Hailing from rural farming communities of central California, Donovon spent his teen years in the Colorado foot hills before bouncing around the country and eventually settling in the great northwest. Alongside the years of adventures, travel, and culinary gigs he found time to earn a B.S. in Chemistry from Eastern Washington University. During those years in Cheney, WA he performed research in medicinal and materials chemistry under the guidance of Travis Denton focused on the synthesis of biodegradable antibacterial carbohydrate polymers and primary metabolite analogs. A brief summer tenure at Western Washington University under the tutelage of Gregory O'Neil added synthesis of masked olefin polymers to Donovon's research experiences.

Upon completing his bachelor's degree Donovon moved to Corvallis, OR to pursue a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry and quickly joined Sandra Loesgen's research group. His current studies are aimed at the discovery of bioactive natural products from endophytic fungi as well as exploration of glycan mediated symbiosis and infection.