Pamela J. Davidson

Pamela Jones Davidson, J.D., is President of DAVIDSON GIFT DESIGN, Bloomington, Indiana, a consulting firm specializing in gift planning, planned giving program design and implementation, and training. She is also a Senior Vice President for THOMPSON & ASSOCIATES, offering estate planning services to nonprofits; she has earned its FCEP designation. Before forming her own company in 1999, she was a charitable gift planner and consultant for three years with Laura Hansen Dean and Associates, Indianapolis, Indiana. From 1985 through 1996, she was with Indiana University Foundation, leaving that organization as its Executive Director of Planned Giving and Associate Counsel.

Ms. Davidson received her undergraduate degree from Indiana University in 1975, and graduated magna cum laude and top 10% from the Indiana University School of Law at Indianapolis in 1979. She has previously been an examiner in the Estate and Gift Tax Division of the Internal Revenue Service, and later practiced business, corporate and probate law with an Indianapolis law firm before joining the nonprofit sector in 1985.

Ms. Davidson was the 1999 President of the National Committee on Planned Giving (now, Partnership for Philanthropic Planning, "PPP"), and served NCPG in various capacities during her six years on the Board, in 1995 as Education Chair, in 1996 as Secretary, and as President Elect in 1998. She served as NCPG's 2000 Nominating Committee Chair and as a past member and chair of its Ethics Committee. She is a member of PPP's Leadership Institute.

Ms. Davidson has been on the Editorial Board of the Planned Giving Design Center, and has served as faculty of The College of William and Mary National Planned Giving Institute. She is a past board member and past treasurer of the Indiana Chapter of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives (now, Association of Fundraising Professionals, "AFP"), and is a past board member and president of the Planned Giving Group of Indiana. She is a past president of the Network of Career Women, and a Leadership Bloomington alumna. She is on the Boards of her local WFHB Community Radio and LEAF (Lotus Education and Arts Foundation), and on the donor development committee of Middle Way House, her community's nationally recognized women's shelter. She serves on the Community Advisory Boards of both her local public radio and television stations, and is a member of APTS (America's Public Television Stations) (Lay) Leadership Council.

Ms. Davidson over her thirty year career has made countless presentations throughout Indiana and nationally to development professionals, planned giving councils, estate and tax attorneys, accountants and financial planners, and to prospects and donors about planned giving and charitable giving techniques. She is well known for her motivational and empowering message, stated in practical and pragmatic terms, about gift planning advantages and options that can benefit individuals, families and valued charities all.