Dayna Steele

Dayna Steele (born August 11, 1959) is a radio and television personality, entrepreneur, author and keynote speaker.

Early life

Dayna Frances Nicholson was born on August 11, 1959, in Houston, Texas, to William (Bill) and Frances Nicholson. She graduated early from Dulles High School at 16 and enrolled in Texas A&M University to study pre-med before changing her major to theater.[1]

Career

On a dare, Nicholson tried out for the new student run radio station at Texas A&M University.[2] She began her career in 1977 at KAMU and after a few months moved to Top 40 WTAW ("92W" 92.1FM) in Bryan, Texas. In 1978 she left Texas A&M University early to pursue her career as a major market radio disc jockey.

Her first big break came just after she turned 18 and began work at KRLY (Y94) in Houston as a sales secretary.[3] Discontented after three weeks of typing, Steele moved to the traffic department to schedule spots before finally approaching the program director about an on-air job. That evening, the overnight disc jockey didn’t show for work and the job became hers.[4] She changed her name to “Steele” after Alison Steele of WNEW-FM New York.[5]

Over the next twenty years Dayna Steele became synonymous with Houston radio,[6] lending her voice to CHR/Top 40 104 KRBE (1979-1981), 97 Rock (KSRR) (1981-1982) and AOR rocker 101 KLOL[7] where she became known as “The First Lady of Rock ‘n Roll.”[8] In addition to her on-air duties, Steele also served as the assistant program director and music director for KLOL.[9] In 1985 she started her career behind the camera as a featured reporter for “Teenz on TV” for KPRC, the NBC television affiliate in Houston. She spent the next 16 years at KLOL, leaving for a brief stint in 1990 [10] to pursue an acting career in Los Angeles.[11] During that time she had several auditions, a few jobs and a successful appearance on Wheel of Fortune.[12] She moved back to Houston in 1991[13] to take the reins of the afternoon drive slot at KLOL and marry her husband, then NASA pilot Charles Justiz in 1992.

Upon her return to KLOL, Steele was featured as one of the top female disc jockeys in the country on the Friday Morning Quarterback “Women of Rock”.[14] That next year, Steele was nominated as Radio Air Personality of the Year by Billboard Magazine. Of the five nominees, Steele was the only woman to be nominated.[15]

In 1995, Steele launched her first retail business, www.thespacestore.com, specializing in the largest selection of online space memorabilia and NASA merchandise. She made headlines again this time for posing for the cover of Health & Fitness magazine pregnant and unclothed.[16] Following the birth of her first child, she left KLOL[17] and began work as a reporter, anchor and morning show host at KNWS Channel 51,[18] an independent Houston television station. She also founded her own public relations and marketing firm, Steele Media Services offering voiceover talent and narratives.

Steele took a new approach to radio in 1997, joining 97 Talk,[19] a new Houston talk radio station as the midday air talent[20] She was named to The 100 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts in America by Talkers Magazine (February 1988) and made history by broadcasting her show on Bosnia’s Radio Duboj.[21] As her retail business continued to grow, she made the decision to leave 97 Talk to pursue www.thespacestore.com full-time in 1998.[22] In 2000, she sold www.thespacestore.com to SPACEHAB, a NASA aerospace contractor[23] but continued to work in the executive division of the company and eventually opened a large storefront directly across from the Johnson Space Center.[24] In addition to selling space-themed collectibles, the store scheduled astronaut signings and other fun NASA-themed events for the community.

In 2002, Steele created www.smartgirlsrock.com, an online website dedicated to encouraging girls toward careers in technology, science and math.[25] She took it a step further by teaching Smart Girls Rock as a business class at a Texas intermediate school and turning the website over to the class to run.

In 2007, a former KLOL employee working in Iraq in a civilian capacity contacted Steele with a story that sparked the idea for Operation National Anthem. www.operationnationalanthem.com posted videos of U.S. soldiers stationed overseas asking their fellow countrymen and women to show respect by removing their hats, turning off their cell phones and remaining quiet during the singing of the National Anthem.[26] These videos were seen primarily before sporting events in stadiums across the United States. The idea motivated Readers’ Digest Magazine to name her one of the “35 People Who Inspire Us."[27]

After resigning from SPACEHAB in 2005 she made a brief return to radio as host of a small business/entrepreneurial show on BizRadio 650AM & 1320AM in Houston[28] and BizRadio 1360 in Dallas for one year.[29] She also began her speaking career during which time a Dallas reporter suggested that she write a book chronicling her rock and roll days. In 2008 she released her first book "Rock to the Top: What I Learned About Success From the World’s Greatest Rock Stars", a rare combination of memoirs and motivational advice that she learned during her long career.[30] The foreword for the book was written by KISS guitarist and friend, Gene Simmons. In July 2012 she published her second book 101 Ways to Rock Your World: Everyday Activities for Success Every Day, a book filled with 101 success tips that can be used daily to achieve goals in business and in life. This led to a series of 101 Ways To Rock Your World Books including:

On the Golf Course: 101 Ways to Rock Your World (2013) Welcome to College: 101 Ways to Rock Your World (2014) In the Classroom: 101 Ways to Rock Your World (2015) Havana: 101 Ways to Rock Your World (2015)

In 2010, Steele was inducted into the www.texasradiohalloffame.com.[31]

Today, Steele has become a world-renowned speaker, giving keynote speeches for corporations, schools and many other organizations including TEDx Houston in 2013.[32] She is considered an expert in career networking and social media and makes frequent appearances on radio and television talk shows.[33] In 2012 after the success of her second book, 101 Ways to Rock Your World: Everyday Activities for Success Every Day she created www.YourDailySuccessTip.com, a concise, motivational email designed to help her database of readers jumpstart the day. The email is based on the success tips from her second book as well as contributions from readers and colleagues. It is also the basis for Success In 60 Seconds, a morning segment on Fox 26 news Houston KRIV-TV.

In 2014 YourDailySuccessTip.com joined forces with Smart Girls Rock to give away laptops to high school students in need. Many students are unable to complete college applications, resumes, and even necessary research for school because they lack the technology that is taken for granted by so many. Students must be nominated by their teacher, counselor or librarian. Donations from private citizens as well as companies have made these many laptop giveaways possible and still going on today. Steele has personally delivered every laptop to every student awarded.

In 2016 Steele released her newest book: Surviving Alzheimer’s With Friends, Facebook, and A Really Big Glass of Wine. She chronicled her mother's journey with Alzheimer's in a series of Facebook posts from diagnosis to her mother's death in 2015. This series of touching, raw and humorous posts help the reader to understand the many stages of Alzheimer's as well as the caregiver's challenges during these stages.

Personal life

Steele resides on the water in Seabrook, Texas and has been married to Charles Justiz, a corporate aviation consultant and author, since 1992. She loves traveling, cooking, playing golf and water sports. They have three sons.

References

  1. ↑ “Faces in the Crowd" by Flori Meeks, Houston Chronicle March 20, 2008 http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/2008_4533621/faces-in-the-crowd-former-first-lady-of-rock-pens.html
  2. ↑ "No Longer a Faceless Voice" by Jay Frank, Houston Post November 6, 1985
  3. ↑ Act Three by Julie Shifman, Greenleaf Book Group Press 2012 http://www.amazon.com/Act-Three-Create-full-time-motherhood/dp/1608323641/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335798305&sr=8-1
  4. ↑ "Dayna Steele’s Stick-To-Itvieness Brings Success" by Charlene Orr, Billboard Magazine
  5. ↑ ("Dayna Steele Used to Be Somebody" by Mike Boyle, R&R Magazine March 14, 2008 http://daynasteele.com/planners/Rock1753_031408_DaynaSteele.pdf
  6. ↑ "Femme AM FM" by Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle November 8, 1986
  7. ↑ "A Woman on the Air Spells Success at KLOL" by Bob Grace, Houston Chronicle January 25, 1985
  8. ↑ "She’s All Talk" by Kyle Young, Out Smart Magazine, June 1997
  9. ↑ "Raiding a Rival" by Louis B. Parks, Houston Chronicle Feb 2 1993 http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1993_1109092/raiding-a-rival-klol-nabs-dj-mckenzie-for-afternoo.html
  10. ↑ R&R Magazine, April 27, 1990
  11. ↑ "Star Wars" by Cheryl Laird, Houston Chronicle August 4, 1991 http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1991_801826/star-wars-the-dream-is-still-alive-but-few-find-fo.html
  12. ↑ "Dayna Steele is Testing her Her Mettle" in LA by Louis B. Parks, Houston Chronicle September 11, 1990 http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1990_728559/dayna-steele-is-testing-her-mettle-in-la-former-di.html
  13. ↑ "Moby Going Country, Heading for Atlanta" by Tim Carman, Houston Post Feb 16, 1991
  14. ↑ FMQB October 27, 1995
  15. ↑ "A Romance Out of this World" by Kari Short, Houston Lifestyle Magazine Feb 1998
  16. ↑ "A La Demi Moore" by Cynthia Thomas, Houston Chronicle December 30, 1995 http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1995_1315729/a-la-demi-moore-klol-dj-appears-nude-and-pregnant.html
  17. ↑ "KLOL’s Steele Calls Timeout" Houston Chronicle Feb 29, 1996 http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1996_1326807/snippets.html
  18. ↑ TV Notes by Ann Hodges, Mike McDaniel, Houston Chron September 16, 1996
  19. ↑ "New FM Talk Radio Station Takes to the Airwaves" by Louis B. Parks, Houston Chroincle Mar 4, 1997 http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1997_1398423/new-fm-talk-radio-station-takes-to-the-airwaves.html
  20. ↑ "Middle of the Road Talk" by Tim Fleck Houston Press 1997
  21. ↑ "How I Spent My Spring Break" by Al Peterson, R&R Magazine May 1, 1998
  22. ↑ "Rock ‘n Roll Mom with an Out of This World Mission" by Wendy Slaton, Houston Family Magazine August 2003
  23. ↑ "Space Station Comfort Food Draws Worldwide Attention" by Spaceref, August 6, 2001 http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=5702
  24. ↑ "Out of This World" by Donna DeMarco, Chicago Tribune Dec 19, 2001 http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2001-12-19/entertainment/0112190035_1_ready-to-eat-food-tofu-pouch
  25. ↑ "Dayna Steele on Radio, Space Food and Smart Girls Who Rock" by Isabel Cowles, Finding Dulcinea May 15, 2008 http://www.findingdulcinea.com/features/interviews/Dayna-Steele.html
  26. ↑ "Woman of Steel" by Ryan Rice April 22, 2008 http://www.houston-photographer.com/blog/celebrity_interviews/
  27. ↑ "Best Patriotic Pitch" Reader's Digest Magazine, May 2008 http://www.rd.com/family/best-patriotic-pitch/
  28. ↑ "The Art of Doing Business" by Kay P. Vincent, Houston Woman Magazine May/June 2005 http://www.houstonwomanmagazine.com/Covers/Steele-CoverStoryJune05doc.pdf
  29. ↑ "Steele Heads Back to Doing Business Instead of Talking Business" Houston Business Journal Date: Monday, February 27, 2006 http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2006/02/27/daily8.html
  30. ↑ "Get a Taste of Rock Star Life" by Gina Larson, KTRK-TV ABC April 22, 2008 http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/entertainment&id=6096317
  31. ↑ http://www.texasradiohalloffame.com/2010-trhof-inductees-bios-photos-slides-adobe-pdf.pdf
  32. ↑ "Speakers and Entertainers; the Vital Sparks Behind Successful Events" by Steve Winston, The Meeting Magazines Aug/Sep 2010 http://www.daynasteele.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ACF2010-0809AugSep-SpeakersEnt-Sm.pdf
  33. ↑ What Does Your Profile Say To Potential Employers?" by Staci Wilson, AOL Business March 4, 2010 http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2010/03/04/profile-photo-say-to-potential-employers/
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