Hi! I’m Dr. Dawn Henwood,
Founder of Clarity Connect
"I’m an idealist. In a world that’s lurching from one crisis to the next, I believe solutions are still possible if we can harness the creativity of the human spirit and accelerate innovation. However, if we’re to invent our way out of the mess we’re in, we need innovators to be strong communicators who can make their ideas heard and foster collaboration."
That’s where I come in. I started my career as a professor and have crossed the great divide between the Ivory Tower and the Rest of the World. My PhD in English (University of Toronto) has given me a springboard for collaborating with clients in business and government, in areas as diverse as AI, environmental engineering, healthcare, veterinary medicine, sensor technology, and more.
As a recovering academic, I’ve learned how to translate my geek-speak into business-speak and government-speak. Now, I draw on that background to help others bridge the knowledge gap between their zone of expertise and the world where their potential collaborators live.
Because I have a researcher’s brain, my work doesn’t derive only from my lived experience. It’s grounded in scholarship from multiple fields, including rhetoric (the art of persuasion), narrative theory, communication studies, and learning science.
My approach is frankly humanistic. While I now integrate AI into my writing process, for me, communication will always be a profoundly human activity. I don’t just help clients clarify their ideas; I enable them to connect deeply with the audience they want to influence so their communication resonates and drives real results.
This approach has been successful with university students in computer science and business, IT consultants in a Big Four firm in the US, project managers developing new vocational schools in Nigeria, startups seeking funding, and researchers and engineers across various disciplines. By my reckoning, I’ve now taught or coached more than 2,000 people, and with each new group, I learn something new to share with the next one.
I’ve developed multi-level programs, self-paced courses, and the Technical Writing Certificate program at Dalhousie University, which has been running for more than 10 years. I’ve also written two books on business communication: A Writing Guide for IT Professionals (Oxford University Press) and Business Writing for Innovators and Change-Makers (Business Expert Press). Now, I’m wondering what the next one will be!
All of this experience shapes the way I work with clients
today as an executive coach, team coach, and group trainer.
Ready to elevate communication skills in your organization?
I’ve developed multi-level programs, self-paced courses, and the Technical Writing Certificate program at Dalhousie University, which has been running for more than 10 years. I’ve also written two books on business communication: A Writing Guide for IT Professionals (Oxford University Press) and Business Writing for Innovators and Change-Makers (Business Expert Press). Now, I’m wondering what the next one will be!
All of this experience shapes the way I work with clients today as an executive coach, team coach, and group trainer.
Unlike most practitioners of technical communication, science communication, and knowledge mobilization, I haven’t come to research translation through a technical or scientific discipline. My expertise is rooted in the humanities, drawing on studies in storytelling, persuasive communication, critical thinking, and teaching and learning.
I started my career as a literary scholar, specializing in the study of narrative, and I’ve spent more than 25 years communicating with audiences in business, government, and the not-for-profit sector.
I’m a natural bridge-builder, and I thrive in situations involving multiple stakeholders. The more complex the communication challenge, the better!
An educator at heart, I’ve spent much of my career teaching and designing training. This learning lens helps keep all my work focused on engaging and motivating the audience, not just informing them.
As a writer outside of academia, I've published two books on technical and business communication: A Writing Guide for IT Professionals (Oxford University Press) and Business Writing for Innovators and Change-Makers (Business Expert Press).
I’ve also created a wide range of communication products across various media. My strength is creating hefty, high-stakes documents, such as white papers, impact reports, strategic plans, curriculum, and eBooks.
As a trainer and coach, I've taught or supervised more than 2,000 students and professionals. Along the way, I’ve created more than a dozen communication courses (including a 5-level program for a global consulting firm, which ran for more than 7 years) and developed the Technical Writing Certificate program offered through Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Open Learning (which has been running for more than 10 years). Also through Dalhousie, I've launched the Microcredential in Communication Skills for Knowledge Mobilization.
I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with a wide variety of clients across disciplines, from AI to veterinary sciences. I love working with folks who are tackling the most urgent issues of our time in domains such as housing, health, climate, and agriculture.
Ready to explore how we can make your research resonate?
Hi! I’m Dr. Dawn Henwood, Founder of Clarity Connect
Research holds the hope for humanity’s future—but only if it connects with decision-makers who have the power to make meaningful change.
Unlike most practitioners of technical communication, science communication, and knowledge mobilization, I haven’t come to research translation through a technical or scientific discipline. My areas of expertise are rooted in the humanities: storytelling, persuasive communication, critical thinking, and teaching and learning.
I started my career as a literary scholar, specializing in the study of narrative, and I’ve spent more than 25 years communicating with audiences in business, government, and the not-for-profit sector.
I’m a natural bridge-builder, and I thrive in situations involving multiple stakeholders. The more complex the communication challenge, the better!
An educator at heart, I’ve spent much of my career teaching and designing training. This learning lens helps keep all my work focused on engaging and motivating the audience, not just informing them.
As a writer outside of academia, I've published two books on technical and business communication: A Writing Guide for IT Professionals (Oxford University Press) and Business Writing for Innovators and Change-Makers (Business Expert Press).
I’ve also created a wide range of communication products across various media. My strength is creating hefty, high-stakes documents, such as white papers, impact reports, strategic plans, curriculum, and eBooks.
As a trainer and coach, I've taught or supervised more than two thousand students and professionals. Along the way, I’ve created more than a dozen communication courses (including a 5-level program for a global consulting firm, which ran for more than 7 years) and developed the Technical Writing Certificate program offered through Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Open Learning (which has been running for more than 10 years). Also through Dalhousie, I created the Microcredential in Communication Skills for Knowledge Mobilization.
I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with a wide variety of clients across disciplines, from AI to veterinary sciences. I love working with folks who are tackling the most urgent issues of our time in domains such as housing, health, climate, and agriculture.
My academic training and my professional experience have shown me time and again that the most effective best research communication combines intellectual rigor with emotional appeal and strategic alignment. It doesn’t just explain—it resonates.
Ready to explore how we can make your research resonate?
“I worked with Clarity Studio to facilitate a seminar for early career researchers on effectively communicating their expertise to industry partners. Dawn consistently delivered high-quality work that surpassed my expectations. Her attention to detail, innovative ideas, and flawless execution were evident in every aspect of her work. It was clear that she possesses a profound passion for what she does. We saw positive results within weeks of the seminar!”
Ben Goldberg, Managing Director, Industry Engagement and Customer Experience, Office for Commercialization and Industry Engagement, Dalhousie University
