Dawn Ely

Dawn Ely joined Cancer Support Community in July 2019 and serves as the organization’s Director, Training & Conference Operations. As part of the Learning & Training Program team, she is responsible for the delivery of professional development and continuing education programs for licensed mental health and medical oncology professionals. With a focus on logistics and operations, Dawn oversees numerous in-person and virtual conferences, webinars, and training series to ensure their successful implementation. She also supports Cancer Support Community’s worldwide network of local and community sites through organizing their annual leadership conference, visioning summits, and other major events. In collaboration with colleagues from across the organization, Dawn seeks to establish Cancer Support Community as a leader in psychosocial oncology training and engage funders in supporting these initiatives.

Prior to joining Cancer Support Community, Dawn worked at the Humane Society of the United States, first as a Major Gifts Associate and then as a Conferences & Events Coordinator. Her work ranged from coordinating staff retreats to coleading registration and vendor communications for major conferences. She uses her experience in fundraising, customer service, volunteer coordination, and meeting management to create people-focused experiences that engage and delight audiences of all sizes.

Dawn holds a bachelor’s degree in writing and a minor in integrated marketing communications from Ithaca College. She also possesses a professional certificate in event management from the George Washington University. Dawn lives in Maryland with her hermit crab, Rhodey.