Donna Cole, left, poses with University of Wisconsin–Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin after receiving her Excellence in Service Award.
Donna Cole, administrator for the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the University of Wisconsin, was recognized for her excellence in service at the 2026 Academic Staff Excellence Awards on April 8. Cole has worked at the UW for more than 30 years bringing curiosity, determination, and collaboration to each role.
As administrator of the Osher Center, Cole manages a diverse set of responsibilities. Her work includes overseeing research administration, supporting outreach efforts, managing finances, and assisting with grant development. By working closely with faculty and staff, she helps strengthen integrative health programs across UW Health and within the broader community.
Throughout her career, Cole has been known for taking on complex administrative responsibilities that support the work of faculty, staff, and learners. Before joining the Osher Center, she held leadership positions at the Center for Health Disparities Research, the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute, Russell Laboratories, the Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, and the Center for Healthy Minds. In these roles, she managed large‑scale operations, led administrative teams, coordinated major grants and research partnerships, and helped ensure that research and clinical programs ran smoothly. Her work has spanned multiple schools and campuswide centers, reflecting a consistent focus on serving the whole university.
In addition, Cole has remained engaged in service to the campus community. She has been actively involved in academic staff governance for many years through both elected and appointed positions. Her service includes leadership roles in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, service as vice chair of the Academic Staff Executive Committee, and work as an academic staff representative to the Universities of Wisconsin.
One of the aspects of her career that Cole values most is mentoring. Through years of guidance and support, she has helped academic staff grow in their roles and navigate complex university systems. That commitment to people, along with her extensive service and leadership, is central to the impact recognized by this award. “I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to mentor so many academic staff, both through the Academic Staff Mentoring Program and informally. I have loved getting to know colleagues across campus who perform incredibly important work for the university,” said Cole.
In her acceptance speech, Cole noted that UW–Madison’s greatest asset is its people: “I have come to believe that the greatest strength of UW–Madison is not the prestige of the name on our letterhead but the grit and grace of the people who work here every day.”
Since 1991, the Academic Staff Excellence Awards have recognized academic staff members who go above and beyond in their campus roles as researchers, instructors, administrators, technicians, and public servants.
Published: April 2026