Donna Baranski-Walker

Donna Baranski-Walker was awarded the Medal of Gratitude at Poland's Gdansk Shipyard in 2010 for her efforts nearly 30 years earlier in support of Poland's Solidarity Trade Union Movement when martial law was declared.

Donna is the founder and executive director of the Rebuilding Alliance, a nonprofit organization that brings grassroots advocacy, world class architectural design, green building expertise, financial resources, and insurance guarantees together to create and sustain affordable, energy-efficient homes for families who are rebuilding their neighborhoods in conflict zones. Partnering with non-governmental groups in East Jerusalem, Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel, Donna sets-up the details of each rebuilding project, then invites Israelis and Palestinian to the U.S. to tell their stories to people of all faiths, meet with policy makers, and raise funds for the project. She is an M.I.T. engineer and also holds an M.S. from the University of Hawaii.