Donna Sternberg
Donna Sternberg was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1943. She is the Owner and Executive Vice President of Marketing for Starmount Life Insurance Company in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Donna is also on the National Board of Directors at AIPAC and is very involved in politics. During Hurricane Katrina, Donna spent time fundraising for survivors of the hurricane and helping restructure the Jewish community in Baton Rouge to meet the needs caused by the influx of evacuees. Donna worked with IsraAID to help assist New Orleanians and spent the months following the hurricane organizing and assisting disaster relief. She is married to Hans Sternberg, and they have four children.
Donna discusses her upbringing in Tyler, Texas, and her formative experience in B'nai B'rith Youth. She talks about attending the University of Texas and the Columbia University School of International Affairs before marrying in 1967. Donna recalls her experience as a Zionist in Baton Rouge during the Six-Day War in 1967 and raising money for Israel. She highlights her relationship with Israel and using her pro-Israel connections to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Donna remembers going to Baton Rouge and organizing the community. B'nai Israel served as a shelter for displaced people. She details the disaster relief provided by the Jewish community to all displaced people and the gratitude that she received in return. Donna discusses the impact of Katrina on the Jewish community and the government's response to the hurricane. Finally, Donna reflects on the changing politics of New Orleans and her family life.
