Don Budinger
Don Budinger is chairman and a founding director of the Rodel Foundations; a founding director of the Rodel Institute; founding chairman of Science Foundation Arizona; founding chairman of the College Success Foundation; a founding board member of Tucson Values Teachers, and Emeritus Board Member of Stand for Children. He serves on the board of Save Democracy, Inc., and is a member of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council. Don is a former member of the O’Connor House Advisory Group and is a former board member of Greater Phoenix Leadership and Basis Charter Schools.
Don is the founding supporter of several programs at ASU. In 2022, The Rodel Arizona Futures Simulator at the Decision Theater was created through Don’s dedication to ASU’s advancement. The simulator is a new modeling platform where citizens, community leaders in business, education, government, and philanthropy can pose questions on initiatives, and the simulator will demonstrate how those decisions affect Arizona and other communities over time.
In 2024, Don continued his philanthropy by funding the Center for Free Speech, which includes the ASU Free Speech Forum. The Forum includes national keynote speakers and engages students, faculty, and the community in thoughtful dialogue.
And in 2025, Don gave founding support for the Arizona Media Institute at the Center for the Future of Arizona. The Institute provides support to Arizona’s media by providing data-driven tools and resources.
