Remembering Donna Liu: journalist, producer, digital expert, mentor
Pictured L to R: Athena Serafides, ret., NJDEP; Dan Day, past board pres; Molly Jones, Sustainable Princeton; Dan Preston, Telequest; Scott Fischer, past board pres; Donna Liu; Stanley Katz, ret., Princeton Univ. School of Public & International Affairs
CivicStory’s board, advisors, readers and viewers mourn the passing of multi-media journalist and digital expert Donna Liu on September 2. We convey our deepest condolences to her family and friends.
As CivicStory's media manager from Sept. 2018 to Dec. 2019, Donna produced over 30 stories and videos covering a range of topics - from microplastics to "complete streets", flood mitigation, digital connectivity and research, green infrastructure, forestry, solar energy, water stewardship, and creative culture.
Donna was running the UChannel at Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs when Prof. Stanley Katz suggested I stop in to say hello in 2009. As a former CNN producer, committed to public access to unedited lectures and colloquia, she was somewhat skeptical of NJ Arts News's highly edited 'civics-arts' segments. Yet a lively exchange of ideas about NJ public media, creative culture, and access to info began and flourished over the next ten years.
Donna introduced us to many video/digital experts - Telequest in Princeton; Jersey Access Group (JAG) and Princeton Community TV, and NJVid.net and NJEDge.net housed at NJIT.
Her proposal for a NJ Campus Channel - submitted during emotional debates about the future of NJN - shows a profound technical knowledge and vision for a collaborative NJ digital network across higher education, libraries, schools, local news, nonprofits, municipalities, and all citizens.
After Donna retired from heading digital services for TelVue; following a summer family teaching stint in the Czech Republic, we were thrilled that she could bring media management and story telling passion to CivicStory. Attending myriad forums and conferences normally bypassed in daily news, with a gift for mediating between subject matter expertise/jargon and the public, Donna revealed these forums to be a rich source of public interest news.
With daughter Karla, Donna took part in the NJ Sustainability Reporting Hub organizing meeting at Montclair State University in January 2019, and helped ensure a successful launch of www.SRHub.org in November. The tributes below from CivicStory team members, board presidents, and partners give a sense of Donna's wisdom, humanity, and warm spirit shared so generously with all whom she encountered. We are forever grateful for Donna's collaborative work and her wise, inclusive vision for New Jersey's digital network. View Donna’s 30 CivicStory articles and videos.
— Susan Haig, CivicStory Founder and Trustee
Remembrances:
I first got to know Donna when we did some video productions for her at Princeton University, and later as a fellow board member at Princeton Community TV. I felt fortunate every time I had the chance to collaborate with her. Donna was brilliant and warm, with high standards that she inspired others around her to meet. Her curiosity, insight and humor meant that she was someone I was hoping to work with again soon, or just to have a conversation with. My heart goes out to her family and everyone who misses her.
- Daniel Preston, Telequest, Inc. - Video productions
I’m so sorry to hear about Donna. I remember meeting one of her daughters several years ago when she and I did some in-tandem editing at her home. Such a loss. What a lovely, kind, funny, multi-multi-talented woman who touched many people. We had a number of interactions over the years. I will miss her very much.
- Sonia Schnee, video editor and former CivicStory media manager
Donna was very kind and helpful to me as I got more involved with CivicStory. Her contributions to the organization were significant, and she will be greatly missed. My condolences to her family and friends.
- Daniel Day, former Board President
One of the many benefits of my tenure with CivicStory was spending time with the wonderful people the organization attracted. My conversations with Donna Liu remain as some of my fondest memories. Memories of the stories she shared about her experiences working overseas, her thoughtful advice and guidance, and her natural curiosity on so many different topics will stay forever in my heart. Please pass along my heartfelt condolences to her friends and family.
- Scott Fischer, former Board President
I'm so sorry to hear of Donna's passing. She was a wealth of knowledge, and I could always come to her with a question and expect a quick, clear answer as well as a chuckle in the process. It takes a special kind of grace and intellect to achieve that. Please send her family my sincere, sincere condolences.
- Amanda McConnon, former Engagement Editor
Youth employment training program. Producer/narrator - Donna Liu
Videography - IDEA Studios
Camera/Video Editing - David Goodman
Co-Production - Cynthia Primas
Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education (ANJEE)
Producer/narrator - Donna Liu
Video Editor - Sonia Schnee
Videographer - Tim Stollery