Expansive Career Since then, Donna has spent more than two decades in leadership roles spanning healthcare innovation, higher education, public policy, entrepreneurship, and community development. Today, Donna serves as senior advisor to Osagie Imasogie, who recruited her as a Director to the board of the bi-national company, Zelira Therapeutics.
She credits GMercyU for not only giving her the experience and skills needed for success, but the values.
“ I think if you start with values, then it’ s a heck of a lot easier to lay skill sets on top of those values,” Donna said.“ When you get to a certain point in your career and you look at the arc of who you are, what you’ ve done, what you achieved, you think about the places that made it possible for you. I go all the way back to the beginning with Gwynedd.”
Donna held leadership roles at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, serving as Special Assistant to then-President and CEO, Dr. Stephen Klasko and as Senior Vice President overseeing the organization’ s programmatic innovation initiatives, including the creation of the Health Design Lab. Earlier in her career, Donna served as Deputy Health Commissioner for Policy and Planning for the City of Philadelphia, the first nurse appointed to this role.
A commentator in regional and national media, Donna is the author of the book, Provider of Last Resort: The Story of the Closure of the Philadelphia General Hospital, coauthor of multiple research-based studies and book chapters and has penned numerous articles.
Supporting the Next Generation GMercyU’ s Frances M. Maguire Healthcare’ 55 Innovation Center( HIC) is a hub of innovation, a place where today’ s students learn to become the leaders, innovators, and compassionate caregivers of tomorrow.
The Ideation / Maker Space Lab in the HIC is a key part of this vision, thanks to Donna’ s generous support. This space will directly support hands-on learning for these future healthcare professionals.
“ My hope is that the students, nursing students certainly, will take part in crossdiscipline collaboration,” Donna said.“ That’ s one of my hopes, that the ideation space will become a place where people think outside the box and do outside the box.”
In May, Donna served as GMercyU’ s 2026 Undergraduate Commencement Speaker. It was a full-circle moment for the alumna who performed an original song at her own graduation in 1984.
Read Donna’ s full story here!
CAMPAIGN IMPACT REPORT 19