Donaldson joins the TTU College of Education from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Pediatrics, where she was a postdoc. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Florida. Donaldson's research focuses on understanding the social and environmental factors that contribute to problematic and appropriate behavior in a diverse range of populations, including young children at risk for placement in special education due to behavior problems, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), individuals who are overweight or obese, and older adults with dementia.