Until I met Dawna I did not know what a change agent was or how much I needed one. She changes how you think about an issue, how you communicate with each other, how you solve problems and how you feel about the entire process.   She does this by being an energizer and motivator, she demonstrates knowledge of the issues, concern for the people  and creates a shared sense of accountability that builds and empowers teams to solve their own problems.  I wish there were two of her, but she is one of a kind.

Dawna has that unique combination of skills required to support change management, innovation and execution. She is driven, consistent and always “acts like an owner”. I have had the pleasure of working with Dawna both when we hired her as a consultant and then hired her into a key leadership role for a new acquisition. She has the highest integrity and exceptional ability to break down challenges into a process to support change management.

Dawna is a rare combination of brains, integrity, passion and tenacity. She is a seasoned executive and I have seen her traverse and solve complex business problems for some of the largest enterprise organizations. She is always ahead of curve when it comes to ideas and she is the most passionate advocate for doing the right thing, even when the right thing isn’t popular or easy. She has proven her success in multiple environments and industries. She understands and cares about people and it comes across in everything she does. She combines technical brilliance and business acumen but where she really shines is her passion for the customer. She has been a champion for the customer since the very first day I worked with her and she has taken that mission and become one of the foremost experts in ‘customer experience management’.

Having worked closely with Dawna for some time now, I couldn’t speak more glowingly of her. From her extraordinary understanding of the often seemingly impossible Customer Experience journey, through to her down-to-earth nature that simply captivates me every time we speak; she is simply one of a kind. I’m not sure where we would be without Dawna’s support, but no doubt it would be 10 steps behind and slightly off track. Her insights and experience, mixed with the fact that she practices what she preaches (vulnerability and transparency), makes her one of the worlds leading customer experience consultants.

As a service provider, Dawna understood that becoming a business partner was the key to success for all, including and more importantly the final users of our products and services. Our primary objective was to gain a deep understanding of our customers’ needs and provide the best products and services possible – Dawna and the team she lead achieved this objective. This success can be attributed to Dawna’s positive leadership, business acumen, sense of urgency, and customer-focused approach to problem resolution. It was truly a pleasure working with Dawna and look forward to future endeavors.

I have always respected Dawna as a business leader with the knowledge and expertise to drive positive results. Dawna’s approach is very hands-on with the know how and courage to drive meaningful change. She navigates through the most challenging environments with confidence while never losing focus on key objectives. Dawna first worked for me as a trusted consultant and then later as Vice President of Operations for ABSG Canada. Dawna has the passion, integrity and expertise to deliver positive results for your business.

Dawna gets things done. Complex strategic wins, hard sales tactics, new market development, and great user experiences could all benefit from her rigor and thorough approach. Only enlist her if you and your organization actually want to get things done.

“Dawna is one of the most tenacious project managers I have worked with. I was always confident that projects she managed would be delivered on time and on budget into the hands of happy clients. Dawna has a very strong background in software development process and maintains an excellent network within the thought-leadership of the industry. She uses her thirst for deeper understanding and desire for continual improvement to drive her to regularly augment and update her approaches to align with current industry best practices. Perhaps most importantly she keenly balances structured methods dictated by sound process and project management principles with a passion to understand clients’ needs and ensure their ultimate satisfaction. Her team members and clients alike happily follow her guiding their treks through both the easy flatlands and arduous steep climbs that projects can bring, never losing confidence that Dawna will lead their project to a successful conclusion.”

When I think of individuals I have worked with in the past who fully grasp the importance of process and organizational discipline (two area of business very important to me) Dawna always comes to mind. I was working with Dawna at a time when Internet technology and agile process for the SDLC were challenging engineering tradition and convention. She was instrumental in evolving the requirements management process and driving iterative development into our delivery process. She has an excellent process mind an showed great team leadership.

Dawna has a unique ability to look at challenges from many angles. She uses this to lead change and navigate complicated business scenarios with ease. She is someone who challenges the status quo and is always on the lookout for new innovative solutions.

When I think of Dawna, I think one of a kind. One of the hardest working people I’ve had the pleasure of working with. I was always impressed by her ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously – and not just at a high level – but getting involved with the details. Dawna brings an entrepreneurial quality to the table, always prepared to challenge the status quo and to ask why not – sounds cliché but a definite “outside the box” thinker. Demanding of those working for her – but quick to praise and reward work well done. Truly enjoyed working for Dawna and appreciate all she taught me.

I worked closely with Dawna MacLean some years ago at Lante Corporation, where I was Chief Methodologist (and Senior Architect) and she was Process Manager. Highly intelligent and motivated, Dawna worked closely with me to roll out the Rational Unified Process and assist me with various process improvement tasks. She was a quick learner, dependable, and a pleasure to work with. I strongly recommend her for any position requiring the mastery of software engineering and practical process improvement.

Dawna is the best mentor that I have ever had. She is the hardest working, most passionate person that I know, and as a result that dedication cannot help but rub off on her team. She is a terrific motivator, and is always honest in the feedback that she provides. She commands respect not only from the associates that she manages, but also from the clients, who respects and appreciates her honesty. A lot of people are either leaders by example, or vocal leaders, Dawna possesses both of these traits, as well as the wherewithal to know when to lead by example, and when it is time to be vocal. Dawna would be a tremendous asset to any business. You will not only be partnering with a terrific person, but a knowledgeable business woman, who will pour her heart and soul into everything that she does.