Donald Barfield has over 20 years of executive leadership in educational organizations (public, non-profit and for-profit), including Far West Laboratory (now WestEd), San Francisco Unified School District and Harcourt Assessment. His leadership has resulted in the successful delivery of major research and development initiatives.

Extensive experience in assessment and research has made Donald a trusted advisor as evidenced in his roles as a participant on the National Academy of Sciences: Scientific Principles in Educational Research Committee, California Department of Education: Academic Performance Index (API) Technical Design Group and the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) Board of Directors.

Donald has 15 years of Regional Laboratory experience and has been repeatedly recognized as being an intellectual leader. He has received 27 research grants/contracts from foundations, federal, state and local education agencies, non-profit organizations and businesses. The complexity and feasibility of work in schools and the challenges of educators is well understood by Donald. He has managed the development of multiple assessment products and is currently and has extensive experience in web-based professional development programs.