Donna Conaty is Director of the School of Music at San Diego State University. Previously she was Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Research, and Curriculum in the College of Fine Arts at Ohio University. Conaty has performed as principal oboe of ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, Columbus, OH since 1991.

Other performance credits include seven seasons in the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music Orchestra, conducted by Marin Alsop in Santa Cruz, CA as well as performing recitals and master classes for numerous professional music conferences and university audiences.

Conaty is an active arts advocate and serves on the boards of San Diego Mainly Mozart Festival, California Music Project, and San Diego Community Council for Music in the Schools. She has served as a grant reviewer for the Ohio Arts Council since 2002.