Brian Dowdall has provided strategic leadership in higher education and the nonprofit sector for nearly 30 years, specializing in cultivating relationships with donors, volunteers, and corporate partners to secure philanthropic support. He has successfully developed engagement and fundraising strategies that align with institutional goals, focusing on major & planned gift cultivation and campaign development.

Throughout his career, Brian has worked closely with institutional leadership to ensure fundraising efforts meet organizational needs. His results-oriented approach and deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in philanthropy have enabled him to lead complex projects and achieve significant fundraising goals. His work has positively impacted several institutions, including Kenyon College, The Ohio State University (Fisher College of Business and Wexner Medical Center), Northeastern University, Arizona State University, and the Arizona Science Center.

Brian has longstanding ties to the Valley, where his wife Shannon is a third-generation Phoenician on both sides of her family. They have three children with deep engagement within the Brophy & Xavier communities. An accomplished Kenyon College alumnus, Brian was an Academic All-American, a member of four NCAA National Championship teams, a sixteen-time event National Champion and a 28-time All-American. Brian was inducted into the Kenyon Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003. He received Kenyon’s Distinguished Service Award in 2024 for his leadership in volunteer efforts.