Danielle Dawson

Bio

Currently the Chief Advancement Officer at Promises2Kids, Dani is a visionary leader dedicated to fostering a culture of philanthropy.  Most recently, as the Vice President of Institutional Advancement at California Western School of Law, Dani undertook a multifaceted approach to fundraising that yielded remarkable results. In her first six months as the VPIA, Dani's impact was immediately evident as she more than doubled the amount of philanthropic gifts raised for the law school. Her relentless dedication and strategic acumen have been instrumental in propelling the institution’s philanthropic efforts to new heights. Within her first 18 months in this pivotal role, Dani achieved a groundbreaking milestone by securing a remarkable $3,000,000 gift. This landmark donation stands as the largest in the law school’s history, a testament to her ability to connect donors with a compelling vision.

Before her tenure at California Western School of Law, Dani served as the Executive Director of Gift Planning at UC San Diego, where she led a team that achieved extraordinary success by raising over $86,000,000 in just one year, developed a model for fundraisers to work more collaboratively across the institution, and lead an effort to compile and publish stories from philanthropic women in San Diego titled She Who Inspires. Her remarkable achievements at UC San Diego underscore her ability to drive philanthropic initiatives to unprecedented levels of excellence. Dani possesses a genuine passion for helping individuals realize their philanthropic aspirations through creative and thoughtful planning and she uses this passion to maximize philanthropic success.

Dani’s educational background includes a JD from Chapman University School of Law and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Dani is a Past President of AFP San Diego, a member of Women Give San Diego, and a volunteer for Casa Cornelia. When not talking about philanthropy, Dani enjoys spending time with her teenage children, Dawson and Riley.