President & CEO of Morning Jewel Inc. – a multi-platform production company of film, television, animation, music / music publishing projects. She is also the Founder & CEO of the A New Day Foundation – a non profit 501(c)3 organization, that provides financial & programmatic support to underprivileged youth and grassroots community organizations. She is an: NAACP Image Award, Trumpet Award, Grammy Award-winning singer, multiple ASCAP & BMI Award-winning songwriter, film, television & stage actor, and a Series TV creator/producer. In 2019, Dawnn received an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters for her more than 35 years of unwavering service and support to underserved youth and communities across the county and abroad. Pre-Covid Quarantine, Dawnn was one of the stars of the new hit Broadway Musical TINA! – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL , as “Zelma Bullock”, (Ms. Turner’s Mother). She is currently starring with Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid, Noel Wells, Eugene Cordero and Jerry O’Connell in the just released CBS All Access series STAR TREK- LOWER DECKS, as “Captain Carol Freeman”. Dawnn is now also featured as “Chief Langdon”, alongside Kristen Bell in the highly anticipated reboot of Veronica Mars; as “The Chief” in WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CARMEN SAN DIEGO reboot; “Patty” in the Cartoon Network series APPLE & ONION, and recently seen recurring on three hit series: THIS IS US!, MAJOR CRIMES & IZOMBIE, or “heard” in: THE SIMPSONS, FUTURAMA & DOC MCSTUFFINS! Dawnn starred in two recently released award winning feature films: REVIVAL written & produced by acclaimed actor Harry Lennix featuring an all-star cast, and BE THE LIGHT written and directed by IZOMBIE star Malcolm Goodwin and is guest starring in an upcoming episode of the hit AMAZON series THE BOYS. For 5.5 years, Dawnn starred as one of the original cast members of the groundbreaking TV Series A DIFFERENT WORLD (also composer of shows theme song) & I’m Gonna Git U Sucka! Stage credits include: The Wiz (Bdwy), Intimate Apparel, Sister Act: The Musical (orig cast), The Marriage (NAACP Image award – Best Actress), How To Succeed In Business . . . (with Matthew Broderick & Megan Mullally). Dawnn has served the last 9.5 years on the National Advisory Board of the NATIONAL CENTER FOR CIVIL & HUMAN RIGHTS in Atlanta, Ga., & completed her sixth term on the SAG National Board of Directors, participating in it’s successful merger with sister union AFTRA, while serving for 4 yrs as the National & Los Angeles Co-Chair of the SAG now SAG-AFTRA Singers Committee. She currently serves as a Trustee for the SAG Pension Plan, on the SAG-AFTRA Hollywood Board and as a SAG/AFTRA National Union Delegate.