Donna McQuaid

Donna is the Director of Blackthorn, a company that specialises in short courses teaching intelligence analysts the tools and techniques relevant to their roles. She is also on the Board of the New Zealand Institute of Intelligence Professionals, a role which allows her to contribute significantly to the ongoing evolution of skills and professional norms across the intelligence profession.

A former naval officer, Donna has served with both the Royal Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy. Having completed deployments around the globe as a warfare officer, she eventually subspecialised in intelligence, with a particular interest in cultural and regional dynamics. She has also been assigned to roles in operational and strategic headquarters, and thoroughly understands the needs to cater the intelligence to the customer’s needs.

Additionally, Donna possesses a lifelong passion for instructing and guiding others. One of her career highlights was designing and delivering cultural awareness training packages for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel; her work on this initiative was recognised with a commendation from the British Army’s General Officer Commanding Force Troops Command. Later in her career she was the lead instructor for the Defence Intelligence Analyst Course managed by the New Zealand Defence Force. She looks forward to continuing her training and teaching career as one of the instructors with IntelligenceHQ.