Dani Dawson is the executive director of development in the office of gift planning at the University of California San Diego. In this role, Dani leads a team of exceptional gift planning professionals who, together, raise philanthropic support for UC San Diego. Dani has successfully implemented an enhanced stewardship program and increased the unit’s campus and community presence through strategic outreach. Moreover, Dani restructured the office of gift planning to be more collaborative when working with fundraisers across the UC San Diego system, which now serves as a model for how the other central support teams operate. Dani has a true passion for helping people achieve their philanthropic goals through creative and thoughtful planning.
Dani earned her J.D. at Chapman University School of Law and her MBA at the University of Phoenix. She is the immediate past president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, San Diego Chapter and currently serves as the vice president of inclusion. Dani is a member of the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning San Diego, Women Give San Diego, and served as the chair of sponsorship for the 2016 San Diego Women’s March.