Donald Hale, Jr. is the first Director of Orchestras at Almeta Crawford High School. Prior to his role at ACHS, he was the Director of Orchestras and Guitar, and Assistant Director of Bands at Mirabeau B. Lamar High School in Houston ISD.

He holds a Master of Music in Wind Band Conducting from Texas Christian University, a Bachelor of Music in Music Composition from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Texas All-Level Music Teaching Certification. His teachers have included: Jerry Junkin, Ryan Kelly, Scott Hanna, Donald Grantham, Russell Podgorsek, Yevgeniy Sharlat, Blaise Ferrandino, Bobby Francis, Matthew Garrett, and Brian Youngblood. 

He was named a Finalist Honorable Mention for the 2022 American Prize in Conducting/University Division for his performance of Joel Puckett's flute concerto The Shadow of Sirius with the Texas Christian University Wind Symphony and Professor of Flute Dr. Shauna Thompson. 

In his spare time, he is an active arranger and transcriber for winds and strings. He gave the premiere of his critical edition of John Tavener's Song for Athene for wind symphony with the Texas Christian University Wind Symphony. 

His affiliations include: Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Orchestra Directors Association, and American String Teachers Association,