Dawn joined the University of Manitoba in September 2013 as a Government Relations Associate in the Government and Community Engagement office. Dawn is responsible for furthering the university's relationship with the three levels of government and to promote the University's position and perspective on a number of key issues. This includes developing and implementing strategies and action plans for advocacy, monitoring and researching public policy and legislative developments, preparing briefing material for internal and external audiences as well as securing sources of non-traditional funding for university activities. Dawn reports to the Director of Government and Community Engagement.

Prior to joining the University of Manitoba, Dawn worked as a Senior Policy Analyst and a Program Manager at the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada for seven years and spent three years as a Senior Policy Analyst in the Federal-Provincial and International Relations Branch with the Province of Manitoba.

Dawn holds a Master of Arts (East European and Russian Area Studies) from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours History) from the University of Ottawa.