IN THE LAB
Some Of Our Work
Welcome to In the Lab — a behind‑the‑scenes look at how ideas about leadership, boundaries, and wellbeing are tested, refined, and brought to life through speaking, facilitation, and thought leadership.
I work with leaders and organizations who are ready to move beyond performative wellness and quick fixes, and instead build cultures that support trust, clarity, and sustainable performance. My work blends evidence‑based insight, real‑world leadership experience, and deeply human storytelling — because workplace culture isn’t theoretical. It’s lived.
Where Research, Leadership, and Real Life Meet
Public Health Law Conference, 2025
Demonstrating Practice, Insight, and Impact
Below are select clips that reflect my speaking style, presence, and approach. These examples highlight how I translate research and systems‑level thinking into practical strategies leaders and HR professionals can use immediately.
Featured Speaking & Facilitation
Core themes include:
Boundary‑centered leadership and burnout prevention
Modern employee experience and organizational culture
Evidence‑based wellbeing strategies that scale
Leadership through change, uncertainty, and complexity
Bridging the Gap Between Leadership Intent and Employee Experience
In this clip, Dawn interprets workforce survey data to highlight a common organizational challenge: the disconnect between leadership intent and how employees actually experience their work. She invites leaders to move beyond programs and assumptions and instead ask intentional questions that surface whether employees feel supported, valued, and heard.
Naming Patterns That Impact Wellbeing, Trust, and Performance
In this clip, Dawn synthesizes employee feedback from an organizational engagement process, naming recurring themes related to clarity, collaboration, burnout, and leadership accountability. This moment reflects her facilitation style—grounded, inclusive, and focused on translating employee experiences into actionable leadership insight.
Leading Change Through Collaboration, Adaptability, and Trust
In this clip, Dawn reflects on lessons learned from a multi-year initiative, emphasizing adaptive leadership, ethical collaboration, and the importance of tailoring tools to organizational and community context. She highlights the role of collective learning, openness, and long-term partnership in creating meaningful and sustainable change.
Interested in keynotes, conference sessions, leadership retreats, or facilitated workshops focused on wellbeing, leadership, and organizational culture?
Signature Topics
While each session is tailored to the audience, my most requested topics include:
Boundaries as a Leadership Practice
How clear, healthy boundaries improve trust, wellbeing, and performance at every level of an organization.Beyond Burnout: Building Sustainable Workplaces
Shifting from individual resilience to structural solutions that support mental health and retention.The Modern Employee Experience
Creating cultures rooted in clarity, autonomy, and connection.Leading Through Change
Practical tools for leaders navigating transition, complexity, and competing demands.Ethical Leadership and Decision-Making Exploring how values, accountability, and ethical clarity support trust, wellbeing, and healthy organizational culture.
How I Work
My approach is grounded in three principles:
Evidence before trends. I draw from research, law, and public‑health‑informed frameworks to understand what actually protects wellbeing.
Systems-based change. Culture change happens through better leadership practices and systems that sustain, not drain.
Human‑centered delivery. I create space for reflection, dialogue, and practical application so learning sticks.
Sessions are interactive, practical, and designed to meet people where they are, whether I’m speaking to HR leaders, executives, or cross‑functional teams.
Where You’ve Seen Me
I’ve partnered with public health agencies, nonprofit organizations, leadership programs, and national platforms. I’m also the creator of:
The Better Boundaries Brief, a widely read blog on boundaries, ethics, and modern work
Work Is Third, a podcast exploring leadership, wellbeing, and how we live and work differently
From Our Clients
At the heart of my work is a belief that the places we work and the way we lead can - and must - reflect our values.
Whether I’m facilitating a workshop, building tools with a team, or guiding strategy behind the scenes, my goal is always the same: to create space for transformation that’s both meaningful and manageable. The case studies below highlight what that looks like in action - real organizations, real impact, and real change.
Proof in Practice: Case Studies
Strengthening Ethical Practice in Public Health
Ethical decision-making in public health is rarely simple—and as the field evolves, especially with new technologies and shifting infrastructure investments, public health leaders need clear, practical tools to navigate complex questions around equity, power, and responsibility.
Health Resources in Action (HRiA) contracted The Dawn Lab to provide technical assistance for Region 1 Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) activities. The aim: strengthen internal and external capacity for ethical analysis, organizational culture change, and responsible innovation across the region.
Walking the Walk with Equity Work:
Supporting Staff Wellness and Preventing Burnout
Nonprofit leaders—especially leaders of color—are on the frontlines of equity work, often without the internal supports they need. Chronic stress, unclear boundaries, and a culture of overwork contribute to burnout, undermining both staff wellness and mission impact. The Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg recognized this challenge and launched a capacity-building initiative to support equity-centered organizational change from the inside out.
Let’s Build Healthier Workplaces Together
Bring a boundary-centered, evidence-informed approach to your conference, leadership program, or organization.
