Vickie Oldham enjoys great storytelling. She is foremost a journalist who spent over 30 years in television newsrooms.

Oldham spearheads a groundbreaking historic preservation project called “Newtown Alive.” What began as an initiative to trace the 100-year history of Sarasota’s African American communities of Overtown and Newtown expanded into cultural heritage tourism (www.newtownalive.org).

The Sarasota resident made her mark as a reporter and TV host at the ABC affiliate after receiving a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications at the University of Florida and a Master of Fine Arts degree at Florida State University’s Conservatory of Motion Picture, Television and Recording Arts. She hosted a popular TV program called Common Ground, interviewed some of the country’s most recognized Black newsmakers, and has appeared in commercials, including an ABC network primetime drama.

A career transition led her into higher education in 2006. She was Albany State University’s Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Fort Valley State University’s Director of Marketing and Communications/Special Assistant to the President, both of which are Historically Black Colleges and Universities.