Former KDFW-KDFI senior vice president and general manager Kathy Saunders died suddenly on March 26, 2025, at her home in California.
Saunders led the Dallas Fox owned station KDFW-KDFI for more than 26 years, before retiring in 2023.
During her tenure, she expanded the station’s commitment to local news and community outreach, through long term partnerships for Toys for Tots, the Komen Race for The Cure, and March of Dimes. She holds a Guinness World Record as part of the station’s annual Shred Day drive.
Saunders started her career in her home state of Kansas and later worked in Pittsburgh before coming to KDAF Dallas in the late eighties where she rose to general manager. In 1995, she was named GM for WFXT in Boston, where she launched their news operation before returning to Dallas and KDFW in 1997.
The station said that throughout her life, she coveted professionalism, innovation, and loyalty. She helped launch the careers of hundreds of broadcasting professionals. Saunders championed the vital role of local television and the lifesaving information that her industry provides.
She was a fierce competitor, a tough negotiator, and took tremendous pride in seeing those around her succeed. She had a great sense of humor, a near-photographic memory, and a larger-than-life presence.