Donna McLean

Donna has operated her own firm for the past 18 years, providing strategic advice, business development direction, and tactical plans for her clients.  She recently retired as a professor for Indiana University for their semester in Washington program which focuses on the Congressional budgetary and Executive regulatory processes. She is currently the Chair of the Management Advisory Council (MAC) which advises the FAA Administrator.  In 2006, she was confirmed by the Senate to serve a five year term on the Board of Amtrak.  She was the first woman Chair of Amtrak and helped usher in an era of increased ridership, increased revenues and new leadership.  In 2001, she was appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate as the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer of Department of Transportation.  After the horrific attacks of 9/11, Donna helped establish the newly formed Transportation Security Administration (TSA) including rapidly establishing TSA’s user fees and flexible funding structure which were the only funds provided for the first few months.  Donna served as the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Chief Financial Officer and is an expert in federal budgetary treatment.  Donna also worked at the Office of Management and Budget, and was a staffer at the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on the Aviation Subcommittee.  During her time on Capitol Hill, she helped shape the flexible procurement and personnel laws that FAA now uses. She and her husband live in Washington, DC.