.

Her faith is a stronghold of her life and is reflected in her service to the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary as an Advisory Board member working in the areas of Women’s Ministries and Seminary Advancement.

Donna and her husband, J. Bryan Whitworth make their home in Fort Worth, TX.  He is a retired Executive with ConocoPhillips and is now Of Counsel with Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz in New York City.  Between them, they have five children and ten grandchildren.