Donna Orem, Chair, Governance Committee

Donna Orem retired as the President of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) in August 2023, after spending more than 40 years serving independent schools in a variety of capacities. NAIS is an international membership association that provides services to more than 2,000 schools and associations of schools in the United States and abroad.

Donna also served as NAIS’s Chief Operating Officer for 11 years before becoming President. In that capacity, she directed the organization’s strategic planning and provided vision and leadership in the identification and development of new initiatives, products, and services. She also oversaw NAIS’s human resources and talent management.

Donna joined NAIS in 1998 as the Vice President for Educational Leadership and later became the Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Research. Prior to joining NAIS, she served as the Vice President for Products and Services Development at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and as Associate Director for the American Association of University Women (AAUW).

She speaks frequently about leadership, governance, trends in independent education, and workforce development. She is the author of numerous books and articles, including the NAIS Trustee Handbook, 10th edition. She holds a BA in English from St. Joseph’s University (Pennsylvania) and attended graduate school at the University of Maryland School of Journalism. She has served on numerous school and nonprofit boards and chaired the Board of Trustees at Edmund Burke School in Washington, DC.

Donna resides with her family in Bethesda, Maryland, and is an avid gardener and hiker.