June 30, 2025 | By Nick Pfost
Spectrum Center is thrilled to welcome Dawn Espy as associate director. Following a competitive national search, they join the center having most recently served as director of consulting at Nonprofit Enterprise at Work (NEW).
“The associate director is a critical partner in leading the center, overseeing program areas, managing our student scholarships, and supporting students in crisis,” says Jesse Beal, Spectrum Center’s director. “I'm delighted to have Dawn join our team. They bring an abundance of experience in all of these areas and will take our collective work to the next level.”
Espy is a social justice educator and equity strategist with a background in psychology and a deep commitment to identity, inclusion, and community transformation. With over a decade of experience in program leadership and facilitation across education, nonprofit, and research settings, Dawn brings a thoughtful and collaborative approach to their work. They are guided by curiosity, collective care, and a belief in creating spaces where everyone can thrive authentically. Before their time at NEW, Dawn was a consultant with Justice Leaders Collaborative and the education program manager at Ozone House. Espy earned their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology from Vanderbilt University and the University of Michigan, respectively. They also serve as a local school board trustee.
“After years of working in the local community, I am excited to see my journey come full circle and return to the University of Michigan where my time in Ann Arbor began!” Espy says. “I am honored to serve as the associate director of Spectrum Center, the first university center of its kind, to support and celebrate LGBTQIA2S+ students.”
As associate director, Espy will lead strategic initiatives, support leadership development, and design programming that centers the wisdom and lived experiences of the LGBTQIA2S+ community.
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