By John Larkins

Donna Portland, is a multifaceted person whose career journey spans the realms of literature, journalism, and philanthropy. As the author of "Positive Habits Get Results" and a former journalist at The Bugle Newspaper, Donna's transition to her current role as General Manager of the Quest for Life Foundation marks the realisation of her dream to make a meaningful impact in Bundanoon's charitable landscape.

Donna Portland was guest speaker at the Kiama Lions meeting earlier this month. 

And what a colourful tale she had to tell. 

With a career as diverse as it is intriguing, she spent six ‘very full time’ years working as a professional crew on superyachts, immersing herself in the enigmatic world of luxury travel. 

In her  talk, Donna revealed the inner workings of this exclusive industry, offering insights and dispelling misconceptions propagated by ‘reality’ shows like "Below Deck".

When Donna returned to Sydney in 1999 after working on yachts in The Mediterranean, Caribbean and USA waters, she became a mother.

At the same time she emerged as a leading figure in the Australian superyacht domain, earning awards such as the 2015 Business of the Year and the 2016 Industry Champion for her valuable contributions to the Australian superyacht sector.

Now residing in the Southern Highlands, Donna is an ardent advocate for sustainability, with a keen passion for electric cars.

It was a very interesting evening. Part of the purposes of Lions Clubs are Lions Clubs inspire service-minded people to serve their communities without personal financial reward. 

If you would like to enquire about joining the Kiama Lions you can do so via their website.