She has also held important administrative positions with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB).
[1] In the 1980s she worked in various capacities for the Canadian government's Department of Communications, before in 1990 she joined the CRTC as its Director-General of Television.
[1] In this position, she was responsible for licensing television stations and dealing with Canadian content regulations.
[4] In May 2000, the Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada presented Macdonald with their Leadership Award for her "revitalization" of the NFB.
[6] At around this time, the CFTPA presented her with its Jack Chisholm Award, in recognition of her lifetime's achievements in the Canadian film and television industry.