Dawn Ellery is a Total Rewards strategist, author, and unapologetic HR truth-teller with more than 25 years of experience leading people strategies across industries. She is the author of Dirty Little HR Secrets: Why Companies Are Losing Billions on Employee Engagement (And How You Can Turn It Around), where she exposes outdated practices and offers bold, practical solutions for the future of work.

In senior leadership roles, Dawn has built rewards strategies that address pay equity, wellbeing, loyalty erosion, and the hidden costs of burnout and moral injury. She is known for naming the “dirty little secrets” of HR and Total Rewards that most leaders avoid - and for challenging organizations to design programs that truly build trust, fairness, and engagement.

Her perspective is shaped not only by corporate HR but also by her experience owning an award-winning intimacy boutique, creating a judgment-free space for women and couples to explore connection and wellbeing. This unique lens fuels her belief that human needs must sit at the center of rewards strategies.

Whether speaking, writing, or consulting, Dawn’s mission is clear: spark brave conversations, expose what’s broken, and equip leaders to rethink Total Rewards in bold, human-centered ways.