Meet Dr. Dawn Belamarich

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr. Dawn Belamarich. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Dr. Dawn, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?

Remaining positive can be challenging, especially with everything happening in the world. Fortunately for me, I have lived life at both extremes, going out into the world with both extreme pessimism and overwhelming optimism and gratitude. I can tell you from experience, optimism is the way to go!

As a young person growing up in New Jersey, I was very pessimistic. I struggled a ton as a young adult and felt that the world was a bleak place. This outlook became part of my identity. So much so, that I was awarded the senior superlative of ‘Class Pessimist’ in my last year of high school – such a shame! It wasn’t until I left for college and went off into the larger world that I started to adjust my outlook.

Optimism showed up through a mix of therapy and evidence – I had now engaged in 18+ years of negativity, and it was clearly not working for me. I wanted to see if an opposing approach would change my life. It did. It wasn’t an overnight journey, but by slowly looking at the bright side and doing the inner work, I realized that positive vibes could manifest greatness. Optimism allows you to live your best life. It gives you permission to thrive. It helped me go into the world as someone who sees opportunity and excitement around every turn. It changed my entire life.

My optimism comes from hard work, but more than that, it comes from proof. Optimism can have transformative power in our life, if we allow it.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I will start from now and bring you back…..

As the President/CEO of Collaboratory, my role is to steward philanthropy for greater impact in the community. My focus professionally has always been on creating greater good in the roles and spaces that I find myself in. It has been about impacting those within my reach. Collaboratory is a community foundation with the goal of convening partners to solve the social challenges facing our region in Southwest Florida. It is truly a purpose-driven experience, with all of my prior experiences leading to this opportunity.

I spent 15-years as a leader in addiction treatment, serving in small nonprofit organizations and expanding my leadership as a Senior Vice President for a national addiction treatment organization. Serving those struggling with mental health and addiction was rewarding, and it gave me a deep understanding of the human experience. It also helped shape how I view the world and the systems around me.

I was the oldest child of four kids growing up in Lacey Township, NJ. I played soccer growing up and pursued multiple academic achievements into adulthood. I currently have a Doctorate in Business Administration and Leadership, Master’s in Mental Health Counseling, Master’s in Criminology/Sociology, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Forensic Science. I am married with one fur baby, Manny, and we now reside in beautiful Southwest Florida.

At Collaboratory, we bring our community partners together to solve problems collectively. We fund projects that impact the data indicators that move the needle on social issues in our region. Our website is www.colllaboratory.org. We have an upcoming donor circle, Women’s Legacy Fund, which brings women together for philanthropic good. This event is November 4th at information can be found at www.collaboratory.org/wlf

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

In my life, a combination of skill, hard work, and good fortune have contributed to my success, both personally and professionally. The three main qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that added the most value are:

1. Being born into leadership: As the oldest sibling, with three younger brothers, I was propelled into leadership from an early age. My early experiences in navigating situations, handling crisis, and leading others helped pave the way for my future. I have been in leadership roles most of my life, and I also pursued a doctorate in business administration and leadership. It was such a blessing to be born into a leadership role that evolved into something beyond my wildest dreams.

2. Relentlessness: Even though my husband doesn’t always love this quality, I truly feel that I am relentless in pursuit of my goals and big ideas. It is the reason that I love to seek out discomfort and growth. At Collaboratory, we are a community foundation, with a mission of bringing our community together to solve the social challenges plaguing our region. An ambitious goal of this nature has never been pursued, not only in the community foundation space, but in our region as a whole. Our belief is that the current systems for supporting nonprofits does not allow for maximum impact, and by bringing our partners together to solve problems collaboratively, we truly feel that the burden of social challenges in our five-county region can be dissolved.

3. I love learning: This has been the true game changer for me. I love learning, about people, about cultures, about leadership, and about systems. This love of learning has allowed me to acquire very different leadership roles. I have led large mission-driven nonprofit organizations, led as a CEO and Senior VP for a private national addiction treatment organization, and I now have the privilege of leading a community foundation with a transformational mission. My desire to keep growing and learning has led me to some of the coolest places.

My advice for those early in their journey is:

1. Know your ‘why,’ and allow it to guide you daily in your journey. When your purpose is strong, it is easy to add or remove roles, people, and initiatives that don’t align to your true purpose.
2. Never give up – discomfort is a part of the journey and it is the only way to truly grow. Do not fear discomfort. Allow it to be the strength training for your future self. There will be days when you want to give up but challenging that inner voice and embracing challenges is the only way through.
3. Be YOU! You will evolve over time, but there is only one true you. Don’t try to fit into other people’s boxes or reduce your magic to make others comfortable.
4. GO BIG or GO HOME: We only get 1 shot at life. Do it scared, do it uncomfortable, but make the life of your dreams happen.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

It was too hard to only include (1). I included a personal and professional option:

1. The Power of Now: Echart Tolle – this book changed my life. This book changed my mind set and morning routine. It brought meditation into my daily life and created a true understanding of ‘presence’ for me. I have reread it over 100 times, and I read it every time I need its inspiring reminders.

2. Start with Why: Simon Sinek – this book serves as my leadership bible. It was one of the first leadership books that I read that had a profound impact on my leadership. It challenged me to grow and evolve my approach and style. It would be a dream to bring Simon Sinek to Collaboratory!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.collaboratory.org
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/collaboratorysocial
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-dawn-belamarich-6a55928b/

Image Credits

CFLeads; Collaboratory’s Women’s Legacy Fund, Collaboratory