Phyllis Schwartz
Writer, Poetry and Children’s Books
Former Media Executive
Phyllis Schwartz is a married mother of two currently writing poetry and children’s books in the dreamy beach town of Encinitas, California.
She was born in New York City, living there for the first year of her life before moving to Los Angeles with her young parents. At 10 years old her father was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in India and the family moved there for one memorable and extraordinary year. When the assignment ended the Schwartz family moved to
San Diego and Phyllis had journals full of stories in tow, as well as in her heart and head.
That inspired her to launch a decades long local TV Journalism career, first as a newscast producer and writer at the CBS affiliate KFMB, after receiving her BA in Radio-TV Journalism from San Diego State University.
In 1980 she moved to Chicago where she lived for 20 years, moving up multiple ladders to run several award winning and ratings leading Chicago TV newsrooms. Eventually she came back to her hometown to run the local NBC owned station KNSD. Later she was promoted to a corporate role running NBC local news efforts. Upon leaving NBC in 2009 she started her own media consulting company Phyllis Schwartz Solutions and for a brief time was CEO of a children’s educational/entertainment company, The Jumpitz.
Throughout her lifetime she wrote poetry as a creative release, especially during the years she was part of the rough and tumble Windy City news business. Now she has the luxury of time to indulge and focus on her “civilian” writing: enjoying her beautiful beach town life, garden, friends and family.
Past Board Work: Rady’s Children’s Hospital Foundation Board and SD Private Bank Community Advisory Board. Board member, San Diego County YMCA, Old Globe Theatre, American Heart Association, S.D. Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Proud recipient of: The President’s Award, 2008, National Hispanic Media Coalition; Women Who Mean Business Award, 2007, San Diego Business Journal; 10 Cool Women Award, 2005, Girl Scouts of San Diego; Celebration of Life Award, 2005, American Cancer Society; The Alonzo Award, Downtown San Diego Partnership, 2002 (Awarded for helping re-build downtown San Diego by moving NBC 7/39 to its present location); 50 People to Watch, 2001, San Diego Magazine; The Monty Award, 2001, Outstanding SDSU Alumni.
