Mary Beth McDonald is an FAU TV pioneer. In 1972 she joined the one-man student television productions staff and helped create WING-TV, which paved the way for campus television at FAU. After a career in communications that spanned more than 25 years, McDonald was elected Mayor for the City of Vero Beach and served from 2004 to 2006.

McDonald’s career also includes serving as the Communication’s Director for the City of Vero Beach, a freelance writer for Florida Parenting News, speech and drama instructor, and commercial producer. She opened her own advertising agency in 2010; One Source Media and Marketing and has received numerous awards including the Award of Distinction and Golden Image Award from the Florida Public Relations Association, the National Association of Telecommunications Officers Advisors Program Award, and the Silver Circle Award from the Florida Government Communicator’s Association, to name a few.

McDonald is vice president of the Taxpayers’ Association of Indian River County, a volunteer “watch dog” organization that oversees how local government spends tax money; has served as a member of FAU’s Advisory Board; and has been instrumental in establishing an alumni group in the Indian River area. Last Spring, McDonald was named Distinguished Alumni of the year and was inducted into FAU's Hall of Fame. She and her husband John have resided in Vero Beach since 1982. They have two sons.