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Julie Ragsdale

President, JD Impact, LLC

Julie Ragsdale is the President of JD Impact, LLC, a consulting firm focused on legal and philanthropic services for nonprofit organizations. With over 25 years of experience in higher education philanthropy and law, she has developed a strong reputation in the nonprofit sector. Ragsdale's expertise includes grantmaking, corporate compliance, and risk management, making her a valuable resource for organizations looking to navigate complex legal and philanthropic landscapes.

Professional Background

  • Current Role: As President of JD Impact since October 2023, Ragsdale leads efforts to assist nonprofits in selecting charities and ensuring responsible philanthropy.12
  • Previous Experience: She served as the Interim General Counsel and Vice President at Strada Education Network, where she managed legal affairs and supported governance for multiple committees. Ragsdale was instrumental in co-leading the COVID-19 Impact Coalition, which addressed urgent needs in the education sector during the pandemic.12
  • Early Career: Ragsdale began her career at Ice Miller in their Corporate Practice Group, focusing on various legal matters including mergers and acquisitions.2

Education

  • Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in Finance from Gonzaga University (1991-1995).
  • Juris Doctor (JD) from Willamette University College of Law (1995-1998) .12

Board Memberships and Leadership

Ragsdale holds leadership positions on several nonprofit boards, including:

  • Indianapolis Indians Charities
  • Indianapolis RBI She has also served as President of the Hamilton Southeastern Education Foundation.1

Skills and Expertise

Ragsdale is recognized for her ability to connect people, ideas, and resources to maximize social impact. Her skills encompass:

  • Philanthropy and networking
  • Knowledge management
  • Grantseeking and collaboration
  • Corporate insurance management, including risk assessment.2

Her work emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), particularly concerning vulnerable populations.2

Highlights

Aug 28 · linkedin

#JDImpact Always learning…enjoyed two full days at #Rally2024. Gained many insights about the future of sports - references to wearables and fan engagement with predictive analytics and AI. #AllisonBarberPhD shared her personal experiences with the risen profile of women’s sports and “Clarkonomics.” Great sessions and conversations about supporting entrepreneurs, like the work being done at #P30Indy. Awesome last session interview with Jann Mardenborough, the PlayStation gamer turned race car driver featured in the movie, Gran Turismo. Caught up with friends Sarah Cotterill of #TheHumanArray, Jordan Howard of #IntrepidFinance and Bryan Kelley of #spokenote and met new friends #DentonMontieth and #JonathanBragdon. Great conference - thanks to #ElevateVentures for hosting.

Jul 22 · linkedin

A friend recently shared the topic of a conversation with a board recruiter, and it has been bothering me. The recruiter (from a national recruiting firm) said they don’t recruit lawyers because their clients don’t want lawyers on boards. Recruiters should explain to their clients why lawyers make great board members. Lawyers:

  1. Are excellent at identifying risk.
  2. Know how to assess risk - what’s a legal risk vs business risk vs security risk (cyber or physical). Legal careers expose lawyers to experiences such as data breaches, employee disputes, and insurance complexities.
  3. Daily mitigate risk to protect company reputations and corporate culture.
  4. Ask good questions. Lawyers are not afraid to speak up respectfully, are curious, and are comfortable learning about new industries and business processes.
  5. Respect the need for good governance practices. Most lawyers won’t second guess the company’s General Counsel.
  6. Listen and hear each other out. Civility is critical to effective board functioning.
  7. Think critically. Lawyers are trained to do this in law school.

We lawyers spend our whole careers serving our communities and protecting client businesses and reputations. Women lawyers, in particular, bring virtues of empathy, common sense, and fairness and are superb at wearing many hats. Board recruiters should give lawyers a chance to prove our value as board members.

Related Questions

What are some notable projects Julie Ragsdale has led at JD Impact?
How did Julie Ragsdale's experience at Strada Education Network influence her work at JD Impact?
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How does Julie Ragsdale's background in finance and law benefit her philanthropic work?
Julie Ragsdale
Julie Ragsdale, photo 1
Julie Ragsdale, photo 2
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Location

Indianapolis, Indiana, United States