Dr. Donald Arnette spent his early years in New Orleans, LA. Ultimately, his parents relocated to the Dallas, Texas area, where he currently resides. He attended the University of North Texas where he received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology. Dr. Arnette went on to further his education and was accepted at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. It was there that he also performed research projects at Yale School of Medicine. In 2005, he received a Ph.D. from UT Southwestern Medical Center, where he was the first African American male to receive a Ph.D. from the Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology (DCMB). His post-doctoral fellowship in Cardiology, with the department of Human Growth and Development, was led by Nobel Prize winning physicians, Drs. Mike Brown and Joel Goldstein.
Dr. Arnette his fellowship, he committed countless hours researching why cardiovascular disease is more prevalent in minority communities. From 2005 to 2007, he worked with the Dallas Heart Study and the American Heart Association. Dr. Arnette also led the Genetics of Longevity in African Americans Study. He has worked for major pharmaceutical companies, including Bristol Myers Squibb, Dendreon, and Onyx Pharmaceuticals. He currently serves as a Medical Affairs Director with Abbvie Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Arnette has professionally devoted his life to serving patients by helping to develop more effective drugs with minimal side effects.
Since 2015, Dr. Arnette has been drawn to motivational speaking and mentoring both the local youth and professional athletics in the Dallas metro area. He relates to his audiences by being transparent about his trying journey to success. His purpose is to change both the perception and reality of those who hear him. It is his drive for empowering and motivating others that commissioned him to write his first book entitled “I Am Supposed to be Here” – The Art of Dealing with Perceptions. In this book, he shares his personal story of triumph over adversity and misconceived perceptions while pursuing his childhood dream of becoming a doctor. Dr. Arnette’s mission for writing, “I Am Supposed to be Here” is threefold. First, to expand the perception of how the society of young people identify “success”. Secondly, to offer positive methods for dealing with those in authority. And thirdly, to impart effective practical concepts for overcoming personal adversity.
Desoto, TX is home to Dr. Arnette, his wife and their 3 children.