Today we’d like to introduce you to Donna Pilson.
Hi Donna, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am originally from Orlando and graduated from Jones High School. I attended and graduated from Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, AL., with a BS in Aerospace Engineering. While there, I was on scholarship with the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and upon graduation, was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant (2Lt) in the United States Air Forces. I served 25+ years as an engineer and program manager, working mostly space and aircraft acquisition programs. Other opportunities while in the Air Force included recruiting minorities for the Air Force ROTC scholarship program and planning conferences and events for the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
Also, while active duty, I obtained Master’s degrees in Aeronautical Sciences and Military Sciences from Embry Riddle and the Marine Corps University. At the point of retirement, I was serving a Commander for a unit in Warner Robins, GA, executing over $1B annually on military vehicles and support equipment. After retirement, I returned to Florida (Panama City) where less than three months later, the area was devastated by Hurricane Michael. For a week following the storm, my husband and I found ourselves working the shelter housed at his school (he’s a high school principal), seeing to the needs of residents that had lost almost everything. That turned into longer-term volunteer service with the county’s long-term recovery organization, and when the opportunity arose, I applied to be the organization’s first Executive Director. Now, reaching the 18-month point, we have grown the organization such that we are able to help hundreds of Bay County residents still recovering and have expanded operations to include a COVID-19 response.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No. The challenges of raising a family within the military culture were great. My family moved every 2-4 years so we had to be very flexible. We also experienced a four-year separation that put a strain on the family. As a black female rising in rank, eventually achieving a level reserved for the top 2% of the Air Force, I was always on guard and felt the need to work doubly hard and hold myself to a much higher standard than my counterparts. In my current position in disaster recovery, I find that there just is not enough resources readily available to meet the many needs of residents still recovering.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At present, I serve as the Executive Director for Rebuild Bay County, Inc. We are a non-profit organization that assists Bay County residents are recovering from declared emergencies and help build resilience within our community. We assess resident needs and seek to connect them to the appropriate resources to satisfy those needs. This could be home repairs or rebuild, bill pay, food, or sometimes just providing an attentive ear. A significant piece in what I do is establishing strategic partnerships and building relationships that allow access to critical resources. In this position, I am most proud of the fact that we started this organization and have grown it from nothing to being able to provide over a million dollars in support to our most vulnerable population in less than two years. What sets me apart from others is that I am willing to work with whoever can aid in this effort and am willing to ‘do the work’ in coming up with creative ways to solve problems for the benefit of our residents. In my military career, what I am most proud of is retiring after 25 years, having risen to the rank of Colonel with my beautiful family intact. When I was pregnant with my first child, I was told that I would never make a certain rank. “We” (because it was a family achievement) not only made that rank but we went above it.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Everyone that starts with you may not be meant to finish with you. Run your race to the best of your abilities, unafraid to leave some behind. Just be willing to reach back to pull them forward.
Contact Info:
- Email: director@rebuildbaycounty.org
- Website: rebuildbaycounty.org
- Facebook: @RebuildBayCountyInc
