Donna M. McAleer MBA

Donna McAleer is the award-winning author of the groundbreaking book, Porcelain on Steel: Women of West Point’s Long Gray Line. She is a 1987 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and earned an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of the University of Virginia. In 2013, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta appointed Donna to serve on the Defense Advisory Council for Women in the Service. In 2012, Donna was the Democratic candidate for Utah’s 1st Congressional District. She is running again as a Democratic candidate in the 2014 mid term election against a six–term incumbent.

Donna’s professional career includes leadership roles in public, private and not-for-profit corporations. She began in the private sector with the Novations Consulting Group; later moving to William M. Mercer, Inc. Donna then became Vice President of Global Logistics and Support Services at GenRad, a leading producer of electronic test equipment where she was responsible for the development and implementation of a global logistics and customer support strategy. In February 2000, Donna resigned her position at GenRad and committed herself to the pursuit of a lifelong dream and a unique opportunity—to represent the United States in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in the medal debut of Women’s Bobsled. As a Bobsled Driver, she finished 4th in Olympic trials. Having moved to Park City, Utah to begin her intensive training regimen for the Olympics and falling love with the beauty of the area she and her husband decided to make it their home. Wanting to give back to her new community, Donna became the Executive Director of the People’s Health Clinic, a non–profit based in Park City. She led its strategic business model transition and financial turnaround, which ensured financial stability for the organization’s commitment to providing quality medical and healthcare for the uninsured.

Her non-profit work also continued and includes work with Journeys Within Our Communities, an organization with whom she worked to assist a school and orphanage in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Donna helped provide resources and strategic guidance, and served on the school’s first board of directors. She has served on the board for a number of other non-profits, including BizWorld, the Park City Film Series, Professional Ski Instructors of America-Intermountain Division and the advisory council of the Women’s Business Institute at Salt Lake Community College. Actively involved in the West Point community, Donna serves as Class President and is an Admissions Field Representative. She was elected to the West Point Association of Graduates Board of Directors, West Point Women’s Network, and as an advisor to West-Point.org. Donna is the only graduate who has served on all three alumni organization boards.

She is an avid outdoor enthusiast with a particular passion for skiing, snowshoeing, mountain biking, hiking, golfing and traveling. Donna continued to pursue her passion for sports as a high school and youth coach and is a PSIA and ACE Level 2 certified ski instructor at Deer Valley Ski Resort in Utah. She is a frequent contributor to The Huffington Post, Time Magazine’s Battleland Blog, and Foreign Policy.com The Best Defense Column.

Donna lives in the mountains of Park City, Utah with Ted McAleer, her husband, Carlyn Ann, their daughter and Abby, their four-legged running companion.