Reinvention Maven | Storyteller | Helping you see opportunities beyond boxes 📦 | Veteran | Consultant | Speaker | Diversity | Writing stories to create reader experience and sow seeds

When we feel unseen, unheard... unsafe to be our authentic selves, the ripple effects are undeniable:
📍 We withdraw from fully engaging with others… hold back contributions in friendships and business.
📍 Our motivation and drive to excel fades.
📍 We hide our authentic selves behind a mask – a box, fearful what others might say/do if they learn we’re neurodiverse, overcame addiction, and so much more

When we can show up authentically, we unlock our potential and create a sense of Belonging that transforms everything.

According to a survey by the Institute for Inclusive Leadership:
🍀 71% of employees felt more confident when they could be authentic.
🍀 60% felt more engaged.
🍀 46% reported feeling happier.

What does this mean for organizations?
Employees who don’t feel safe to be their authentic selves risk becoming disengaged… no longer thriving contributors.

That's where I step in.

I’m Susannah, an empathic warrior ⚔ woman 👩 who broke free from proverbial boxes in which society tried to place me – it's my mission to help others do the same. My passion lies in guiding individuals and organizations to “Move Beyond Boxes and Shine” like the stars we are… embrace their authentic selves and find their space of Belonging.

I've walked that path, and now help others see they are more than the roles or limitations placed on them.


When we move beyond boxes, we:
🫶 Build unshakable self-confidence
🫶 Foster authentic teamwork
🫶 Elevate organizational performance and revenue


I offer services that inspire transformation, empower individuals, and create lasting change:

🎤 Keynote Speaker
Deliver powerful talks for conferences and organizational events on connecting with your authentic self, reinvention, and how Belonging drives productivity and innovation.

📈 Business Consulting
Help organizations improve productivity and their bottom line through Belonging… identify opportunities to create cultures where everyone thrives. 

🖋 Workshops & Seminars
Lead transformative seminars that encourage participants to step outside the box and embrace their authentic selves, including vision boards.


Whether you’re an organization looking to foster a culture of Belonging, a leader seeking inspiration, or you’re ready to break free from the boxes holding you back, I’m here to help you create a path to shine.


DM me, or email Susannah.Dawn.Writer@gmail.com to set up a consultation.

It's time to gain traction in life, spread your wings 🦋, and fly 🦅.


"I'm not what I used to be, yet I am who I've always been."
Susannah Dawn 🦋 🦅 🦋

Reinvention Maven 👩

Susannah Dawn

CompelEvent Solutions

Jeffrey Barnes is a leading authority on compelling events, the key characteristics of which are a sense of urgency driven by a deadline, where incurring the consequences for failure is not an option. 

As a seasoned Business Development Leader, with expertise as a Value Connector, Jeff Barnes enables shortened sales cycles, higher close rates and reduced cost of sales. Jeff has been a top sales performer in Managed IT Services (#1 in subscriber growth and total subscribers), Higher Education (#1 in enrollment growth and total enrollment) and IT Professional Services – including Computer Task Group (NAS: CTGX), where he was the National "Top Gun" Sales Leader in Client Portfolio Valuation.

Advising or consulting on serious, innovative projects aimed at improving business practices to improve society are of special interest to Jeffrey Barnes.

Business Owner (Retired)

Society for Information Management

• Membership Director for the Portland Chapter from 2009 to 2011. During this period, membership was increased by over 140% and nearly 100 IT Leaders
• Program Advocate - Regional Leadership Forum, 2011 to Present
• Program Advocate - Advanced Practices Council, 2012
• Program Initiator – STEM Education Partnership, 2010 to incorporate IT careers into National Engineers Month outreach program to Portland Area Middle Schools
• Program Initiator – SIM International Partnership, 2002 with Gartner to sponsor an annual Mid-size Enterprise Summit
• Speaker at 2012 Seattle CIO Forum and 2012 Portland CIO Forum
- "The CIOs Role in Optimizing Contract Negotiations"
• Speaker at SIMposium
- 2009 on "Organizational Change Management"
- 2002 on "Effective Decision Management"
• Speaker at Portland SIM Chapter 2006
- "Requirements Definition for BI Initiatives"
• Served from 1999 to 2001 on the Executive Board of the Seattle Chapter as VP Education, 1999 & 2000: “IT Skills Standards” Task Force, NSF Funded Project, 1999
• Co-Chair: SIM International Web Site Task Force, 1999: “Visioning” Task Force, 1999
• Facilitator: “IT Strategies” Workshop series, 1998-1999; “School to Work” Forum, 1999
• Keynote Speaker: “Increasing Your Market Value”, 1999; “Measuring the Value of IT”, 1991

Leader Emeritus (Retired)

Learning for Leverage

Learning for Leverage (LFL) exists to help organizations become more proficient in the “Softer Side of Technology.”   LFL delivers on this vision by providing innovative and practical Talent Development Learning Experiences to Technology Professionals. Originating in 2004 as Oregon Training Network (OTN), a non-profit partnership designed to better train Oregon’s information technology workforce, OTN evolved into an independent training program for professionals at organizations of all sizes with offerings designed to promote and sustain the effectiveness of all segments of the Technology Enterprise, including the Producers, Providers and Practitioners. The name change to Learning for Leverage in 2011 is a reflection of the evolution to this Ultimate Value Proposition.

Executive Director (Retired)

Aspect Software

Recruited to develop a territory including Oregon and SW Washington for Aspect Communications, a leader in CRM / Customer Contact Center solutions. Closed first deal six weeks into tenure. Closed deals in each subsequent quarter, for revenues totaling $890K in first nine months (111% prorated quota), with clients including CNF Inc. (Call Center upgrade), ACS (complete IT Help Desk environment for Nike and Goodyear outsource clients) and Regence Blue Cross/Blue Shield (major upgrades to Call Centers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Utah, as well as, new call center in Southern Oregon).  Won Top Honors in a corporate wide presentation skills competition, “Technically Speaking”, for developing and delivering a facilitated workshop on Web Interaction Software-as-a-Service.

Enterprise Sales Executive

Compuware Corporation

Recruited as Northwest Practice Director, with a three-person sales team, to market application solutions with the Uniface software application environment, built on component-based development architecture. Solutions include CRM E-Business Portals and Enterprise Application Integration. Clients included Microsoft, the State of Oregon, the Managed IT Service Provider for the WA Community College System, where client approved a $2.5M Portal project.

Managing Director, Enterprise Solutions

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Recruited to develop business for Portland, OR practice. Achieved 170% of startup quota ($1.2M).  The centerpiece of this accomplishment was the sale of a major call center design and CRM implementation strategy for Tektronix.  A major differentiator in the win was the in- depth change management strategy to embrace work style and training issues confronting the highly distributed, diverse and, in several instances Outsourced, call center workforce.   The other finalists were Andersen Consulting and Arthur Andersen. Other engagements sold include CRM and ERP software selections / implementations and supply chain / logistics software development, for clients including CNF, Inc., Menlo Logistics, Weyerhaeuser and Williams Controls.

Senior Manager

Tactica Corporation

Responsible for the sales organization for Tactica Corporation, a Korean venture capital funded startup Software Company. Tactica provided “Middleware” for remote access to database applications for extended transactional processing over Wide Area Networks, including the Internet.  Worked very closely with a multicultural senior management team to develop application specific templates for offshore development by our partner in India.  These templates formed the basis for rapid Proofs of Concept, keys to this highly conceptual sale.   I sold an $800K Pilot to major sports apparel manufacturer, Nike. North American sales organization was 20 sales and pre-sales staff, with a Quota of $12M.

VP Sales

Computer People, Inc.

Responsible for overall performance of the Seattle Branch of Computer People, Inc., a $250M international (UK based) consulting firm.  Was responsible for all international recruiting and immigration activities for this practice, as well as, specifying training requirements for offshore development in India, the UK and the Philippines for projects where immigration was not a feasible resourcing strategy.   Produced revenue of $5.2M for 1995, with a sales team of myself and one Account Manager, with operating profit exceeding that of 1992 - 1994 combined. Clients included Boeing, Microsoft, Washington Mutual, and Weyerhaeuser.

General Manager

Atos

For a predecessor to the merger of Atos Origin, Origin Technology in Business, I formed a startup unit in 1993 to market a unique imaging technology based upon a mathematically reliable Fractal Transform Process. The major applications were for facial image recognition / matching and remote surveillance. Acquired Homeland Security clients including the FBI, where the evolved technology could be applied, for example, to match a massive volume of crowdsourced photos against other databases to rapidly confirm the identity of a suspected terrorist bomber.

Program Director

Analysts International Corporation

Successfully overcame negative image of firm’s previous efforts in the marketplace. Profit improved by $400K, and quota exceeded by 160%. 	The centerpiece of this accomplishment was based on a competitive win for the Customer Interaction Services (CRM) design for AT&T Wireless Services (then McCaw Cellular).  AIC primed and partnered with HP to win this highly contested engagement over another finalist, the team of Andersen Consulting and Digital Equipment Corporation.  Other clients included Boeing, Coors, Paccar, Public Service of Colorado, Security Pacific Bank, State of Washington, StorageTek, Qwest and Weyerhaeuser.

FEEL SUCCESS on YOUR TERMS.

    Success is a Feeling, and for many of us an elusive quest to satisfy a voracious beast that cannot be satisfied on a diet of Achievements alone. 

I have finally come to the realization that I must accept my  destiny as a Mobilizer, in order to satisfy my enduring passion for inspiring others to achieve greater success in work and in life – on terms they can embrace and adopt as their own.

Whether through coaching, facilitating key connections and referrals, or developing innovative programs for an entire community, I am  committed to first understanding the “Why” of a constituent seeking to make something better. I believe a shared understanding of the inspiration fueling this  Cause for Action must drive any recommendations for a Course of Action.

The Ultimate Value Proposition to which I hold myself accountable is the extent to which my clients are more confident and capable in sustaining effective behaviors beyond the engagement.

The Key is: Knowing the Why to Discover the Need that Drives Effective Action to Create Authentic Value

Advising on serious, innovative projects aimed at helping buyers and sellers Co-create Authentic Value to Improve Society are of special interest to me.


taplio

The Battle

Susannah Dawn

Jeffrey Barnes

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