About DAWN
Our History
In May 1982, inspired by Mary Scott Welch’s book Networking: The Great New Way for Women to Get Ahead, Charlotte Hanks, Chris Neeley, and Mickey Robertson invited a small group of women in Decatur, Illinois, to brainstorm about organizing a local networking group. In August 1982, DAWN filed Articles of Incorporation with the State of Illinois, and just two months later, twenty five charter members pooled their resources to fly Alina Novak (a networking pioneer mentioned in Mary Scott Welsh’s book) in from New York City. She spoke at an informational meeting with 200 women in attendance. Ms. Novak considered networking the “next stage in the women’s movement” and many responded. One year later, in October 1983, the organization had grown from 25 to 160. An article appeared about DAWN in the Decatur Herald and Review with the headline, “DAWN Shines.” More than 30 years later, DAWN continues to shine by following the vision of the charter members-providing networking opportunities for women in the Decatur area. DAWN is proud to have encouraged hundreds of women in their career and life journeys.
Our Mission
DAWN's Mission is to use networking for the development and promotion of women.
Our Purpose
to provide professional development and community awareness
to promote communication and networking among women
to encourage women to develop their leadership skills and talents
to enrich the lives of members by sharing resources
to support members in their professional and personal pursuits and goals
to cultivate the spirit of fellowship among members and other community women
to continually seek new members to expand our networks
Our Distinct Advantage!
diverse membership
commitment to the further development of women in our community
no service or volunteer hours required
no organizational business conducted at monthly meetings
DAWN Leadership
Darcy Morr
President
Darcy has been a member of DAWN since moving back to Decatur in 2004. She is the Office Manager at Decatur First Church of the Nazarene where she schedules and manages events and provides administrative support for several pastors. Darcy’s husband, Dave, is a web manager for ADM and together they have two active young children, Tessa and Drew.
Jessica Ashmore
Vice-President of Reservations
Jessica has been a member of DAWN since 2016. In 2014, she began her career as a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones. Jessica partners with her clients to achieve their financial goals, whether it's retirement, college savings, planning for the unexpected, or simply saving for a trip. She and her husband Clint live in the Mt. Zion area with their two sons, Connor and Evan. The boys are involved in scouts, clubs, and sports.
Kelsie Wujek
Vice-President of Membership
Kelsie is the Executive Assistant at local not-for-profit, Macon Resources, Inc., where she provides essential support to the C-Suite executives. She is actively involved with the persons served at MRI whether it be as a guest at a club meeting, helping with a special project, or one of the many internal and external events MRI holds. She is a Decatur Leadership Institute (DLI) class of 2018 graduate, where she consumed insider information about the Decatur community and became a community champion. When she isn’t working you can find her in the kitchen experimenting with a new recipe or spending time with her family.
Rachel Lewis
Vice-President of Communications
Rachel has been a member of DAWN since October 2016. She is a Sales Executive at Sentinel Technologies where she provides customized technology solutions in security, infrastructure, telephony, and networking. On the weekends, you can often find her camping, canoeing, or sitting around a bonfire with her husband, Brian Lewis, and their dog, Lucy.
Andrea Whitacre
Treasurer
Andrea has been a member of DAWN since 2020. She recently moved back to Decatur after graduating from Olivet Nazarene University with a degree in Accounting and Finance. Andrea currently works at Sikich LLP as a Staff Accountant assigned to various state government audits, and she is pursuing her CPA license. She is excited to return to her hometown and build connections with others in the community.