Donna Pitman

Donna Pitman grew up in Independence, Missouri, and has been a reporter for KMBC-TV since 2001.

After getting her Bachelor of Journalism degree at the University of Missouri, Donna worked in television first in Columbia, Missouri, then Peoria, Illinois, before coming back home to the Kansas City area.

You can catch her anchoring First News, the award-winning morning newscast, on weekday mornings.

When she isn’t behind the anchor desk, Donna is in the field reporting stories that impact the Kansas City community and was recently recognized for her work with three Emmy nominations, and two Kansas Association of Broadcasters Awards.

When the pandemic began, Donna found herself reporting from her home, where she connected with others in the community, getting their footing as the world dramatically changed. From a Lawrence, Kansas, woman recycling broken plastic pieces and creating outside artwork to brighten neighborhoods, to a director at a senior living center who, along with her staff, stayed with their residents 24/7 for the first months of the pandemic and more, Donna was able to share stories of resilience and hope.

Donna and her husband Cody began the nonprofit “Gabriel’s Gale” after their son was diagnosed with Pompe Disease in 2016. Their daughter was diagnosed with the same disease in 2020. Pompe is a rare disorder where a person’s body doesn’t produce enough of the enzyme that breaks down glycogen, or sugar, that feeds the muscles. The glycogen builds up over time and can become debilitating and ultimately deadly. Their nonprofit raises money for and awareness of Pompe, with the hope of finding a cure in their children's lifetime.

Ask her what she loves about her job, Donna will tell you it’s the people she meets.

“It’s extremely humbling that people trust us to tell their stories,” she said. “It’s a huge responsibility and an equally big reward. People often meet us on their best or worst days, and we have a responsibility, with our platform, to get it right when we share experiences. It’s fun to meet famous people, but so exciting to be able to tell the stories of everyday people who are doing extraordinary things. I have the best job.”

When she isn’t at home, Donna is with her husband, four children, and their happy-to-join-the-chaos dog Rand. In quiet moments, Donna loves finding the right angle for the perfect photograph, listening to all angles in the perfect podcast, and getting lost in a good book.

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