Star Jones is an attorney, former New York city homicide prosecutor, business executive, best-selling author and an Emmy award nominated tv host who has worked in television for nearly 30 years. She is co-founder and principal of the Instant Impact Group, LLC, a consultancy firm that assists individuals and companies build their diversity, equity & inclusion programs.
Best known to television viewers for her candor, confidence and uncanny ability to clarify complex legal and social issues, Ms. Jones was an original co-host of ABC’s The View for nine years and is a Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame inductee. In 2010, Ms. Jones underwent successful open-heart surgery and for the last 10 years has been the national volunteer of the American Heart Association.
Recognizing the need for black and brown women to have a seat at every table of influence, in 2020 Ms. Jones founded the Brown Girls Fundraising Collective, a private network of black and brown women who individually and together utilize their personal financial resources to support political candidates who prioritize service to the black & brown communities.
Her fundraising advocacy and leadership raised nearly $500,000 in individual donations for the 2020 Biden/Harris presidential campaign, more than $1.2 million dollars for Biden/Harris presidential fundraising events and more than $183,000 in individual donations for the 2020 Georgia senate runoff races for Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. Ms. Jones also was a national surrogate and national fundraiser for the Biden/Harris 2020 presidential campaign, serving on the National Finance Committee and the African American Leadership Finance Council.
She is the past president of Professional Diversity Network, Inc. (Nasdaq: IPDN) and former president and spokesperson of the International Association of Women. Ms. Jones is currently a member of the editorial board of the Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society and U.S. representative to the Women In Africa initiative.
A frequent and highly sought-after motivational speaker, Ms. Jones lectures and leads discussions around the world on a variety of socially conscious topics including, law, politics, race, gender equality, women’s empowerment, pop culture, networking, and heart health.