Alumni
Nursing Alumna to Serve as Undergraduate Ceremony Commencement Speaker
Donna Gentile O’Donnell ’84, PhD will serve as the Commencement Speaker for the 2026 Undergraduate Ceremony.
Dr. O'Donnell earned Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Gwynedd Mercy University and has since led a diverse and successful career in healthcare, life sciences, and public service in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Dr. O’Donnell was recruited to her current Director role at Zelira Therapeutics by Osagie, Imasogie, as she completed nine years at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health. She served as Special Assistant to Dr. Stephen K. Klasko, then president of Thomas Jefferson University and CEO of Jefferson Health, and was Senior Vice President of the organization's "Innovation Pillar." During her time at Jefferson, she led the partnership with Independence Blue Cross to create an entrepreneurs-in-residence program; worked with MIT to implement the "Jefferson Health Hack," a spinoff from the MIT Grand Health Hack; constructed and opened the Health Design Lab; and created events, courses and lectures around innovation and entrepreneurship.
She was previously the Managing Director of the Life Sciences Portfolio for the Eastern Technology Council for nine years. There, she played a significant role in developing BioAdvance, a Commonwealth funded entity designed to grow the life sciences industry in southeastern Pennsylvania. She was a special limited partner in PA Early Stage Partners Fund III, and participated in the first fund of Devon Park Ventures, a life science venture fund.
As the President of Franklin Health Trust, Dr. O’Donnell was instrumental in leading the negotiations for the merger of $50 million of the foundation's assets into the Drexel University College of Medicine. At Drexel, she served on the Boards of the University, the Medical School and the Law School. Earlier in her career, she served as Deputy Health Commissioner for Policy and Planning for the City of Philadelphia for Mayor Ed Rendell. In addition to many other policy initiatives, she obtained a $1.2 million federal grant to increase the rate of immunization for at-risk children and received the Clara Barton Humanitarian Award from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross.
In 2005, she was awarded Philadelphia Business Journal’s Women of Distinction Award. She was appointed by Governor Tom Wolf to serve on the Tobacco Health Advisory Committee at the Pennsylvania Department of Health. In addition, Dr. O’Donnell served on the Women's Financial Services Network Advisory Board for PNC Bank and has served on the Regional Editorial Board of ADVANCE For Nurses. A commentator in local, regional, and national media venues, Dr. O’Donnell is the author of the book Provider of Last Resort: The Story of the Closure of the Philadelphia General Hospital, co-author of multiple research-based studies and book chapters, and has penned numerous articles for publications such as Technology Times, The Daily Pennsylvania, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Philadelphia Daily News.
As a Democratic strategist and political commentator for 6ABC’s Inside Story in Philadelphia, and an at-large commentator for then MSNBC/NBC’s Hotline, Dr. O’Donnell remains committed and active in the civic, social and political arenas.
Dr. O'Donnell earned Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Gwynedd Mercy University and has since led a diverse and successful career in healthcare, life sciences, and public service in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Dr. O’Donnell was recruited to her current Director role at Zelira Therapeutics by Osagie, Imasogie, as she completed nine years at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health. She served as Special Assistant to Dr. Stephen K. Klasko, then president of Thomas Jefferson University and CEO of Jefferson Health, and was Senior Vice President of the organization's "Innovation Pillar." During her time at Jefferson, she led the partnership with Independence Blue Cross to create an entrepreneurs-in-residence program; worked with MIT to implement the "Jefferson Health Hack," a spinoff from the MIT Grand Health Hack; constructed and opened the Health Design Lab; and created events, courses and lectures around innovation and entrepreneurship.
She was previously the Managing Director of the Life Sciences Portfolio for the Eastern Technology Council for nine years. There, she played a significant role in developing BioAdvance, a Commonwealth funded entity designed to grow the life sciences industry in southeastern Pennsylvania. She was a special limited partner in PA Early Stage Partners Fund III, and participated in the first fund of Devon Park Ventures, a life science venture fund.
As the President of Franklin Health Trust, Dr. O’Donnell was instrumental in leading the negotiations for the merger of $50 million of the foundation's assets into the Drexel University College of Medicine. At Drexel, she served on the Boards of the University, the Medical School and the Law School. Earlier in her career, she served as Deputy Health Commissioner for Policy and Planning for the City of Philadelphia for Mayor Ed Rendell. In addition to many other policy initiatives, she obtained a $1.2 million federal grant to increase the rate of immunization for at-risk children and received the Clara Barton Humanitarian Award from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross.
In 2005, she was awarded Philadelphia Business Journal’s Women of Distinction Award. She was appointed by Governor Tom Wolf to serve on the Tobacco Health Advisory Committee at the Pennsylvania Department of Health. In addition, Dr. O’Donnell served on the Women's Financial Services Network Advisory Board for PNC Bank and has served on the Regional Editorial Board of ADVANCE For Nurses. A commentator in local, regional, and national media venues, Dr. O’Donnell is the author of the book Provider of Last Resort: The Story of the Closure of the Philadelphia General Hospital, co-author of multiple research-based studies and book chapters, and has penned numerous articles for publications such as Technology Times, The Daily Pennsylvania, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Philadelphia Daily News.
As a Democratic strategist and political commentator for 6ABC’s Inside Story in Philadelphia, and an at-large commentator for then MSNBC/NBC’s Hotline, Dr. O’Donnell remains committed and active in the civic, social and political arenas.