Donna Colson serves on the City Council of Burlingame and was the Mayor in 2024. She was first elected to the Burlingame City Council in 2015 after serving in several key roles, including as a Parks and Recreation Commissioner, member of the Community Advisory Committee for the Community Center Redevelopment, and an early member of the Parks and Recreation Foundation Board. Additionally, she served on the Field Users Committee and the Bayfront Redevelopment Committee for State Land. From 1998 to 2007, Donna was appointed by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors to the San Mateo County Employees’ Retirement Association Board, where she served as a Trustee, Audit Committee Chair, Investment Committee Chair, and Board Chair. Her current City Council assignments focus on affordable housing, green energy and sustainability, fiscal responsibility, pension management, and economic development.

Beyond her local contributions, Donna serves on several prestigious boards. She is a founding Advisory Committee member for the UC Berkeley Haas Business School Center for Gender Equity and Leadership and has served for 15 years on the Filoli Estate Board, including a two-year term as President. Since 2017, she has been a Board Member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, where she addresses national policy issues such as affordable housing, sustainability, transportation, urban renewal, and historic preservation at 27 national historic sites.

Donna’s professional career spans 25 years in finance and investment. She holds a BA in Political Economics and an MBA in Finance from the University of California at Berkeley. Her dedication to education and the community has earned her numerous awards, including the H.J. Burns Award for Community Service to Burlingame schools and children, the Franklin School and Burlingame Intermediate School Service Awards, and the BCE Community Service Award.