Donna C. Tonini

Donna C. Tonini is Associate Director at the Center for Global Studies, responsible for executing the programmatic activities, overseeing financial operations and managing the staff of the Center. Previously, she was a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Leadership & Cultural Studies for the National Center for Professional and Research Ethics, and a Research Specialist in the Office of Community College Research and Leadership, conducting research with postsecondary institutions in Singapore and in the U.S. She holds an Ed.D. in International Educational Development with a specialization in Finance & Planning from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research in Tanzania identified the most significant barriers of entry to secondary school that Tanzanian families faced in enrolling their children, including both financial and non-financial variables that affected access, as well as evaluated how current educational policy in Tanzania addressed those barriers and impacted enrollment growth. She also utilized financial analysis to determine the most cost-effective program choices for policies and their constituents. In addition to her research project in Tanzania, she has worked for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on development programs in Uganda and the Caribbean, leading projects in business planning, information technology and finance. She also has multiple years of risk analysis and training experience that spans several industries. Her previous graduate education also includes an M.B.A. in International Business from the Bentley Graduate School of Business.