Donna in earlier times stored the career out-of Elderly Secretary so you can Deputy Light Home Captain from Staff Josh Lyman and you will worked on both Russell and Santos presidential tips in 2006, as well as Bartlet's election tricks in 1998 and you may 2002.

Biography

Donna was born in Warroad, Minnesota to a keen Italian mommy and you will a keen Irish father, only to understand to the the end of President Bartlet's earliest term one the girl home town got retroactively become repositioned for the Canada, stripping her from her Us citizenship (her status are recovered owing to a “grandfather clause” on the legislation). This lady friends afterwards transferred to Wisconsin, in which Donna spent my youth. Regarding event “And it is Absolutely on their Borrowing from the bank” Josh Lyman keeps Donna's birthday celebration towards his blackboard, position the girl birthday a while regarding the slip (passing by the new date this new occurrence broadcast, a while within the beginning of paign after breaking up together date, merely to get-off in order to rekindle the dating; it didn't history, and you will Donna gone back to works to possess Josh.

Bartlet Government

Donna invested nearly half a dozen decades just like the Deputy Chief out-of Group Josh Lyman's priong multiple Light Home staffers subpoenaed in the Family of Representatives' data on the concealment out-of President Bartlet's numerous sclerosis. To the period she came across and you can old Republican Family Minority The advice Cliff Calley; later on while testifying, she mentioned not to keep a diary, he realized are false, that have viewed it in her bed room the last evening. Josh worked with Cliff to make sure Donna's lapse, and therefore she said is actually a reputable error, would not cause good perjury circumstances.

J. Cregg she had provided a specialist to your Arizona Blog post an enthusiastic inflammatory offer from the tensions between civil and you may military staffers in the White Domestic. That it angered Josh, Leo McGarry or any other older staffers, however, Josh next understood Donna would not provides identified the latest quoted recommendations which she try covering having Jack Reese, good Navy lieutenant leader she try relationship.

Given chatfriends that 2nd Bartlet term developed, Donna turned into restless together reputation and you will expected Josh to grow her character. The guy delivered the woman on good congressional delegation for the Gaza Remove having Congresswoman Andrea Wyatt and you can retired Admiral Percy Fitzwallace. She would posting repeated emails so you can Josh in trip and had a beneficial flirtation having an Irish photojournalist. A good roadside bomb smack the auto carrying the fresh American delegation, destroying Fitzwallace and several others, and you may critically wounding Donna, who had been flown so you're able to Germany getting emergency businesses towards the a folded lung, a reduced feet and other wounds. Josh travelled around to be because of the the lady front side.

Campaigns

Shortly after to focus on the fresh new White Domestic, Donna once again believed the girl work minimal ultimately retired to focus since the older guide so you can Tend to Bailey, Vp Bob Russell's strategy director towards the 2006 presidential election, place the girl in direct conflict which have Josh-that has retired his or her own Light Family standing to perform Matt Santos's promotion. Once Santos obtained the fresh new Popular nomination, Donna used on work for Josh during the their venture; the guy declined due to the woman weeks of personal periods into the Santos if you're employed by the latest Russell strategy, but Communication Movie director Louise “Lou” Thornton then hired her because the a venture spokesperson, pushing them to get together again. During the last days of the general election they finally offered in to numerous years of unrequited mutual romantic ideas. If stress of change overrun Josh, Sam Seaborn offered him an ultimatum when deciding to take a vacation or he won't subscribe because Deputy Chief out of Personnel, and Josh grabbed Donna which have him.

Santos Government

Donna grabbed a destination so you're able to Helen Santos's 1st troubles together partner's dancing strategy, providing the girl help and you may sense, and ultimately became the initial Lady's Chief off Staff.

Personality

Donna, like Margaret Hooper, is normally displayed just like the naive, ? ? ?  however the abilities that they left its respective bosses to your agenda belies you to image. She constantly took the fresh new ‘popular man' updates rather than Josh's ‘Ivy League' governmental perspective, paid attention to the brand new big flo ? ? ? w of information as much as her and often altered the woman stance based on good facts and solid arguments displayed. She was intuitive not only regarding the Josh and his need (because seen, including, inside “Noel”) but also the majority of people she discovered, concerning the folks of “Hartsfield's Getting” in ways no-one else about Light House had, being the one to understand Senator Howard Stackhouse's forgotten grandson and you can assume the root matter (“Brand new Stackhouse Filibuster”). Donna's composed temperament and you can capability to maintain guidance made their an enthusiastic indispensable house on Bartlet Management, and later on the management are courted to focus in the individual markets. Whenever she contended to feel unqualified because of the woman never finishing undergraduate training, she is actually informed you to definitely “doing work for Josh Lyman is better than an effective Master's knowledge”.