Before joining Teach Plus, Donnell worked on Capitol Hill as an education legislative aide intern for U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu then went on to serve in the Obama White House, working on President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative to ensure the success of black and brown boys from cradle to career. Across his career, Donnell has led and supported fundraising efforts that drive change: When he returned to New Orleans to work with Democrats for Education Reform-Louisiana, he managed programs, secured partnerships, and expanded the organization’s intersectional portfolio. Afterward, he shifted to higher- ed at Tulane University, where supported the institution’s DEI initiatives, helping launch and fundraise for efforts to make the university more representative. He then co-led the Squared Network, securing vital funding for the organization which prepares first-generation students for college and beyond.
Donnell serves as Governance Chair and Secretary on the KIPP New Orleans Board of Directors. He earned a bachelor’s in Sociology from Franklin & Marshall College and his Master of Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit and philanthropic management from Tulane University.
Donnell resides in Baltimore with his partner Jinnesse and their two high-energy pups, Bubby and Maggie.
