Donatella was born and grew up in Rome, Italy. Her passion and curiosity for the sky and its mysteries are cultivated at La Sapienza University where she graduates as an astrophysicist. Thanks to scholarships received from the University, Donatella furthers her education with visits to the United States. Her doctoral research work conducted on black holes at La Sapienza, awards her with an internship at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, California, USA.
Upon her return to Italy, the experience gained and her enthusiasm, make Donatella a brilliant candidate for, and is entrusted with, a Program Manager position for a prestigious Italian company, the largest satellite manufacturer in Europe, with a global market in the aerospace industry.
In those years Donatella discovers recreational flight, which eventually leads her to embrace her dream in a new carrier path relevant to the aviation industry. Donatella currently holds the position of helicopter division Program Manager at Leonardo, (former Agusta Westland/Finmeccanica) located near Venice, Italy.
The engaging work environment and her passion for flight, never stops Donatella from pursuing new horizons. She becomes a licenced pilot of hot air balloon, airplane, helicopter, gyroplane. Nearby the Lagoon of Venice and Jesolo beach, Flight School Club "Papere Vagabonde", Donatella is flight instructor: airplane, helicopter, and gyroplane, the latter being the type of aircraft used for the solo flight which gave her the world altitude record in 2015.