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Donna Gatto-Fraley
Donna Gatto-Fraley graduated from Gloversville High School
in 1965, and she credits two areas of her experience there
with helping to shape her successes: A great education
with an emphasis on achievement, and friendships that have
lasted more than 40 years and have helped sustain her over
the years.
After graduating from GHS, she continued her education at
Fulton- Montgomery Community College, then Buffalo State
College, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree
in 1969. She later earned a Master’s Degree in Special
Education in 1980, at Worcester State College in
Massachusetts.
While still at FMCC, she was elected Student Government
Association president and helped graduating high school
students to explore FMCC as a possible stepping-stone to
secondary education. After graduating from SUNY Buffalo,
she worked as a speech and language pathologist in New
York, Massachusetts, and Florida for more than 20 years.
During those years, she also volunteered extensively for
the Special Olympics, the Very Special Arts, and the
Learning Resource Center.
Mrs. Gatto-Fraley has dedicated her life to education,
particularly special education and speech pathology. She
is co-author of a guidebook on speech and language
development from birth to age 12 titled Rainbows for
Rosie. She wrote a proposal for and received a “Social
Inclusion Project” grant from the state of Florida for
Haines City High School, where she has worked since 2001.
She also assisted in writing a successful proposal for a
three-year, $500,000 grant from the Melinda Gates
Foundation awarded to Haines City High School.
She established a consulting company, Educational Planning
and Consulting Services, and she is a popular presenter at
state and national education conferences. Mrs. Gatto-Fraley
received a “Woman of Distinction” nomination from the Girl
Scouts of America.
Mrs. Gatto-Fraley managed a congressional campaign in 2006
and continues to lobby and advocate for educational reform
and best inclusive practices for children.
Together with her husband, George Fraley, she has four
children: Brett Circe, George, Dan and Suzanne Fraley.
They have five grandchildren.
She was nominated by her mother, Dorothy Viscusi |
