Dawn Dougherty

System Director
Philanthropy Education and Professional Development

Dawn Dougherty is the system director for philanthropy education and professional development for CommonSpirit Health’s philanthropy team. She has served the ministry since 2015, with over 20 years’ philanthropy experience. Dawn is responsible for the creation and delivery of comprehensive curriculum for over 300 CommonSpirit philanthropy staff across the country.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Dawn began her nonprofit career in 1996 in donor recruitment for the American Red Cross in Southern California. Concurrently, Dawn completed a fellowship with the Riordan Volunteer Leadership Development Program (Riordan Leadership Institute) focused on preparing young professionals to serve as effective nonprofit board members. She moved on to the American Red Cross National Headquarters in Washington D.C. where she managed operations and oversaw the flow and fulfillment of over one million gifts annually. Dawn spent over 10 years with Blackbaud as a senior fundraising systems consultant working to convert, implement, and maximize the use of The Raiser’s Edge with an exhaustive list of nonprofits including arts organizations, educational institutions, and health care systems.

Dawn received her bachelor’s degree in public administration with an emphasis in public policy and minored in microeconomics from the University of Southern California. She currently resides in the Bay Area, enjoys international travel, and has been to all seven continents.