The Greater Public Blog : Contributors

Dani Dawson
Dani is a visionary philanthropic leader, currently serving as Interim Chief Advancement Officer at Promises2Kids, where she spearheads transformative fundraising initiatives that uplift foster youth affected by abuse and neglect. Previously, as Vice President of Institutional Advancement at California Western School of Law, she more than doubled philanthropic giving in just six months and secured a record-breaking $3 million gift—the largest in the institution’s history—within 18 months. Before that, she served as Executive Director of Gift Planning at UC San Diego, leading a team that raised over $86 million in a single year, advancing cross-campus collaboration, and launching She Who Inspires, a publication honoring philanthropic women in San Diego. Dani holds a JD from Chapman University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix, combining legal, business, and philanthropic expertise to drive meaningful impact. She also proudly serves on the Board of Directors for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. Outside of her professional life, Dani finds joy cheering on her children, Dawson and Riley, at football games and dance competitions.