Yolanda Gaskins

Yolanda L Gaskins was born on September 8 1951 in Washington DC She is an American radio and television broadcast personality writer and producer Gaskins attended Western High School now Duke Ellington School of the Arts where she was involved in the choir and played lead roles in several musicals and theatrical productions She also participated in a radio production training program at WOOKAM radio station where she was the only female participant Gaskins received her BA from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and her JD from Georgetown University Law Center She began her broadcasting career in 1983 and has worked for several prominent media organizations including CNN NBC Black Entertainment Television and E Entertainment Television In 1993 Gaskins became the first African American woman news anchorshow host on a cable news network in America when she joined CNN She has also worked as a television news anchor and reporter radio talk show host and television producer Some of her notable roles include hosting the nationally syndicated show PM Magazine and being featured in O Magazine in 2005 Additionally she has appeared in television shows such as The Wire and Lois Clark The New Adventures of Superman In 2005 Gaskins left radio to become the Director of Media Relations and spokesperson for Holy Cross Hospital in Maryland During her 12 years there she created media strategies on various issues and produced videos for internal and external communication In 2013 she founded Gaskins Media Works a strategic communications firm that provides services to nonprofit organizations Today Gaskins lives in Silver Spring Maryland and continues her work as a media consultant and video producer