Donna was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at 49. Since then, she believes she has kept her symptoms under control by actively using her body and mind, as well as following her medication routine. She looks forward to promoting this as a patient advocate.
Donna has a BFA in graphic design and fine art from the University of Connecticut. She continues to paint, illustrate and design. Donna and her husband, John, are enthusiastic supporters of the arts, sciences, higher education and helping others. She is a member of the University of Connecticut School of Fine Arts Advisory Board and is a former Vice President of the Board of Trustees at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
Donna and John helped the University of Connecticut launch the Krenicki Arts and Engineering Institute, an interdisciplinary nexus for creativity and innovation as well as professorships in Biomedical Engineering, Digital Media and Design and Genomics and Personalized Medicine. They also helped establish the Krenicki Center for Business Analytics and Machine Learning as well as Directorships for the Institutes for Integrative Neurosciences and Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease at Purdue University. Donna enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, supporting local charities, creating art and golfing.