(Norfolk, VA) — CIVIC Leadership Institute is proud to announce Dawna Ellis, Chief Financial & Operating Officer at Harvey Lindsay Commercial Real Estate as the recipient of the 2026 Founders’ Honoree award. This distinction will be recognized on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at The Westin Virginia Beach Town Center during the Annual Founders’ Luncheon, which is sponsored by the Birdsong Health Literacy Center of Excellence.
“We are excited to celebrate Dawna Ellis, a remarkable leader and community advocate whose impact on the Hampton Roads region is both meaningful and enduring,” said CIVIC Leadership Institute President and CEO, Dr. Mary Kate Andris. “When I think of CIVIC, I think of Dawna. Her longstanding dedication to CIVIC as board member, board chair and generous donor exemplifies the very best of what we strive to celebrate through this award. We are deeply grateful for her continued support and for the leadership she brings to strengthen our region.”
About Dawna Ellis – Founders’ Honoree:
Dawna’s career at Harvey Lindsay Commercial Real Estate began in 1984. She was appointed to the Harvey Lindsay CRE Board of Directors in 1986 and named Chief Financial and Operating Officer in January of 2020.
A member of the CIVIC Class of 2014, Dawna immediately volunteered as a member of the CIVIC Board of Directors, serving on the Board and Executive Committee from 2014 – 2025. Dawna is also involved with several community Boards. RVA-757 Connects, a nonprofit established to combine the economic development efforts of the Hampton Roads to Richmond region (2017 – Present); ODU’s Real Estate Advisory Board (2016 – Present) and ODU’s Accounting Advisory Board (2022 – Present), both of which are designed to provide input on curriculum as well as connect students to opportunities outside the University. Previously, Dawna served on the board of ForKids, an organization dedicated to providing shelter and services to homeless children and their families (2004 – 2011, Board Chair 2007 – 2009), and Volunteer Hampton Roads, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting businesses and the community to the volunteer needs of member charities throughout Hampton Roads (2010 – 2018, Board Chair 2013 – 2015).
Dawna graduated Summa Cum Laude from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia in 1986, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with concentrations in Accounting and Finance. She was inducted into Omicron Delta Epsilon and Alpha Chi – honor societies for Economics and Accounting respectively. She received her Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license from the State of Virginia in 1988, and her Certified Commercial Investment Manager (CCIM) designation in 1993.
About the Founders’ Honoree recognition:
CIVIC Leadership Institute Founders’ Honoree (Honoree) recognizes an individual who embodies the organization’s mission of fostering leadership in Hampton Roads by connecting and/or developing leaders from diverse backgrounds, providing a platform to collaborate, share knowledge, and address regional challenges through innovative solutions. The Honoree has leveraged the power of CIVIC to make the community a better place to live and work through servant leadership.
This annual recognition honors a CIVIC alumnus/a, former Board member, or former employee, who has inspired leaders, leveraged the CIVIC network, and collaboratively driven positive change in the region. The Honoree has also demonstrated a consistent level of support and advocacy for CIVIC.
About CIVIC Leadership Institute:
CIVIC Leadership Institute is a nonprofit organization based in Hampton Roads, Virginia, that welcomed its first class of executive leaders in 1996. Now celebrating 30 years of developing leaders and strengthening our region, CIVIC connects individuals from diverse backgrounds and provides a trusted platform to collaborate, share knowledge, and address regional challenges through innovative solutions.
In addition to its flagship Executive leadership program, CIVIC Leadership Institute offers initiatives such as the CIVIC Scholars Program, designed for college students at Old Dominion University and Tidewater Community College. This customized experience prepares emerging leaders to develop their leadership capacity while building meaningful connections with established leaders across Hampton Roads.
For three decades, CIVIC Leadership Institute has played a vital role in nurturing the next generation of leaders in Hampton Roads, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and civic engagement.