Donna Colson
Donna currently served as Mayor in 2024 and was elected to the Council in 2015 after having served Burlingame as a Park and Recreation Commissioner, member of the CAC for the Community Center Redevelopment, and an early member of the Park and Recreation Foundation Board. Prior to her election, she also served on the Field Users Committee and Bayfront Redevelopment Committee for the State Land. She was appointed by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors to the San Mateo County Employees' Retirement Association Board, serving from 1998 to 2007 as a Trustee, Audit Committee Chair, Investment Committee Chair and Board Chair. Her current Council assignments focus on her areas of expertise: affordable housing, green energy and sustainability, fiscal responsibility, pension management and economic development.
Her prior community service work includes leadership roles as Co-President at the Burlingame High School (2014/2015) and Burlingame Intermediate School (2011/2012) parent organizations, President of the Burlingame Girls' Softball Association (2008/2012), and Board Member for the BCE. She also co-chaired the 2007 Yes on Measure A Burlingame School District (BSD) facilities bond, the 2009 BSC Parcel Tax Renewal, and served as Chair of the BSD Bond Oversight Committee.
In addition to her Council work, Donna is currently a founding Advisory Committee member for the UC Berkeley Haas Business School Center for Gender Equity and Leadership. She has served on the Filoli Estate Board for 15 years and just completed a two-year assignment as President. She was appointed in 2017 to serve on the National Trust for Historic Preservation Board of Directors in Washington, DC where she will work on national public policy issues such as affordable housing, sustainability, transportation and urban renewal as well as represent the 27 national historic sites.
Donna also had an extensive 25-year finance and investment career that stared in the real estate industry where she worked on affordable housing and first-time homebuyer programs. She also provided real estate consulting for major institutional investors. Donna was a partner at Callan Associates where she managed overall strategic planning for her global clients. She joined London-based Baring Asset Management as a Senior Vice President in 1999 where she supervised their Western U.S. and then North American client service and marketing divisions. Finally, she was the Director of Client Service for Tukman Grossman Capital Management working with corporate pension funds, foundation and endowment clients. In 2011, Donna opened a family-owned indoor sports center specializing in futsal on Rollins Road.
Donna has lived in Burlingame with her husband and two daughters since 1998. They lived first in the Easton Addition and now reside in Burlingame Park. Her children attended Burlingame public schools.
Donna has a BA in Political Economics and an MBA in Finance from the University of California at Berkeley. She is the recipient of the H.J. Burns Award for Community Service to Burlingame schools and children, the Franklin school and BIS Service Awards, and the BCE Community Service Award.
Donna Colson serves on the Audit Committee, Chamber of Commerce Liaison, City / Schools Liaison Committee, Dog Park Advisory Group, Enterprise Property Committee, Housing Fund Subcommittee, Measure | Oversight Committee, Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE), Post Office / Town Square Advisory Group, San Mateo County Home For All, Broadway Grade Separation, City Hall Modernization and Safety Improvements, Sea Level Rise Shoreline Protection Improvements, El Camino Real Road and Utilities Renewal project, C / CAG Finance Meeting, C / CAG Resource Management and Climate Protection, OneShoreline, Peninsula Clean Energy Executive Committee, Peninsula Clean Energy Audit and Finance Committee, and the San Mateo County Housing and Development Committee.