Michael S. Davidson is the President and CEO of Openlands, where he leads a team of nearly 50 at one of the nation’s first metropolitan-scale land conservation organizations, which is also an accredited land trust. He is responsible for strategy, organizational health, fundraising and board relations, and long-term financial strength.
Davidson brings more than 25 years of experience in mission-driven organizations. Before Openlands, he served as Senior Director of Community Impact at The Chicago Community Trust, where he led a $100 million strategy to improve economic and development outcomes in majority Black and Latino communities.
Earlier in his career, Davidson served as program officer for the Great Lakes Protection Fund, Midwest Director for ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, and manager of the Campaign for Sensible Growth, helping establish the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. He spent the first decade of his career in the research department of the American Planning Association.
Davidson holds a graduate degree from DePaul University’s School of Public Service, has authored more than 30 articles and technical reports on planning issues, and serves on the board of the Cook County Land Bank Authority. Davidson founded the Prairie State Local Government Sustainability Network, is a founding member of the Sustainable Communities Division of the American Planning Association, and a member of the Lambda Alpha Land Economics Society.
Contact Information
- Email: mdavidson@openlands.org
- Phone: 312.863.6262
