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I believe we can all thrive — and that it's possible to build systems that make thriving the default for everyone, not just the exception.

I'm Dawn M. Hunter. I help organizations and leaders make this belief a reality.

Connect With Me
Connect With Me
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FACILITATOR. STRATEGIST. ADVOCATE. COLLABORATOR. LEADER.

A career dedicated to creating the conditions for everyone to thrive. 

For more than 15 years, I've been studying and building the conditions that allow people and organizations to flourish. My work has spanned public health, legal epidemiology, health equity, and organizational development — always with the same underlying question: what does it actually take to build systems where people can thrive?

I bring a JD, MPH, and Certified Wellness Practitioner credential to this work — not because credentials tell the whole story, but because they reflect a career spent taking this question seriously, from every angle.

Why this work is personal

I left a job that was burning me down. A role where I experienced open racism from leadership and watched a workplace systematically fail the people inside it. In rebuilding after that experience, I got honest about what thriving actually requires. I examined my own values, redesigned my life around them, and built a business rooted in the belief that no one should have to choose between doing meaningful work and being treated with dignity.

My story is something I share openly, because I know I'm not the only one who has lived it. And because the organizations that need this work most are often the ones where someone is sitting in a meeting right now feeling exactly the way I did.

The human behind the work

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I'm the founder of The Dawn Lab and the host of Work Is Third, a podcast about rest, boundaries, and building a life where work is just one part of a bigger, richer story. I'm a keynote speaker, a facilitator, and a recovering perfectionist who has learned that joy is not a luxury — it's a design requirement.

Outside of work, you'll find me at Zumba, deep in a good book, or planning my next spontaneous adventure. I believe in leading a full life, and I bring that belief into every room I work in.

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What I bring. What I stand for.

I believe that you have to plan your work, then work your plan, as my grandfather would say.

I believe policy is the infrastructure for healthier systems — which means culture change has to be designed with intention.

I believe thriving should be the default for everyone, not a reward for the resilient or well connected.

I believe joy, rest, and belonging are organizational outcomes worth designing for — and the data supports this.

I believe the people closest to the problem are usually closest to the solution, and good organizational work starts by listening to them.

Inclusivity 🔹Innovation🔹Integrity 🔹 Collaboration 🔹 Community  🔹 Joy

JD | MPH | Certified Wellness Practitioner | 15+ Years in Public Health Law and Policy, Leadership, and Organizational Wellness | Founder, The Dawn Lab | Host, Work is Third

Looking to improve employee engagement, prevent burnout, and create a thriving organization?

Let’s talk.

Book a Discovery Call
Book a Discovery Call

how we work together

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Consulting & Facilitation

For organizations ready for real, systemic culture change.

Explore the Work
Explore the Work
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Speaking & Keynotes

For leadership teams and live audiences ready to think differently.

See Topics & Reel
See Topics & Reel
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Work is Third Podcast

For anyone building a life where work is just one part of the story.

Listen Now
Listen Now