Doris Ann Dudney was born in 1934 in Tampa, Florida and died in 2013. She attended Vanderbilt University as an undergraduate where she double majored in economics and mathematics. While at Vanderbilt, Dudney became a member of the sorority of Kappa Delta in 1951. Following graduation, Dudney was admitted to Vanderbilt Law School where she became the first female editor-in-chief of the Vanderbilt Law Review, where she published nine issues between 1955-1956. Furthermore, Dudney was the recipient of the Law School excellence scholarship and graduated with the Founder’s Medal in 1956.

Ms. Dudney then returned to Florida to practice as an independent attorney and later, a Senior Law Clerk for the Second District Court of Appeals. She served as Chairman of the Economics of Law Practice Committee for the Florida Bar and District 11 Governor of Zonta International.