Dawn Leaness

Dawn Leaness is the Managing Director of the African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative, a program founded at the Center for Global Enterprise.

Part of the founding AWEC team, Dawn has helped to build the program from an idea to a thriving community of 1,000+ women entrepreneurs across the continent. She has dedicated her career to education and entrepreneurship and is passionate about supporting innovative startups and SMEs in building sustainable business models, efficient operational processes, and high performing team to facilitate their growth and increase their access to capital.

Before joining the AWEC team, Dawn ran an innovative urban charter school and started her own entrepreneurial ventures in food and fitness. She has also worked with several venture capital funds, providing operational and portfolio support.

Dawn graduated from Princeton University with a BA in International Politics and Gender Studies and received her MBA in Social Impact and Leadership and Organizational Transformation from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business. She is an Included VC alumna, volunteers with Startup Boston, and is deeply committed to mentoring women and entrepreneurs in her local community.