Ms. McDonald, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, received her Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Tennessee State University and a Master of Science degree in Psychology from George Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. After teaching in Davidson County elementary schools and later, serving as the Assistant Director of the Child Development Center at the University of Tennessee Nashville, Ms. McDonald relocated to Houston, Texas.

While in Houston, Ms. McDonald worked in mental health with the Harris County Mental Health Authority. She also worked in non-profit organizations before returning to her primary love of teaching at the University of Houston Child Development Center and Texas Southern University.

Arriving in California, Ms. McDonald initially was the Operations Officer at the Greater Sacramento Urban League before again returning to the field of education at San Francisco State University. She has since worked at the University of California, Davis, California State University, Sacramento, and the Los Rios Community College District. For twenty-three years, Ms. McDonald has been a Professor in Social Sciences/Ethnic Studies/Human Development in the Sierra College School District. Ms. McDonald is also a trained facilitator in Equity and Diversity seminars and workshops. For over twenty-five years, she has participated in the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education.

Endlessly curious and open to new experiences, Ms. McDonald has traveled extensively in the Caribbean, South America, Africa, India, New Zealand/Australia, and Europe.