MSC Fall Leadership Conference is dedicated to hosting experienced leaders who can provide diverse backgrounds and experiences to our delegates. As our speaker slate is booked for the 73rd Annual MSC Fall Leadership Conference, we will be sharing their information here. Please enjoy reading about our current speakers and keep an eye out for additions over the course of the summer!
CAPT(ret) Jenn Donahue, PhD, PE, PMP ’95
Jenn Donahue PhD, Class of ’95, is an author, retired US Navy Captain and former Commodore for an 1,800 personnel Regiment. She is also a civil engineer who works on large scale, high profile projects. Over her 27-year military career, Jenn has built a bridge across the Euphrates River in the midst of the Iraq war, commanded an 800-personnel Battalion in Afghanistan, and constructed combat outposts in the middle of deserts filled with insurgents.
Jenn passionately helps others overcome the obstacles that prevent them from achieving their grandest dreams and most ambitious goals. Today, Jenn is the Founder of JL Donahue Engineering, Inc. and Dare to Rise. She also lectures at UC Berkeley, UCLA, Virginia Tech, and CalPoly.
Dr. Frank B. Ashley III
Frank Ashley served as the Executive Associate Dean of the Bush School from 2016-2023 and as Interim Dean from 2023-2024. Before coming to the Bush Schol, Ashley served as a Senior Vice President for the College Board Corporation in New York. In his 40+ years in education, Ashley has served in a variety of roles, including teacher, coach and administrator.
After completing eighteen years of service at Texas A&M-College Station as a faculty member, Division Chair, Associate Dean, and Director of Admissions, Ashley transitioned to another A&M System School, Texas A&M-Commerce, as Dean of The College of Education. During his tenure he was very active in the surrounding school districts speaking to administrators, teachers, and students about the importance of education. Along with his work at the university, he served on the Commerce ISD School Board and in 2006 he received “The Citizen of the Year Award” given by the Delta XI Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. The following year Ashley received the “Distinguished Service Award” from the Faculty Senate of Texas A&M University- Commerce.
After three years in Commerce, Ashley returned to College Station as vice chancellor of academic affairs and later as vice chancellor for recruitment and diversity for the A&M System. His responsibilities included advising the Chancellor and Regents on academic and diversity issues across the System. For his service, he was awarded the title of Vice Chancellor Emeritus.
Ashley received his degrees from Louisiana College and The University of Alabama. He has numerous publications and presentations and is invited to present nationally and internationally. He is an Distinguish Alumni of Louisiana College and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree from his alma mater in May 2023. In March 2022 Ashley was inducted into the University of Alabama College Of Education Hall of Fame and in 2024 he was named as a Millenium Scholar by the University of Alabama Graduate School. He and his wife Janice have two children, Frank IV and Elizabeth.
Col. (R) Michael D. Reilly, USMC ‘94
Col Reilly is a 1994 graduate of Texas A&M University and 29-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served in a wide variety of leadership positions from the national to tactical levels and across all three Marine Expeditionary Forces and the intelligence community.
Col Reilly served as a commanding officer at every level in the Marine Corps; from platoon to installation. Specifically, he commanded rifle and 81mm mortar platoons with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment; Company H, Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion; 3rd Intelligence Battalion; and the Combined Arms Training Center at Camp Fuji, Japan.
Col Reilly held staff positions in 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment; III MEF G-2; II MEF G-2; and 2nd MEB G-2. He additionally served in the Defense Intelligence Agency (Joint Staff J-2), the National Security Agency, and in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command J3/5.
Col Reilly and his family lived in Japan for seven years and he deployed seven times; including two foreign humanitarian support operations and two combat deployments to Afghanistan.
Col Reilly completed his 29-year military career by serving as the Commanding Officer and Professor of Naval Science, NROTC Unit Texas A&M University and now serves as an Associate Professor of the Practice at Texas A&M’s Bush School of Government and Public Service.