The Starting Point
Kris joined DAWA's founding board of directors in early 2023. The organization was growing. The mission was strong. The impact was real. But the messaging was scattered. Too many programs. Too many definitions. No clear center of gravity. That was the root problem. DAWA had already been making headlines, but without a unified narrative to anchor its momentum.
Naming the Heartbeat
The phrase Giving to the Givers already existed inside DAWA. It just wasn't leading.
CWK. identified it as the heartbeat of the organization: the one idea expansive enough to hold everything DAWA stood for. From there, the work was simple but relentless: reinforce it everywhere across communications, programming, events, visuals, and decision-making.
A Working Board
DAWA operated with 4 staff members and a working board. Kris wasn't advising from a distance. She was building inside the organization.
The biggest push was the 5-year anniversary. With a short runway, a temporary content and communications department was built from scratch. An 8-person team was assembled in two weeks. Roles were defined. Campaigns were executed. Content output accelerated.
Before this, DAWA didn't have a real content system. After it, they had a social media engine.
Training, Teams, and Talent
The work wasn't just external. Internal leadership was trained and developed, including vendors and a key team member, building capacity that would outlast the engagement.
Programs Built From Zero
An education and internship program was co-built from scratch in collaboration with local universities including the University of Texas. Interns were placed into a live campaign environment with real responsibilities. The program proved DAWA could operate as a training and development platform, not just a non-profit.
A Clean Close
The chapter with DAWA ended after nearly two years of active building, following the 5-year anniversary. The handoff was clean. The narrative was anchored. Systems were in place. Leadership was stronger.
