Sewell, Donnie

Donnie Sewell is an Arkansas native who grew up in Searcy in White County. He has many years of full-time experience working in newspapers in Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina and public relations. Before starting at ASMSA in November 2012, he served  as editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s zoned editions, which included the Tri-Lakes, River Valley & Ozark, and Three Rivers editions.

Donnie earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Central Arkansas in 1993. He earned a Master of Science in Strategic Communications with a Social Media Management emphasis in May 2025.

He served as assistant director of public relations and communications at Lyon College in Batesville, Ark., from 1999 to 2002. During that time, Donnie also served as an adjunct instructor for the school’s journalism classes and as adviser to the student newspaper and yearbook staffs. Donnie also served in the Arkansas Army National Guard from 1988 to 1994, including more than two years in a public affairs detachment that focused sharing hometown news on the soldiers serving in the Guard.