Dawn is a local activist, advocate, and community organizer with a passion for criminal justice reform, substance use, and the homeless crisis in Washington State. She has worked closely with Civil Survival and Seattle King County Coalition on Homelessness, lending her voice and lived experience wherever possible to further policy change and increase awareness and support for a Harm reduction approach and client-centered model of care for community members struggling with these issues.
Prior to joining the PDA LEAD local team, Dawn spent 5+ years working for REACH, one of Seattle’s largest and most respected homeless services providers and the first service provider to work with PDA and other LEAD partners in the development and evolution of the LEAD program. As part of her time working in the non-profit sector, Dawn also spent many years working to prevent teen pregnancy among high-risk youth at Birthways Childbirth Resource Center. She received her AA from Shoreline Community College and her BA in communications from the University of Washington.
Dawn spends time with her community, sitting on the board of directors for UNKITAWA, a local Native American cultural agency in Kent, working to preserve the traditional medicines and culture of indigenous peoples throughout King County and across the country. She enjoys Native arts and crafts and aspires to become a master gardener one day.