Drawing upon 40 years of professional experience, Debra Dawson has excelled as the founder and board president of African Soul, American Heart (ASAH) since 2008. Committed to protecting, educating and empowering orphaned girls from South Sudan, ASAH endeavors to prepare young girls for the transition to an independent life, aiding them by providing skills and knowledge to help their communities. Through ASAH’s unique programs, young Sudanese girls are empowered to become leaders while aiding their nation to establish and sustain peace. For more information, visit https://www.asahinsudan.org/.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Dawson served as a sales manager for Pitney Bowes between 1983 and 1986. She subsequently worked as the president and vice president of the Dawson Hail Insurance Company from 1986 to 1996. She also pursued a formal education, having graduated from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Science in English and elementary education, with a minor in French, in 1975. After accruing many years in her profession, she returned to academia at Minnesota State University, Moorhead, receiving a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing in 1997.

Outside of her primary career efforts, Ms. Dawson has served on the board of the Fargo Downtown Neighborhood Association since 2016 and is recognized as an elder for the First Presbyterian Church in Fargo, North Dakota. Attributing much of her success to the support and encouragement of her parents, James and Barbara Dawson, Ms. Dawson is especially proud of her early work in helping orphaned girls in Duk County, South Sudan.

Looking toward the future, she intends to publish her memoir. Additionally, she also aims to continue remaining active in her community and helping others when needed.