E3 Alliance Announces the Passing of Beloved Leader and Founder Susan Dawson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Austin, TX — [4 August 2026] – With profound sadness, E3 Alliance announces the passing of Founder Susan Dawson. She served as president and executive director for 18 years before transitioning to president emeritus in 2024. A stage 4 breast cancer survivor, Dawson was diagnosed for a second time in 2019 and had been battling metastatic cancer.

Dawson first launched into the corporate world as a professional engineer. Success punctuated her resume. She led multiple businesses and technology ventures, including managing Motorola’s deployment of factory integration systems worldwide.

Dawson’s passion, however, always pulled her into community service. In 2006, she transitioned from a successful business entrepreneur to a social entrepreneur, launching E3 Alliance. Dawson steered the data-driven organization through countless milestones, which received recognition nationwide for groundbreaking work in systemic change for education. Some of the highlights:

• Increasing the regional pipeline of students preparing for STEM careers by over 910% in 9 years.
• Creating the first multicompetency, student-centered standard for kindergarten readiness in the history of Texas, now in use by 15 school districts.
• Leading a regional student attendance campaign that returned $37M in revenues to Central Texas schools.
• Expanding access and reducing disparities through Senate Bill 2124, which auto-enrolled high-performing math students into advanced math, increasing postsecondary success.

Dawson held many leadership positions during her lifetime. She was chair of the Austin Chamber of Commerce and board officer of the Austin Area Research Organization (AARO), Leadership Austin, Children’s Optimal Health, Workforce Solutions, American Youthworks, and Austin Partners in Education, among many other community groups.

Anyone who crossed paths with Dawson would describe her as uncompromising, unbreakable, and unstoppable. Her resilience was a source of inspiration for many people. She was never one to give up but instead rethink and dig deeper. One colleague noted, “If you had something big to get done, you want Susan Dawson on your team.”

When she received her cancer diagnosis in 2016, her tough spirit got tougher. Dawson faced the journey with her trademark relentless courage and tenacity. The experience opened her eyes to the grave need to improve systems of care for uninsured cancer patients in Central Texas. In true Dawson fashion, she founded and led a coalition, Addressing Cancer Together, with AARO’s Health Committee, Dell Medical School, and other organizations. This initiative greatly improved access to treatment and support. Her efforts also restarted the Big Pink Bus, a mobile mammography unit that provides low-cost or free breast cancer screenings. The new bus was appropriately named the Susan Dawson Big Pink Bus.

Dawson’s many recognitions include the Leadership Austin Award for Lifetime Achievement in Community Trusteeship, Austin Under 40 Austinite of the Year, the State Board of Education’s Hero for Children, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Dell Medical School Health Hero, UT McCombs School Trailblazer Award, NAPE national Diversity in Technology Leadership, and CEO of the Year by the Austin Chamber. She was named one of Austin’s 30 Most Influential Leaders in shaping Austin’s economy and culture over the last 30 years, StriveTogether’s national Cradle to Career Champion, 2020 Austinite of the Year, and AARO’s Visionary of the Year for 2022.

In 2025, Dawson published Changing Education Systems: Wisdom Gained by E3 Alliance in Driving Effective Change Using Data and Collaboration.

Dawson was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, cum laude, from Princeton University and earned an MBA with highest honors from The University of Texas McCombs School of Business. She is survived by her two adult children.

During her more than 30 decades of serving, Dawson made Central Texas a better place. Her work enhanced the education and healthcare systems, leaving a lasting, positive impact on the community. She was a proud Texan who loved music and wearing her signature collection of cowboy boots. Booker T. Washington said, “Success always leaves footprints.” Dawson left behind countless boot prints. Her work has left an indelible mark on the community. We will benefit from her contributions for years to come.