Donna has a love of hiking and mountaineering. She lived in Colorado until she was 12 and the family relocated to Easton. She was raised by her grandmother and started her own family right after high school. In this interview Donna talks about growing up in Easton and finishing school in Cle Elum. From the time hr youngest child was five years old she was taking her three children hiking. She discusses growingup in a small community where they walked everywhere and heated with coal. In the 1970's she attended Central Washington University and became an EMT2, later becoming director of ambulance services for Kittitas County.

 The peaks she’s summited: Mount Stuart, Bear Mountain, Mary Peak, Earl Peak. Koppen, South Engles Peak, Iron Peak, Navajo Peak, Peoh Point (three times), Silver Peak, and Miller Peak.