Dawn Gibbons, former First Lady of Nevada and the only First Lady to be a state legislator, has joined the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) as vice president of development.
Gibbons has championed fundraising and public awareness for many important causes, including autism, domestic violence, human trafficking, drug addiction and the military. She helped propel the popular Crystal Darkness campaign worldwide and co-chairs the Organ Donor and Tissue Task Force at the University of Nevada Medical School. The Nevada Police Protective Association named her Assemblywoman of the Year.
“Dawn is well respected in our great state,” said Mari Kay Bickett, JD, chief executive officer of the NCJFCJ. “In collaboration with our ongoing outreach, she will provide leadership for individual, corporate and foundation fundraising. I am confident she will be successful in opening new doors and helping the NCJFCJ further its reach locally, statewide and beyond.”
“This new venture encompasses everything I have worked for as legislator and First Lady,” said Gibbons. “These are issues that touch my heart, relating to the nucleus of the family. The family courts and judiciary can make the biggest impact. I am looking forward to connecting our community and the nation in this respect.”
As a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno, Gibbons is a successful businessperson, and has received many accolades, including: Business and Professional Women Woman of the Year: Who’s Who in Business; Who’s Who in Politics; Who’s Who of Women; the Attorney General’s Role Model of the Year; and the Las Vegas Women to Watch award.
Dawn has served on prominent boards such as the Desert Research Institute, Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, Sierra Bank of Nevada, American Red Cross, The Children’s Cabinet, Westcare, the National Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free and the Children’s Advocacy Alliance. She was the 2011-2012 Chairwoman of Go Red for Women with the American Heart Association and the 2012-2014 Chairwoman of Circle of Red. Dawn had her own radio talk show with Fox News 1270 called The Inside Scoop and did a political news segment with Jim Rogers on the NBC affiliates in Nevada known as Dawn & Jim. Dawn was senior vice president of communications and government relations with KSNV News 3, KRNV News 4, and KENV News 10. She is the mother of Navy LT. and Naval aviator, Jimmy Gibbons.
About the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ):
Founded in 1937, the Reno, Nev.-based National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, is the nation’s oldest judicial membership organization and focused on improving the effectiveness of our nation’s juvenile and family courts. A leader in continuing education opportunities, research, and policy development in the field of juvenile and family justice, the 2,000-member organization is unique in providing practice-based resources to jurisdictions and communities nationwide.