Donna
HR Consultant & Certified Coach
Donna Rossi Smithers is a seasoned HR consultant with over two decades of experience in human resources across both for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Specializing in recruitment, retention, and organizational development, Donna has worked extensively with nonprofits in education, healthcare, social services, and social impact sectors. Her expertise lies in providing strategic HR solutions that enhance workforce capacity, operational effectiveness, and leadership development within mission-driven organizations.
As a HR consultant, Donna partners with nonprofit leaders to strengthen HR capabilities by implementing organizational development strategies, leadership coaching & training, and performance management systems. In addition to her organizational work, she leads recruitment and retention initiatives, ensuring that diverse, high-caliber talent is sourced and maintained. She also designs and facilitates leadership retreats, workshops, and culture assessments tailored to her clients’ needs.
Currently, Donna serves as a remote HR consultant for a growing OTP clinic based in Southern California, where she develops scalable HR strategies that support healthcare professionals and enhance patient care, while ensuring compliance with local and state regulations.
Previously, Donna partnered with a consulting firm to lead strategic planning and organizational restructuring for nonprofit organizations, and served as the Director of Human Resources at Success Academy Charter Schools, where she oversaw the network’s rapid expansion in the early 2010s and managed the annual recruitment of over 350 staff. Earlier in her career, Donna led executive searches for over 150 nonprofits as Director at Professionals for Nonprofits and coached over 500 MBA graduates as Program Manager of the Social Enterprise Program at Columbia Business School, guiding them toward socially responsible careers.
Donna holds a Master of Arts from New School University and is a certified coach through Columbia University’s Certified Coaching Program.