Our Team
Donna Palmer
Executive Director
Donna is a visionary leader with broad strategic and tactical experience in nonprofit leadership and development. Prior to joining the Foundation, she helped grow and guide a number of the nation’s leading nonprofits, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, The American Diabetes Association, the LIVESTRONG Foundation, Compassion International, and most recently Upbring, one of the nation’s largest child service agencies.
During her distinguished career, she has been responsible for the management of broad-based giving programs, major gifts, planned giving, special events, foundation relations, corporate sponsorship and partnerships, donor relations and stewardship, marketing communications, advocacy, and volunteer and community relations.
Donna received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, Marketing, and Public Relations at Drake University and a Juris Doctorate at Tulane Law School. She enjoys spending time with her daughter and her dogs. She is a lover of nature, history, and travel.