Discernment, Care, Ethical Communications Leadership & the Work Ahead
dis·cern·ment (noun): the ability to evaluate information, context, and consequence in order to exercise sound judgment. Adapted from Merriam-Webster.
In recent years, I’ve found myself returning to this word again and again.
We are living in a time of accelerated information, fractured narratives, and heightened urgency - where speed often eclipses care, and visibility is confused for clarity. For organizations doing mission-driven work, especially those serving communities under pressure, this environment makes communication both more powerful and more fragile.
Discernment, to me, is the practice of slowing down just enough to choose wisely. It is the discipline of asking not only what we say, but why, how, and to whom. It is the difference between reacting and leading.
It is also the foundation of Dunn Good Works.
Why This Work, Why Now
As I prepare to formally embark on this next chapter in 2026, I’ve been reflecting deeply on timing - not just professionally, but personally.
The work I’m doing now sits at the intersection of communications, care, and community. Through my consulting work with Fenway Health, my volunteer engagements with The Fenway Institute, and Boston’s HIV Research Community Action Board, I am consistently reminded that communications are not neutral. They shape access, trust, safety, and belonging.
For communities impacted by HIV; for LGBTQIA+ communities - particularly transgender and gender-diverse people; and for individuals who are unhoused, experiencing substance use disorder, or recovering from sexual or physical violence while navigating complex healthcare systems, policy shifts, and public scrutiny - clarity is not a luxury. It is a form of care.
This moment demands communications leadership that is grounded, ethical, and human. Not louder. Not faster. Better.
A Values-Driven Practice
Dunn Good Works exists to support organizations that are doing good - and doing it thoughtfully.
My approach is rooted in a few simple beliefs:
Communications is care.
Narrative builds trust.
Clarity creates safety.
Discretion protects dignity.
Sustainable impact requires integrity.
This work is not about manufacturing narratives or chasing attention. It is about helping organizations show up with intention - aligning internal values with external expression, especially during moments of change, pressure, or visibility.
Whether supporting executive communications, community-facing messaging, crisis response, or long-term narrative strategy, my goal is the same: to help organizations communicate in ways that are honest, responsible, and grounded in the communities they serve.
Looking Ahead
As Dunn Good Works continues to take shape, my focus remains steady: partnering with mission-led organizations that value discernment as much as momentum, and care as much as reach.
The work ahead is complex. The environment is noisy. The stakes are real.
But I believe deeply that when communications are done with integrity - when they are rooted in empathy, cultural awareness, and accountability - they can do more than inform. They can protect. They can connect. They can heal.
This is the work I’m committed to doing - now, and in the years ahead.
