Donna is a writer, speaker, teacher trainer and secondary educator. She has expertise in student wellbeing, establishing effective school systems for youth suicide prevention. In 2013 Donna was awarded the NSW Premier’s Anika Foundation Youth Depression Awareness Scholarship and examined strategies implemented globally for youth suicide prevention and she recognized the importance of proactively enhancing teacher confidence within the school context. Donna assisted in the planning of the Wollongong Diocesan Suicide Pre, Inter and Post-Vention Strategic Plan. Donna’s company Awaken Youth facilitates NESA Accredited 'Gatekeeper’ workshops for teachers as well as targeted suicide prevention training for parents and guardians of young people. Additionally, Donna is an accredited trainer with LivingWorks and delivers safeTALK suicide prevention training to senior students in secondary schools. She is also an accredited Mental Health First Aid trainer and has delivered training a range of contexts. In 2015 she presented at the Suicide Prevention Australia Conference on the topic 'Teachers: the greatest untapped resource in youth suicide prevention.' She has been a member of the Macarthur Suicide Prevention Network committee and was employed as a Telephone Crisis Supporter for Lifeline. In 2017 Donna presented workshops nationally at the Positive Schools Conference titled: ‘Positive Strategies for the Prevention of Youth Suicide’. In 2018 and 2019 she presented at the ProPsych Mental Health in Schools Conference on the topic 'Child and Youth Suicide Prevention in the School Context'. She will be presenting at the PDHPETA Conference in Wagga Wagga this October. Donna is also the author of the young adult novel Awakening Sebastian, which communicates a strong positive and preventative message regarding youth suicide.