Leadership Team

Don Stump has more than 30 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations that serve youth and families in San Diego County. Don holds a Bachelor’s in psychology and anthropology from Texas Tech University and a Master’s in counseling psychology from Boston College. He also holds a postgraduate degree in chemical dependency treatment from Boston University.

Since joining Lifeline Community Services as Executive Director in 2007, Don’s accomplishments have included strategy development, community engagement, collaborative leadership, rebranding, and diversifying sources of support to the organization. Under his tenure he has doubled Lifeline’s annual budget and expand services to include transitional housing for former foster youth and critical outreach and comprehensive intervention for victims of human trafficking. He has served as the president of North County’s regional collaborative, the Alliance for Regional Solutions, and now chairs the affiliated North County CEO Alliance. Since its inception, Don has been co-chair of the north region’s Live Well San Diego Leadership Team. In addition, Don staffs and supports regional leadership for gang intervention and collective impact projects across North County. 

Prior to his appointment with Lifeline, Don worked with the Preuss School UCSD and with San Diego Youth Services as Associate Executive Director. He worked previously as the Project Director for SAY San Diego’s Mid City Family Resource Center, and as Prevention Manager for Alcohol and Drug Services with the County of San Diego.

Don is a graduate of Stanford University's Executive Program in Nonprofit Leadership, LEAD San Diego, CSU San Marcos - Leadership North County, and the Fieldstone Foundation’s Executive Leadership Program. Additionally, Don serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for North County Health Services, a growing community clinic in the region. He continues to serve as an advisor at the University of San Diego in the Nonprofit Management and Leadership Program and Governance Institute.

Significant acknowledgements include the Aleshire Leadership Award which recognizes an outstanding regional leader in North San Diego County;  the Spirit of Carol Sigelman Award recognizing civic engagement and philanthropy in the North County; and the 2018 Uniter Of the Year Award for UNITE North County  Coastal. Additionally, for the last three years, Don has been recognized by the San Diego Business Journal as one of the San Diego’s 500 most influential business leaders.