Vonnya Pettigrew is the CEO and Founder of Root Branch Productions & Film Academy, an award-winning media production firm and learning academy for youth and adults.
Ms. Pettigrew has over 20 years of professional media experience as a filmmaker, writer, producer, director, instructor and casting agent. She’s produced content for government agencies, corporations, universities and broadcast networks such as Discovery, TV One, and Charm TV. Her films have aired on television and screened at film festivals including AFI/Silver Docs, Maryland Film Festival, Born in Baltimore Film Festival and Baltimore's Artscape.
She teaches film for Johns Hopkins University Baltimore Youth Film Arts, New Spire Arts in Frederick, MD, and her film academy Root Branch Film currently offers over 30 media arts enrichment programs for youth throughout Baltimore and the surrounding DMV.
Ms. Pettigrew earned her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Communications from the University of Maryland College Park. She’s a member of BABJ – Baltimore Association of Black Journalist, NAPW - National Association of Professional Women, a Distinguished Toastmaster and former White House Intern (1999 – President Clinton).
Ms. Pettigrew currently sits on the board for U Empower Maryland- The Food Project, MegaPhone Project, and has sat on a number of boards and panels for organizations such a NFTE - Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, YLAN – Youth Leadership Advocacy Network, The Baltimore Tree Trust, and Goucher College’s Center for Teaching and Learning Technology.
As a leading woman in business, she’s been written about in a number of publications including the Baltimore Times, Baltimore Magazine, the AFRO Paper, the Prince George's Gazette, Frederick News Post and has been featured on WHUR’s “Let’s Talk Money” with Taylor Thomas, WEAA’s “Wealthy Radio” with Deborah Owens and the Voice of America in Washington, DC.
