Throughout 2006, he worked as a police reporter with Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper, covering fires, floods, the gangland war and CBD shootings.

In the four years prior, he held a position as an awarded reporter and senior editor across a number of mastheads within News Ltd's Leader newspaper group.

[1] Doran played a key role in Network Ten's coverage of a series of natural disasters, including the devastating Christchurch earthquakes, the deadly Pike River mine explosion in New Zealand's West, the Christmas Island boat tragedy and the tsunami which obliterated North-East Japan.

He continued to present Ten Eyewitness News Morning until the bulletin was cancelled in May 2014 due to cost-cutting measures, and Doran returned to reporting.

Doran attended and graduated from St Kevin's College in Toorak, Victoria, completing his Victorian Certificate of Education.