Dawn Charaba joined Reidsville Area Foundation as the Executive Director in 2018 after having worked extensively in the nonprofit sector for 16 years in health and human services, early childhood education, and public education. Reidsville Area Foundation is a private foundation that supports transformative initiatives and strategic projects in early childhood and public education, health and wellness, and community development. Dawn has served on numerous local Board of Directors, currently serving on the Rockingham County Student Health Advisory Council, Rockingham County Mental Health Advisory Council, and the Reidsville Human Relations Commission.
Since joining Reidsville Area Foundation, Dawn has focused on advancing racial equity work, advocating for family-friendly policies, leading joint efforts for digital inclusion and behavioral health access, centering impact and evaluation in the organization’s decision-making process, and pivoting the work of the foundation to meet the needs of grantee partners and community during the COVID pandemic. She has a BS in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in nonprofit leadership from Marylhurst University while living in the Pacific Northwest. The SEI Women’s Network recently recognized Dawn as a SHERO, a global award that honors women who work to educate, inspire, and connect members of their communities. She lives in Reidsville, NC, with her husband and two dogs. She enjoys knitting, cooking, and is an avid sports fan – Go Tarheels, Seattle Seahawks, and Carolina Hurricanes!