Donna grew up in Oshawa, Ontario and moved to British Columbia in 1996 to play varsity soccer and attend university, fell in love with B.C. and made it her home. She completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree with a minor in Kinesiology at the University of Fraser Valley, and went on to complete her Master of Science in Human Movement and Performance at Western Washington University, with an emphasis in Sport Psychology.
She played soccer competitively throughout her life securing a National Championship in 1991, and still plays Division I soccer. Currently, she is the lead mental training specialist for the Canadian Para-Equestrian Riding Team and has consulted elite, amateur and professional athletes in most sports. She is a full-time professor at Capilano Univeristy on the North Shore, in the Human Kinetics Department, and teaches Sport Psychology, Sport Sociology, Active Health and Motor Learning. She is a member of the Canadian Sport Psychology Association, the Coaches Association of British Columbia and is a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) course conductor for the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology. When not working, she enjoys trail riding, running, soccer, and spending time and on her boat with her family.