As an independent director and board member, government and commercial technical powerhouse leader, Dawn brings more than 40 years’ experience pioneering new products and services and leading transformation for iconic brands around the world, including CIA, AOL, and DoD. She is a recognized expert in delivering entrepreneurial technical capabilities and processes to international markets, leveraging unparalleled stakeholder acumen into strategy, development, integration, and operations.
Dawn’s multi-industry experience dealing with international start-ups through multi-national Fortune 10 companies delivers unique insights to private and public company boards at all life stages. She is recognized for her deep understanding of user and chief stakeholders needs, effecting innovative and essential changes wherever she has served.
From 2014-2021, Dawn led the iconic CIA Directorate of Science and Technology, directing the organization’s first restructure in their fabled 57-year history, defining and delivering global capabilities beyond state-of-the-art even in the midst of significant workforce societal and health concerns. Prior to this role, Dawn redefined technical oversight for the Intelligence Community while serving at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, with a topline of +60B, enabling on-time, on-budget delivery while returning 30% of her own budget and staff to mission.
Dawn has served on the National Security Agency (NSA) Advisory Board for over a decade, also supporting both their Technical Strategy and Information Assurance subcommittees. During this time, NSA adopted and migrated all mission IT to the cloud and revamped their approach to encryption and defense in depth.
In addition to supporting the Intelligence Community, Dawn sits on commercial governance, audit, and compensation committees, as well as equivalent forums for public and non-profit entities. She is currently on the boards of ARKA Group LP, QTS Data Centers, Infleqtion, Google Public Sector, the National Space Security Association, the Council on Intelligence Issues, the Defense Intelligence Memorial Fund, OODALoop, Squadra Ventures, Siemens Government Technologies, the AFCEA Intelligence Committee, the NAS Computer Science Committee, and the National Cybersecurity Center.
With a passion for establishing strong partnerships to ensure America’s long-term global competitiveness, Dawn sustains a personal portfolio as a MITRE Senior Fellow; Blackstone Senior Advisor, as an advisor to the national Special Competitive Studies Project; as a consultant to CIA, NSA, and Donovan Capital Group; and as a Commissioner on the Senate Armed Services Committee Commission on Emerging Biotechnology.
Before entering government service, Dawn was an executive at AOL and led the restructure of AOL Products to ensure alignment to business objectives, leading M&A technical assessments and ribbon-cutting new global facilities.
Dawn is a highly sought technical leadership speaker. She maintains a current TS/SCI clearance. Additionally, Dawn has been a Virginia Master Gardener Volunteer for the last 14 years, nurturing her local community. She lives in Virginia with her family.