Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Affiliations
Languages
Accomplishments
Timeline
Generic

Dawn Wivell

Portsmouth

Summary

Dynamic leader with extensive and highly diverse experience in global market development across multiple sectors. Proven expertise in stakeholder engagement and fostering cross-functional collaboration. Recognized for innovative problem-solving skills and ability to create impactful ecosystems.

Overview

46
46
years of professional experience

Work History

Founder/CEO

Firebrand International LLC
Portsmouth
08.2011 - Current
  • Launched and grew global engagement consultancy focused on offering innovative international market development and strategic partnership strategies.
  • Cultivated a diverse global client base across the private sector, non-profits, U.S. and foreign federal governmental agencies, municipalities, and trade associations.
  • Established an exceptional global ecosystem, resulting in a reputation as a highly creative connector at all levels, building solid relationships with key stakeholders, across industries, disciplines, sectors, and markets, to enhance visibility for the company and its clients.
  • Grew service and product offerings to include multiple industry and market-specific strategies, trade development and acceleration strategies, capacity building, economic development strategies, place branding/marketing, and ecosystem/consortium/cluster development and management, and fractional C-level roles.
  • Established and collaborated with cross-functional teams to enhance product offerings and service quality.
  • Organized events such as webinars, conferences, trade shows, trade missions, and other promotional activities.

Director, Office of International Commerce

State Of New Hampshire
Concord
10.1990 - 07.2011
  • Established the State of New Hampshire's first international trade operation on an $8,000 budget.
  • Conceived of and developed a national award-winning organization, the first of its kind in state or federal government.
  • Managed all operations, budget submissions, procedures, human resources, legislative, gubernatorial, federal, regional, and state relations.
  • Oversaw resource allocation and budget management for multiple high-impact projects across the organization.
  • Responsible for all media and public relations and marketing, inclusive of print, television, radio, social media, and public speaking.
  • Wrote legislation to establish a new state bureau, coordinated with several federal departments, state-level organizations, non-profits, and corporations to establish a highly collaborative operation.
  • Coordinated funding proposals and grants to support international projects and programs.
  • Worked for five governors.
  • Organized trade shows, outbound trade missions and hosted inward trade missions around the world.
  • Developed and led regional and national collaborations to boost U.S. exports.
  • Established relationships with stakeholders to foster collaboration, sponsorships, partners, and advisors.
  • Supported a 300% growth in state exports.

Manager, Sales and Customer Support

Towle Silversmiths
Newburyport
09.1989 - 09.1990
  • Managed the sales support team for the oldest continuously running company in the U.S.

Director, Special Markets

Italian Trade Commission
Houston
01.1984 - 08.1989
  • Developed, managed, and executed the Italian Trade Commission - Istituto Italiano per Commercio Estero's special project focused on U.S. market development for Italian giftware, handcrafts, and decorative accessories.

Executive Director

Fiore (USA) Inc.
Houston
09.1982 - 12.1984
  • Established and managed this U.S. based trading company for European partners.

Office Manager

Pool-Intairdril Company
Ravenna, Italy
08.1979 - 09.1982
  • Oversaw daily office operations for U.S. oil drilling company managing four offshore oil rigs and serving clients from Italy and France.

Education

Certified Global Business Professional - CGBP - International Business

NASBITE INTERNATIONAL
Albany, NY
06-2007

Some College (No Degree) - Liberal Arts And Sciences

Franklin Pierce University
Rindge

Skills

  • Global market development
  • Strategic planning
  • Strategic partnerships
  • Creative connector
  • Ecosystem builder
  • Creative problem-solving
  • Team leadership
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Cross-functional collaboration
  • Cross-cultural interaction

Affiliations

  • New Hampshire State Chair for CARE
  • Member of the Global Citizens' Circle Advisory Board
  • Member of U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen's Small Business Advisory Council
  • Board member and Vice Chair, Women in World Trade, New England
  • Director of the Granite State District Export Council
  • Founder of the New Hampshire Aerospace & Defense Consortium
  • Member of the New Hampshire steering committee of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition
  • Former advisory board member of Southern New Hampshire University's Graduate School of International Management
  • Former member, New Hampshire steering committee for the national Fix the Debt Campaign
  • Former board member, New Hampshire World Affairs Council
  • Former advisor to the Urban Solutions Institute of Indonesia
  • Former board member of the New Hampshire Tech Alliance

Languages

Italian
Full Professional
Spanish
Limited
French
Elementary

Accomplishments

  • World Affairs Council of New Hampshire inaugural Global Leadership Award, recognizing leadership in promoting international knowledge and understanding in our community and expanding the state’s global connections.
  • New Hampshire International Trade Association Excellence in Trade Award
  • National Vision 2000 Award
  • Aurora Award for documentary work
  • Small Business Administration (SBA) Small Business International Trade Advocate of the Year
  • Appeared several times on the list of New Hampshire’s Most Powerful Women and previously voted one of New Hampshire’s “Top Influencers”.

Timeline

Founder/CEO

Firebrand International LLC
08.2011 - Current

Director, Office of International Commerce

State Of New Hampshire
10.1990 - 07.2011

Manager, Sales and Customer Support

Towle Silversmiths
09.1989 - 09.1990

Director, Special Markets

Italian Trade Commission
01.1984 - 08.1989

Executive Director

Fiore (USA) Inc.
09.1982 - 12.1984

Office Manager

Pool-Intairdril Company
08.1979 - 09.1982

Certified Global Business Professional - CGBP - International Business

NASBITE INTERNATIONAL

Some College (No Degree) - Liberal Arts And Sciences

Franklin Pierce University

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