Donna Powless

Board Secretary

2007; First Term Completed October 2010

Donna Powless Vice President of Academic Affairs Academic Affairs Office

Donna started her education at Black Hawk College in Moline, Illinois. She earned an Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Studies ‘76. With three children, she later attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Behavior Disabilities ’85; Masters Degree in Educational Psychology ’90; and a Doctorate in Educational Psychology in 1995. She has worked in the Educational field for 20 years, starting as a Teacher’s Aid, Special Education Teacher, and School Psychologist. Her counseling licensure has enabled her to provide Mental Health therapeutic services to native people.  More recently, Donna has taken on roles of Administration at the Oneida Nations Schools, and Menominee Tribal School.

Donna accepted the position of Vice President of Academic Affairs at the College of Menominee Nation in September of 2005. Her duties include supervising the Instructional entities of the college and providing direction for the college to work toward their first Baccalaureate degree. She enjoys meeting and representing the college at various meetings and promoting collaboration between the Wisconsin University System, Wisconsin Technical College system, other community colleges, and the College of Menominee Nation. She is a board member of the Wolf River Habitat for Humanity and the WWHEL organizations.

She is married to David J. Grignon, who is the Historic Preservation Officer for the Menominee Nation. This keeps her well informed about the Language, Culture, and History of the Menominee people. Together they have a daughter (Kesekokiw Kenew); share 3 adult children (Shawn, Rami [Don], and Cameron [Amanda]); and enjoy three grandchildren (Saige, River, and Trina).  Donna lives for Reading, SoDuKo, puzzles, gardening, and sitting by lake. 

She believes that education at all levels will enhance an individual’s life, by providing them with the opportunity to gain confidence, and give them a brighter perspective as to how they fit into the world. She lives on the beautiful Menominee Indian Reservation with her husband and daughter. She promotes initiatives for diversity and under-represented persons in education.