Cheryl Washington is a television and radio personality, magazine columnist, public speaker, media coach, voice-over artist, website developer, production company owner, educator and community service activist. She is a graduate of Rutgers University with a B.A. in Mass Communications and Classical Music.
She has over twenty years of hosting, anchoring, reporting, producing, writing and editing experience in news, entertainment, lifestyle and a game show at: WABC-TV, WCBS-TV, WNBC-TV, CNN and FOX5.
Presently, Washington is a correspondent on “A.R. Bernard,” a faith-based news magazine show premiering September 2007 on The Family Network. Washington provides “slice of life,” human interest and celebrity events packages. Among her most recent stories: 91-year-old radio icon Hal Jackson who has been broadcasting on radio for sixty-seven years and an octogenarian who runs his own shoe shine business for five decades. She also hosts her own lifestyle show, “SOMAStyle with Cheryl Washington” on New Jersey’s SOMAcom TV which is seen on Cablevision and Comcast broadcast outlets. Washington covers entrepreneurs, filmmakers, stylists and authors among others.
Washington co-founded and developed “Black Glitterati,” an African-American social diary website chronicling high society events, fundraisers, parties and special occasions for the upscale and sophisticated Black audience. Through her company, Amber Productions, LLC, Washington serves as co-executive producer of “Black Glitterati with Cheryl Washington” on “Blackglitterati.tv in connection with her partnership with WEG Media, the parent company of visiontube.tv.
In the fall of 2007, Washington will serve as a columnist and humorist for “Me, Moms Extraordinaire,” a magazine and website devoted to mothers who need a little “me” time in their lives. Her articles will include a whimsical approach on surviving the daily grind of balancing career and motherhood. Previously, Washington contributed lifestyle and travel articles for “Family Digest,” a magazine targeted to the African-American consumer.
Additionally, Washington hosts, moderates and emcees awards shows, seminars, symposiums, fundraisers, reunions, weddings and other momentous ceremonies. She also speaks and lectures at schools and churches through a speakers bureau. Her voice-over artistry has been featured in such campaigns as L’Oreal USA’s “Fellowships for Women in Science” and Abyssinian Baptist Church’s sermon series. Most recently, Washington served as host of St. Paul Baptist Church’s Beloved Community video, which introduced displaced Katrina children from Baton Rouge, Louisiana to their Montclair, New Jersey host families. It was part of a summer academic enrichment, recreational and spiritual initiative.
Washington also coaches and trains executives and business leaders in preparation of corporate, media and public appearances.
Aside from her journalism experiences, Washington joined the ranks of academia as an adjunct professor in Humanities at Essex County College in Newark, New Jersey. She has taught Mass Communications and Pop Culture, English Foundations and intermediate and advanced Media, Production and Technology. She also received substitute teaching certification in the Essex County school district where she affiliated with the Whitney Houston Academy in East Orange. Among her specialties: creative writing and performance development.
The career of the multi-faceted media specialist soared when Washington became known as the ebullient and perky tv personality fixture on WNYW-TV’s popular award winning ”Good Day New York” morning show as an entertainment and lifestyle reporter/co-host. During her eleven-year stint, Washington covered celebrities, fashion, beauty, style, makeovers, fitness, food, home improvement, human interest, relationships, pets, travel, sports and live remotes in the tri-state area. Later, she anchored the FOX franchise line-up: “Good Day Wake-Up,” “Good Day First Edition” and “Good Day Sunday.” She also provided in-depth features specializing in lifestyle trends on the station’s midday FOX5 News. As a major part of the team that catapulted the show to number one status over national competitors “Today” and “Good Morning America,” Washington was tapped to host the “New York Wired” game show, co-produced by the New York State Lottery Commission.
Following her tenure at FOX, Washington contributed feature news on WNBC-TV’s “Weekend Today in New York.” She also filled in as a guest host for psychologist Dr. Jeffrey Gardere on relationship issues on WLIB-AM.
Previously, Washington served at CNN as an executive producer and reporter. Most notably, Washington produced and reported entertainment news for CNN’s “Showbiz Today.” In that capacity, she conducted one-on-one celebrity interviews, covered red carpet award shows and went behind-the-scenes of movie, television and music video productions. Washington also produced a one-hour special on actor/comedian/educator Bill Cosby which received critical acclaim. She was also responsible for co-producing the network’s daytime infotainment show, “Take Two” with Katie Couric, anchor of CBS Evening News. Under her authority, Washington supervised editorial content for contributors Dr. Joyce Brothers, Frank Deford, Elsa Klensch and Congresswoman Bella Abzug.
Washington also served as the official celebrity interviewer of “Motown Returns to the Apollo Theatre” starring Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson among others. She handled the same interviewing responsibilities for “Carnegie Hall Re-Opens” with Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. Both network television specials were produced by Don Mischer Productions of Los Angeles.
Washington’s off-camera duties began at WNBC-TV as an intern and production assistant in local news and programming. She was assigned to “Positively Black” and “Not For Women Only” co-hosted by Barbara Walters and Hugh Downs. She subsequently moved to WABC-TV as an associate producer on “The Stanley Siegel Show” and later rejoined the eponymous talk show host as his producer at WCBS-TV.
While Washington is passionate about television broadcasting, she is equally committed to service and volunteerism. She serves on the Resource Council of Derek Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation, Advisory Board of Harlem Dowling for abused and foster children and journalism chair of the North Jersey chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
Washington has received countless awards and honors from the Harlem YMCA Black Achievers, NAACP, National Council of Negro Women, Allstate NJ Insurance Company, American Bible Society, Communications of Excellence to Black Audiences and the Annual Women’s History Month Award from NYC Comptroller William Thompson. She also received an ITV Eddy Award and was recognized with the Folio Award from the Long Island Coalition for Fair Broadcasting. Washington, who was previously inducted into Rutgers University’s Douglass College Society, will also be inducted into the Rutgers African-American Alumni Alliance Hall of Fame in October 2007.
Aside from television, Washington appeared as a reporter in the feature film “It Could Happen to You” with Nicholas Cage, Bridget Fonda and Rosie Perez. She will also appear in the documentary “The Black Line: Profile of the African-American Woman,” which will be released in 2008. The film is written, produced and directed by D. Channsin Berry, of urban winter entertainment in Hollywood.
Washington has also been a “Principal For A Day” through PENCIL (Public Education Needs Civic Involvement In Learning) in the NYC public school system.
In addition, Washington is a long standing member of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III. More recently, she has become affiliated with St. Paul Baptist Church in Montclair, New Jersey where she assists in its Beloved Community and Media Ministries under the pastorship of Rev. Michael J. Cox.
Washington resides in suburban New Jersey with her family.