Donatella Moss, more commonly known as Donna, was the Chief of Staff to First Lady, Helen Santos. She previously held the position of Senior Assistant to Deputy White House Chief of Staff Josh Lyman and worked on both the Russell and Santos presidential campaigns in 2006 as well as Bartlet's election campaign in 1998.
Biography
Prior to Bartlet Administration
Donna was born in Warroad, Minnesota, only to find out toward the end of President Bartlet's first term that her hometown had retroactively been repositioned into Canada, thus stripping her of her United States citizenship. Her status as a U.S. citizen was restored thanks to a "grandfather clause" in the law. Her family later moved to Wisconsin, where Donna was raised.
She joined the Bartlet campaign after breaking up with her boyfriend, only to leave to rekindle their relationship. It did not last, and Donna returned to work under Josh Lyman.
Bartlet Administration
Donna spent nearly six years as the primary assistant to Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman. She was among numerous White House staffers to receive a subpoena during the House of Representatives investigation into the concealment of President Bartlet's multiple sclerosis. Around that time she met and dated Republican House Minority Counsel Cliff Calley. While testifying, Donna stated she did not keep a diary, which Cliff knew not to be true, having seen it in her bedroom the previous night. Josh worked with Cliff to ensure Donna's transgression, which she said was an honest mistake, did not result in a perjury case.
As the second Bartlet inauguration drew near, Donna told C.J. Cregg she had given a researcher with The Washington Post an inflammatory quote about tensions between civilian and military staffers at the White House. This angered Josh, Leo McGarry and other senior staff members, but Josh soon figured out Donna could not have known the information contained in the quote. He realized she was covering for Jack Reese, a Navy lieutenant commander whom she was dating at the time.
As the second Bartlet term progressed, Donna became restless with her position and asked Josh to expand her role. Josh sent her on a congressional delegation to the Gaza Strip, along with Congresswoman Andrea Wyatt and retired Admiral Percy Fitzwallace. She sent frequent emails to Josh during the trip and had a flirtation with an Irish photojournalist. A series of vehicles carrying the American delegation were hit by a roadside bomb. Fitzwallace and several others were killed, and Donna was critically wounded. She was medevaced to Germany to receive emergency surgery for a collapsed lung, broken leg and other injuries. Josh flew to Germany to be by her side.
Departure from Bartlet Administration
After returning to work at the White House, Donna again felt limited by her work responsibilities and eventually resigned to work as senior aide to Will Bailey, Vice President Bob Russell's campaign manager for the 2006 presidential election. Her new position placed her in direct conflict with Josh, who resigned his own White House position to run the Matt Santos campaign. After Santos won the Democratic nomination, Donna applied to work for Josh at the Santos campaign. Josh said "no", on the grounds that Donna had spent months making personal attacks on Santos while working for the Russell campaign. She was later hired by Communications Director Louise "Lou" Thornton as a campaign spokesperson. Lou then forced Josh to reconcile with Donna.
In the days leading up to the general election, Josh and Donna finally gave in to years of unrequited romantic feelings between them. When the stress of the transition overwhelmed Josh, he was ordered by President-Elect Santos to take a vacation, and he took Donna with him.
Santos Administration
Donna was appointed Chief of Staff to First Lady Helen Santos.
Resume
Education
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (dropped out after two years to work full-time and support her boyfriend who was a med-student)
Political History
- 1998 : Campaign Aide to Political Director Josh Lyman for the "Bartlet for America" presidential campaign
- 1999-2005 : Senior Assistant to the Deputy White House Chief of Staff for Strategic Planning
- 2005-2006 : Campaign Aide to Campaign Manager Will Bailey for the "Bob Russell for America" presidential campaign
- 2006 : Press Secretary for the "Bob Russell for America" presidential campaign
- 2006 : Press Secretary for the "Santos/McGarry for a Brighter America" presidential campaign
- 2007-present : Chief of Staff to the First Lady of the United States
Quotes
See Also
| PREDECESSOR Jeff Johnson |
Senior Assistant to the Deputy White House Chief of Staff for Strategic Planning 1999-2005 |
SUCCESSOR Marla Whorisky (temp) |
| PREDECESSOR Amy Gardner |
Chief of Staff to the First Lady of the United States 2007-present |
SUCCESSOR Incumbent |