Don Dudley is a San Diego native and earned his BA and Masters in Social Work from San Diego State University. His professional experience spans more than 35 years in human services, first as a child protective services worker and supervisor and staff development officer. He then served as assistant social services director in Merced and San Diego counties and as director of the Kern County Department of Human Services.

He returned to San Diego in September of 1998 to join the faculty at the SDSU School of Social Work and become director of the Academy for Professional Excellence. The Academy is a county-university partnership providing organization development, planning, training and research for southern California county health and human services agencies and community based organizations. Major projects include the Southern Area Consortium of Human Services (SACHS), Public Child Welfare Training Academy, Leaders in Action, Tribal STAR and Project MASTER.

He works closely with county human services directors, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), CalSWEC and other Regional Training Academies to assist human service programs in southern California and ensure that the Academy is responsive to county needs.

Don is married and has a daughter and 3 grandchildren. He is a golfer, enjoys traveling, walking his 2 Westies and assisting his wife Natalie Sentz in her professional acting career.