Donna Newman is a writer, physician assistant, wife, mother, and proud “Gigi” whose love of storytelling is rooted in family, faith, and the traditions that connect generations.

 

For more than thirty years, Donna’s pumpkin soup recipe has been a beloved tradition in her family—one that helped inspire her first children’s book, If I Were a Pumpkin. Through gentle rhyme and whimsical imagination, the story celebrates the unique gifts we each bring, the joy of belonging, and the wonderful things that can happen when we come together.

 

Donna holds a Doctor of Medical Science degree and a Certificate of Professional Achievement in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University. Her writing has appeared in medical, narrative medicine, and literary publications, including the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Associates (JAAPA) and The Examined Life Journal. Her study of narrative medicine deepened her belief in the power of stories to help us understand one another, preserve meaningful experiences, and connect across generations.

 

When she isn’t caring for patients, teaching future physician assistants, or writing, Donna treasures time with family and friends, cooking, being near the ocean, and making memories with her grandchildren. She hopes If I Were a Pumpkin becomes the kind of book families return to each fall—read together, carried into the kitchen, and woven into traditions of their own.