About

Donna Colbourn is a Senior Manager in Cushman & Wakefield’s Total Workplace group, with nearly 30 years of experience leading complex, multi-site workplace transformation initiatives. Her expertise includes data-driven workplace strategy, program management, and change management, with a focus on aligning real estate solutions to business goals and enhancing employee experience.

A certified Prosci® Change Practitioner, Donna Colbourn is recognized for seamlessly integrating change leadership, design advisory, and real estate governance into unified strategies that drive adoption and deliver lasting value. Most recently, she played a key role in Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Bay Area HQ consolidation, leading the Move and Change Management workstreams and developing the Workplace Delivery Playbook for the Americas. Her experience also includes serving onsite as a Program Manager at Genentech’s 5.5 million square foot South San Francisco campus, overseeing Chevron’s 9,000-employee Houston consolidation, and as Global Planner for Nortel.

Donna is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, an award-winning contributor at Cushman & Wakefield, and a committed mentor and community volunteer.

Awards & Recognition

• Presenter, The Building Show: “The Hybrid Workplace: Parameters, Specifics and Pitfalls” (Toronto, 2023)
• Presenter, OPTrust Investment Division: “The Future of Office” (2022)
• Presenter, Canada wide Change Management Webinar (Cushman & Wakefield, 2022)
• Speaker, Building Week Virtual Conference: “The Holistic Workplace – Game of Life” (Toronto, 2020
• Global Occupier Services High Performer Achievement Award (Cushman & Wakefield, 2019
• Publication: “Change is in the Air: How Workplace Strategy and Change Management Go Hand in Hand” (2019)
• Lead Speaker, Tradeline Space Strategies & Research Conferences (Boston, 2016)
• Presenter, CoreNet Chapter Event (San Francisco, 2016); SIG Conference (Tampa, 2015)

Affiliations

• Member, Cushman & Wakefield WIN (Women’s Integrated Network) 
• Member, CoreNet Global

Education

• Prosci Certified Change Practitioner: 2020  
• Project Management Rotation: Genentech, 2016  
• LEAD 12 Month Program: Women Unlimited Inc., 2015  
• Certified Project Manager: HOK University, 2006  
• Interior Design Diploma: Fanshawe College, 1997  
• Fine Art Diploma: Fanshawe College, 1991

Community Involvement

• DEI initiatives and charity events (Cushman & Wakefield, 2023) 
• Artist/Owner/Exhibitor, Drawings by Donna (2020–present) 
• Advisor, Junior Achievement (2021–2022) 
• Volunteer Construction Captain, Rebuilding Together San Francisco (2012–2017) 
• President, Board of Directors, Shore Dog Park Association, CA (2015–2017)

Areas of Specialization

Workplace Strategy & Transformation
Donna brings deep expertise in workplace strategy, portfolio optimization, and program management for large-scale transformation projects. Her work spans diverse sectors including corporate, public, biotech, energy, and higher education.

Strategic Leadership & Client Engagement
She leads business development initiatives and client delivery across the Americas, helping organizations reimagine their workplace environments through data-backed strategies, design and occupancy advisory, and change enablement.

Change Management & Employee Experience
As a Prosci® certified practitioner and a core member of Cushman & Wakefield’s Change Management Center of Excellence (COE) for the Americas, Donna develops and implements integrated change strategies that support employee engagement, cultural alignment, and successful transitions.

Notable Roles and Achievements: 
Donna has held key roles at Genentech, HOK, and Nortel, led high-impact projects for clients like Sony Interactive Entertainment and Chevron, and is recognized for her industry presentations and awards.