Ambassador Joe Donnelly Discusses Leadership, Service & Global Diplomacy (Copy)
RCB President Jeff Stone and Rotarian Doug Jones with Ambassador Donnelly
This week, the Rotary Club of Birmingham (RCB) welcomed former U.S. Senator, Representative and Ambassador to the Holy See Joe Donnelly for a conversation reflecting on leadership, public service, and his time representing the U.S at the Vatican.
Donnelly shared stories from his years representing Indiana in the House and Senate, including bipartisan work with colleagues such as former Congressman Spencer Bachus and lessons passed down from mentors like Father Hesburgh of Notre Dame. He spoke about the importance of doing “the right thing, not the easy thing,” a principle that guided him through major legislative moments such as the Affordable Care Act.
He also offered insights from his recent role as U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican, describing the Vatican’s unique global influence and its partnership with the U.S. on humanitarian efforts—from supporting Ukrainian children displaced by war to navigating conflict in Gaza. Donnelly cloncluded with reflections on the power of public service, the value of character in leadership, and lighthearted notes on college football rivalries.
Bio for Ambassador Joe Donnelly
Joe Donnelly was nominated on October 8, 2021, and confirmed January 20, 2022, as U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See. Previously, he represented Indiana in the U.S. Senate from 2013 to 2019. He previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives (2007–13).
Donnelly was born in New York City and raised on Long Island. He attended Notre Dame, receiving a bachelor’s degree (1977) in government and a law degree (1981). He worked for a law firm in South Bend before opening a printing business in nearby Mishawaka in 1996. He served on the state election board for a year (1988–89) and then on a local school board for four years (1997–2001).
Donnelly was twice reelected to the House before running for the U.S. Senate in 2012. A moderate in a state long divided between largely Democratic urban areas and Republican suburban and rural districts, he won endorsement from newspapers and business organizations throughout the state. Donnelly won the 2012 general election, becoming the first Democrat to win a statewide race in Indiana in more than 10 years.