Ron Gifford

Creative connector.  A lively sense of humor and a playful wit.  Even keeled; loves theater but not into drama.  Oldest of seven, so used to being the go-to guy.  Enjoys a good bourbon. Likes the gym, the beach, and the Oxford comma.  Proud Dad and Papa.

Throughout his career, Ron has served nonprofit organizations in varied capacities: as a practicing lawyer, as chief executive for several initiatives, as a member of numerous boards, and now as a consultant and strategic partner.  

Ron holds a BoardSource® Certificate of Nonprofit Board Consulting, bringing leading edge resources that complement his decades of practical experience and expertise.  Ron provides valuable insights and support on strategic visioning, strategic planning, governance, succession and leadership transitions, and organizational structure.

As a partner in the Indianapolis law firm of Baker & Daniels (now Faegre Drinker) for more than 20 years, Ron assisted nonprofit clients on legislative advocacy, lobbying compliance, and public policy matters.  Ron moved to the nonprofit sector in 2008 to become chief executive of the Indy Partnership, overseeing economic development activities in the Indianapolis region.  Later, Ron served as executive director of the Central Indiana Transit Task Force, leading a public-private coalition. Ron was the founding CEO of Jump IN for Healthy Kids, the backbone organization of a collective impact initiative.  More recently, Ron served as the project manager for the Central Indiana Community Foundation’s Personal Mobility Network, leading several community development initiatives.

Ron has 35 years of experience serving on the boards of numerous nonprofits, including leadership roles as board chair and chair of governance, strategic planning, and leadership transition committees.  Currently, Ron is a board member of The New Harmony Project (board co-chair), the Indiana Repertory Theatre, Child Advocates (governance chair), and Jump IN for Healthy Kids.  Over the years he’s served on the boards of several other nonprofits.

Ron’s work as a lawyer, as a nonprofit executive, and as a writer has received national recognition and awards.  As the playwright for the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s annual fundraiser, the Celebrity Radio Show, Ron has helped raise nearly $2 million for the theatre’s programs over the past decade.  Among the other fun things he’s done, Ron was a co-host of two television series that aired on PBS stations in Chicago and northern Indiana.

Ron is a graduate of the University of Michigan (BA with distinction, 1981) and Georgetown University Law Center (JD, magna cum laude, 1985). 

Ron can be reached here.