Donna Auguste facts for kids

Donna Auguste (born 1958) is an amazing African-American businesswoman. She is also an entrepreneur, which means she starts and runs her own businesses. Donna is also a philanthropist, someone who helps others by giving money or time to good causes.

She co-founded a company called Freshwater Software in 1996. She was also its chief executive officer (CEO) until 2000. Before that, Donna worked at Apple Computer. She was a senior engineering manager there. She helped create the Newton personal digital assistant (PDA). Later, she was a senior director at US West Advanced Technologies. This is where she met John Meier, who would become her co-founder for Freshwater Software.

In 2000, Donna sold Freshwater Software. It was bought by Mercury Interactive Corp. for $147 million. That same year, Fortune Magazine named her one of the "25 Women Who Are Making It Big in Small Business." She also won the 2001 Golden Torch Award. This award recognized her as an outstanding woman in technology. After studying again at the University of Colorado Boulder, she received a special honor. She was named an "eminent engineer" by Tau Beta Pi, a very old engineering honor society.

Early Life and Learning

Donna Auguste was born in Texas in 1958. Her family later moved to Louisiana and then to California. She and her four sisters were raised by their mother. From a young age, Donna loved to take things apart. She would often disassemble doorbells and other electrical items. She wanted to understand how they worked inside.

After high school, she went to the University of California, Berkeley. She studied electrical engineering and computer science (EECS). It was a challenging program, but she earned her Bachelor of Science degree. Donna was often one of the few girls in her classes. She worked hard to succeed despite these challenges.

Later, Donna Auguste made history. She became the first African-American woman to join the PhD program at Carnegie-Mellon University.

Donna's Career Journey

While studying at Carnegie-Mellon University, Donna worked as an intern. She was at Xerox Corporation's Palo Alto Research Center. There, she met people who would later start IntelliCorp. In 1986, IntelliCorp hired Donna as a software engineer. She worked on new technology that used artificial intelligence.

After four years at IntelliCorp, Donna took a break. She spent two months biking through Japan. When she returned, Apple Computer hired her in 1990. She became the lead software engineering manager for the Newton PDA project. At Apple, Donna was well-liked. She was praised for her great management skills. She also made important technical contributions. She even held several patents for her work on the Newton PDA.

In 1996, Donna moved to Boulder, Colorado. She joined U.S. West Advanced Technologies. She was a senior director there. She worked on interactive television applications. These used the company's fiber-optic network. Donna saw the huge potential of the internet. She then decided to start her own company.

Starting Freshwater Software

Donna launched Freshwater Software Inc. Her company provided software solutions. These solutions helped businesses keep their important web applications running smoothly. Freshwater Software grew very quickly. It started as a small start-up. Soon, it became a nationally recognized software provider. It was worth millions of dollars.

Many big companies became Freshwater Software clients. These included Fortune 500 companies like Alta Vista, IBM, Microsoft, Go.com, and Merrill Lynch. In 2001, Mercury Interactive Corp. bought Freshwater Software. The sale was for $147 million.

Personal Life and Giving Back

After selling Freshwater Software, Donna Auguste retired. She then started a new organization. It's called the Leave a Little Room Foundation, LLC. This is a philanthropic group. It helps people in need around the world. The foundation provides housing, electricity, and vaccinations. It focuses on poor and underprivileged communities.

Donna is a Catholic. She is a member of Cure d'Ars Parish in Denver.