Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) continues its transformation offerings expansion with the addition of Barb Dawson as a Chicago-based Managing Director with A&M’s Corporate Performance Improvement (CPI) practice.
 
As the latest highly experienced hire, Ms. Dawson’s appointment builds on the strategic growth of recent CPI hires Hay Wun Wain, Michael Lawless, Jonathan Zanger, Al Criscuolo and Steve Kelly, along with Frederic Ramioulle’s hire in the firm’s Automotive & Industrials practice. These senior practitioner additions extend the firm’s transformation capabilities across a wide range of industry sectors and functional disciplines.

Ms. Dawson brings more than 30 years of public and private sector technology and leadership experience to A&M. She is an accomplished Chief Information Officer with a focus on IT modernization and transformation. She has deep expertise driving change to achieve operational excellence and improved performance, including developing and executing IT strategy, leading business transformation efforts and managing information technology operational teams comprising software, infrastructure, security, and project and program management.

Additionally, Ms. Dawson has built a strong reputation for delivering multi-million-dollar, multi-year technology projects on time and on budget, as well as establishing and managing effective information technology organizations.
 
“Barb’s unique combination of IT technical prowess and business acumen corresponds perfectly with A&M’s results-oriented mindset for developing practical solutions that address clients’ needs in an evolving market,” said Jean Hill, Managing Director with A&M’s CPI practice and National Solution Leader for CPI’s Digital and Technology Services practice. “Barb’s decades of CIO and technology leadership experience arm her with the practical, operator mindset that our clients need to propel change and maximize value.”

“Barb is a results-oriented leader who joins with a track record of designing and executing high quality IT solutions that drive revenue, save costs and improve delivery,” said Michael Davidson, Managing Director and co-leader of A&M’s CPI practice. “Her operational expertise reinforces our value proposition by consistently translating business objectives into actionable plans matching technology to organizational needs.”

Ms. Dawson has held numerous CIO and technology leadership roles in both the private and public sector, including higher education. She served as the CIO at West Virginia University and as the Assistant Vice President of IT Strategy and Innovation at Michigan State University.  

In addition to her work in higher education, Ms. Dawson led two entrepreneurial enterprises as their inaugural CIO, establishing enterprise-class IT organizations to support business growth and expansion.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in public administration from Western Michigan University.