After graduating from Howard University in Washington, D.C., she worked as a writer and producer for six years in Baltimore, Washington and Los Angeles. In 1993, Brenda moved to Fresno, California where she became a weather anchor for KFSN-TV, the ABC station in Fresno. In 1995, Brenda moved to Dallas/Fort Worth, where she has been ever since. She was a weather anchor at KTVT-TV, the local CBS station, and hosted a show called "Positively Texas" from 1995 - 2000. She also worked for KKDA-FM (K104) and ABC radio during that time. Her next stop was with KXAS-TV, the NBC station in Fort Worth where she worked as a morning and early evening anchor.

While in Los Angeles, California, Brenda received an Emmy Award for news writing and an NABJ (National Association of Black Journalists) award for a series of reports on basketball star Earvin "Magic" Johnson, after he announced that he was HIV positive.