Longtime NAFUSA member Donna Bucella was elected the 2024-2025 NAFUSA President at the general meeting in Oklahoma City (OKC) on September 27, 2024. Donna has been an active NAFUSA member, Director and Officer and, most recently, served as President Elect. She has successfully held a number of prestigious positions, both within government and in the public sector. She is currently Chief Compliance Officer for 7-Eleven, the largest convenience store chain in the United States.

Donna was appointed by President Clinton and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate as U.S. Attorney (USA) for the Middle District of Florida in 1999 and was the first U.S. Senate confirmed female USA in the State of Florida. Prior to that she led the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) as Director from 1997-1999 after holding other leadership positions within that agency.

Donna is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Law and received a B.A. from the University of Virginia. After graduating law school, she served in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps on active duty from 1984-1987, followed by membership in the Army Reserve until 2008 when she retired with the rank of Colonel.

In addition to her positions within the Department of Justice, Donna held leadership
positions with the Transportation Security Administration and was recruited by then FBI
Director Roert Mueller to create the Terrorist Screening Center, a multi-government agency post 9/11 for consolidating the U.S. Government’s approach to terrorist screening. From 2010 -2013 she served as Assistant Commissioner, Office of Intelligence and Investigative Liaison with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). While in this position she was the recipient of the Presidential Rank Award.

Donna practiced law in firms in Miami, Florida, and Washington, D.C. and held positions
with the Bank of America, Perot Systems, Education Management Corporation and
Guidepost Solutions, L.L.C. where she was President, Compliance. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the U.S. Attorney General’s Exceptional Service Award, the highest award given by the Attorney General.

NAFUSA is fortunate to have such a highly qualified and committed former U.S. Attorney as our president for 2024-2025. She announced in OKC that the 2025 NAFUSA  Annual Conference will be October 8-10, 2025 in Washington, D.C. at the Willard Hotel. It will be great!