Donna Seaman is a book critic, interviewer, and spokesperson for literacy who inspires readers in Chicago and beyond through her writing and her contributions to the city's literary life. In her professional life, she has been a longtime reviewer for Booklist, written reviews for publications such as the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times, and interviewed well-known authors on her "Open Books" radio program on WLUW. Since the establishment of the Publishing Industry Program at Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) in December of 2007, Donna has served as a trusted advisor. She volunteered her time to serve on the DCA's Publishing Advisory Committee, shared her expertise in panel discussions, and generally acted as an advocate for DCA's efforst to promote the work of Chicago's publishers and writers.

Donna is "an eloquent, sincere, and inexhaustible enthusiast for books and the people who make them," says Mayor Richard J. Daley. "While she works largely behind the scenes, her presence is strongly felt by the thousands of people who benefit from her unique ability to inspire great conversations about literature and to include all types of people in that dialogue."