Meet Dawn
Pioneer in the Trauma-Informed Workplace Movement
LinkedIn Learning Instructor
2021 TEDx Jacksonville Speaker
Prosci® Certified Change Management Practitioner
Certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor
My Why
I am a hurt, recovering executive, a LinkedIn Learning instructor, a TEDx speaker, and the Chief Strategy Officer for the Jacksonville Civic Council in Jacksonville, Florida.
If you've been following me over the years, you would know I do not sugar coat or side-step how the intersection of my unresolved early childhood experiences, the lack of self awareness, and years of dysregulation have contributed to how I showed up as an executive leader, as a peer, as a friend, as a partner, and as a mother. I own it.
It all came to a head in 2020 when the mixology between my new tyrannical boss and my deeply reinforced dysregulated nervous system created a war zone-like working environment for me and for many of my colleagues in my large organization. My inability to self regulate the daily fight and flight responses caused by their authoritative leadership style led me to make an irrational and sudden decision to resign from my executive position after only five months of relocating from another state for this career changing opportunity.
​
An emotional decision I would regret for years.
I was told by recruiters I would never see the c-suite again; I was now a liability.
My career was dead.
I thought, well maybe, I should be dead too.
​
Today, I have zero regrets for stepping down from that role and feel doing so may have actually saved my life in the end. Falling from grace provided me the opportunity to reflect, rebuild and rewire my nervous system with grace. I am still a work in progress but I did make my way back to the c-suite, my career is better than ever, and my personal life is balanced and healthy. I own my story and I help others do the same- especially other leaders and organizations ready for transformational change.
​
As one of the pioneers of the trauma informed workplace movement, I am motivated as hell to start a new leadership paradigm today, right now. A paradigm that starts with creating 1M Trauma-Informed Leaders in America by 2031.​​​