Donna holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with Honors and master degrees in Political Science and Criminal Justice. Donna is a committed life-long learner who holds the PCC (Professional Certified Coach) credential issued by ICF (International Coaching Federation), the PCAC (Professional Certified ADHD Coach) credential issued by PAAC (Professional Association of ADHD Coaches) and the ACCG (ADDCA Certified Coach Graduate) awarded by ADDCA.
Already a registered yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance (RYT-500) facilitating practices privately and in group settings, she will continue her yoga training over the next few years, adding another 1000 hours on the way to completing Yoga Therapy Training. She has a vision for how ADHD coaching and yoga instruction may work together to serve individuals managing ADHD at all ages and levels of ability.
A child of the Deep South, Donna has lived in ten different states, covering almost every "region" of the country, and now calls The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St Paul, Minnesota home. She taught piano lessons, taught and continues to teach yoga across ages and abilities, led middle school and high school summer camps, tutored a range of subjects for neurotypical and neurodiverse students of all ages. Donna has sung in community choirs and directed church choirs. She has written professionally and continues to write for her own amusement. She has volunteered and continues to volunteer with civic organizations, animal rescues, and literacy programs.
Over the course of her professional career, Donna worked in higher education as an adjunct instructor and ran high-profile political campaigns. She served as deputy chief of staff to a governor and chief development officer for a major US city. She led nonprofit organizations including a chamber of commerce, economic development foundation, and an economic & financial security research & advocacy organization. She worked to build community development credit unions and community outreach programs. Donna managed to find herself in the middle of efforts to rebuild the Gulf Coast after the hurricane season of 2005.
Donna has raised awareness of and funding to address some of the most serious matters facing households across the country including housing insecurity, food insecurity, mental health matters and predatory lending practices. She remains an outspoken advocate in matters of social, racial, gender and economic justice.
There are those who would say she can't stick with a job. There are those who said her interests are too broad and wide ranging. There are those who said she overthinks things and gets bored easily. There are those who said she's a nomad and can't sit still for very long.
There was no one who EVER said she might have ADHD. Until 2021.
Who do I say that I am?
I am a granddaughter, daughter, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt. I am a friend, colleague, teammate and rival. I am creative and clever, witty and wry, firm and formidable, stubborn and sensitive. I am an advocate, business owner, dreamer, writer, volunteer and yogi. I have worn many titles over the years, all signifying a bent toward the practical application of strategic planning to make real the dreams of others. I am surrounded by individuals with gifts, skills, talents and abilities beyond measure who have also worn many titles and honed their craft in all areas of organizational development and programmatic excellence. I am one of many, some known to me and others not. Together we created our own crew, our own way of doing things. We have witnessed change and setback, progress and retreat. We have stood alone, felt alone, leaned on each other and propped each other up from time to time. Together we have achieved outcomes beyond our wildest imaginings.
Together we have come to realize that we were the undiagnosed, the overlooked, the misunderstood.
Together we have discovered what it means to live with ADHD undiagnosed and unrecognized until the middle chapters of our lives.
Together we have pleaded with doctors, researched on our own, commiserated with friends, avoided the conversations with family members. Together we have witnessed each other struggle, fall, rise again and repeat. Together we have discovered that there is a way through.
ADHD Coaching is that way.
I am an ADHD Coach and this is only the beginning for me. And for you. Let's take this journey together. Let's start today.