The Association of Fundraising Professionals Welcomes Jackson Lee Davis, IV as Vice President of Culture and Belonging

The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) is excited to announce the appointment of Jackson Lee Davis, IV as its new vice president of culture and belonging. Davis, a globally recognized leader in inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA), brings more than two decades of experience driving organizational culture transformation across the corporate and nonprofit sectors.

In this newly expanded role, Davis will lead AFP’s strategic vision for IDEA, strengthening a culture of belonging across AFP’s global membership and the broader fundraising profession. He will also play a key role in implementing FORGE — AFP’s comprehensive framework for professional transformation centered on fairness, openness, respect, grace, and empathy. FORGE is designed to translate inclusion and equity from aspirational ideals into daily behaviors and shared practices throughout the AFP community.

Davis joins AFP following a distinguished career guiding DEI strategy at major organizations including MassMutual, Meta, Royal Caribbean, ESPN, and Fannie Mae. Known for his empathetic leadership and ability to connect organizational mission with inclusive practices, he has consistently delivered workplace, workforce, and marketplace strategies that deepen equity and drive measurable impact.

“Throughout my career, I’ve been inspired by the love of humanity — and this aligns with the mission of philanthropy and this expanded role,” said Jackson Davis. “AFP has a long-standing commitment to building a sector where every fundraising professional feels seen, valued, and empowered. I’m honored to join this mission and to help shape systems, behaviors, and cultures that enable all fundraisers to thrive. Together, we will strengthen belonging across AFP and accelerate the impact of IDEA for our members and the communities they serve.”

Art Taylor, AFP president and CEO, celebrated Davis’s arrival as a milestone in AFP’s ongoing work to elevate the fundraising profession and engage new generations of donors. “Jackson brings a rare combination of strategic vision, lived experience, and transformative leadership,” said Taylor. “As we launch FORGE, Jackson will help ensure these values show up in how we lead, how we serve, and how we support fundraisers and donors every day. His guidance will be essential in moving inclusion and equity from concepts into daily practice through shared standards, thoughtful audits, inclusive decision-making, and intentional relationship-building across differences, ultimately to raise more funds for institutions and causes. We are thrilled to welcome him to the AFP community.”

Davis’s extensive background includes leading global DEI teams, building multi-year strategic plans, revitalizing employee and business resource groups, integrating DEI into core business functions, and partnering with community and regulatory organizations to advance equity. His work has shaped national partnerships, philanthropic commitments, inclusive marketing efforts, and leadership pipelines across industries.

A fourth-generation Washington, D.C. native, Davis earned his B.A. in political science from the College of Charleston, where he served as president of both the student body and the Student Government Association. His board service includes the College of Charleston Foundation, Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce, DECA, and multiple alumni organizations.

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Since 1960, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has been the standard-bearer for professionalism in fundraising. The association works to advance effective and ethical philanthropy by providing advocacy, research, education, mentoring, collaboration and technology opportunities for the world’s largest network of professional fundraisers. AFP’s more than 24,000 members in 180+ professional chapters raise over $100 billion annually for a wide variety of charitable organizations and causes across the globe. For more information, go to afpglobal.org.
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