About me

Dr. Donna Friess enjoyed a rich and wonderful forty plus year full time teaching career at Cypress College wherein she taught over 12,000 students and is now enjoying retirement with her passion in art, writing, horsing around and lots of volunteer projects.

Donna’s story of her intervention against her father to protect her four-year-old niece from molestation, came to international attention after a grueling 15 month long trial and some changes in child abuse laws in California.  Upon the release of her autobiography, Cry The Darkness: One Woman’s Triumph Over the Tragedy of Incest (HCI, 1993), there were frequent media appearances on Oprah and other television and radio shows, and newspaper headlines here and abroad, all of which brought new speaking and writing opportunities to Donna. Her case has helped focus national attention on the frequency of child abuse in middle class homes across America.

As a spokesperson for children's rights, Donna is a frequent guest speaker on radio and television talk shows, and at professional conferences.  As the author of six books, she has been invited to speak not only in the U.S., but abroad as well.

Donna is an enthusiastic dog lover, hiker, world traveler, speed walker, half marathoner and portrait artist. Her paintings can be seen in art magazines and shows. Beyond the fulfillment she feels helping to inspire people to be all that they can be, she enjoys her life with husband, Ken, as they revel in their great big family filled with eleven grandchildren.