With great sadness we announce that Dr. Dawn Dekle passed away unexpectedly on May 27, 2025, surrounded by her close friends and family. Dawn was a vibrant force of nature: compassionate, delightfully eccentric, and fearless in the way she embraced life. She took bold risks, followed her own path, and filled every moment with purpose and wonder. Her remarkable contributions to education and the extraordinary adventures that marked her life continue to inspire all who knew her. Dawn lived fully, loved deeply, and left an unforgettable mark on our world.

Dawn believed deeply in the power of education to transform lives and transcend borders. Her journey - spanning continents, cultures, and classrooms - was a testament to the belief that learning is not just a path forward, but a bridge between people. Maya Angelou said, “When you learn, teach. When you get, give.” Dawn lived these words fully, lifting others through knowledge, mentorship, and the fearless goal of generosity in all her interactions. Her legacy continues in every life she touched, every mind she inspired, and every heart she opened to the world.

Dawn was born on January 2, 1967 in Austin, Texas. She was raised in League City, Texas, completing her Bachelor’s in Psychology at Texas A&M University, earning a Master’s and Ph.D in Experimental Psychology from Dartmouth College, and a law degree from Stanford University. Dawn’s career was deeply dedicated to education, beginning at James Madison University, followed by the National University of Singapore, Singapore Management University and S P Jain School of Global Management. In 2011 she was named Provost of the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul, where she worked tirelessly to expand program offerings for women, spearheading recruitment and enrollment efforts across the country. In 2013 she was named president of the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani, where she became the first female President of an Iraqi university. A lawyer by training, Dawn worked in both Afghanistan and Iraq to help bring Western-style law programs into the university curricula. She also led efforts at both institutions to obtain U.S. accreditation. In July 2015 she became President of Orkhon University in Mongolia, where she worked to increase enrollment from across the nation, increased ties between the university and the business community, and moved the university toward implementing an accredited international curriculum. In 2017, Dawn became President of the American University of Nigeria in Yola, where she notably supported and educated the Chibok girls who escaped kidnapping from Boko Haram. In 2021, Dawn became Vice President of Academic Affairs at the American University of Baghdad where she spearheaded efforts to establish dental, medical, music, and primary education schools. Dawn most recently served as the President and Dean at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California.

During her time internationally, she was a member of the project team that implemented multi-million dollar projects funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of State, World Bank, Danish Refugee Council, GIZ, UNHCR, WFP, the Kurdistan Regional Government, and the Federal Government of Nigeria. She also held leadership positions outside of academia, including being a Council Member for the Singapore Institute of International Affairs and Leadership Specialist and Global Knowledge Manager with McKinsey & Company, where she was a member of the team that launched the McKinsey Center for Asian Leadership. As a scholar of social science and law, she has published in academic journals, contributed book chapters, presented at international conferences, given keynote addresses for the Young Presidents Organization, and served as an analyst for BBC, Al Jazeera, and Channel News Asia about American strategies in Asia and the Middle East.

Dawn’s heart and soul belonged to her son, Max, who was her companion on countless life adventures and assignments around the globe. She gave him a one-of-a-kind upbringing, filled with the richness of living in diverse countries, learning through unconventional and inspiring educational paths, and exploring the world through extraordinary travels. Nothing brought her more pride or joy than watching Max walk across the stage to receive his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brown University - moments that were the culmination of a lifetime of love, dedication, and shared discovery of each other and the ones around them.

Dawn had a deep appreciation for the richness and diversity of global cultures, and her travels were both extensive and immersive. She journeyed to all seven continents and visited over 100 countries, often engaging respectfully with local communities and embracing their traditions with curiosity and reverence. Her travels reflected a genuine desire to understand the world through the eyes of others and to honor the cultural heritage of the people she met along the way. Most notably were setting sail to Antarctica, safari in Kenya, hiking in Bhutan, student recruitment trips around India, relaxing throughout Australia with her father, wandering the Skeleton Coast of Namibia, and staring in awe from the niches above the Bamiyan valley in Afghanistan. In her final year, she visited family in Bangkok, Thailand, Austin, Texas, Kyoto, Japan, and Santa Barbara, California. She loved soaking up the San Diego sunshine, cheering on the Padres at baseball games, enjoying nights filled with symphonies and theater, and escaping to Palm Springs for relaxing weekend getaways. She found beauty and wisdom in the details of life, especially in her quiet joy of watching birds, a reminder that wonder could always be found in the present moment.

She is survived by many loved ones, including her son Max Dekle, sister Nichole Aston along with her husband and family, father Ansel Dekle, Denis Leung, Kent Goeking and his family, Paul Revere and countless other dear friends, colleagues, and students around the world. She is preceded in death by her mother Judi Dekle. Dawn’s legacy and adventurous spirit will continue to inspire us to live life fully. She will be deeply missed.

A memorial is still being planned, but we invite you to write a special tribute or favorite memory and please include cherished photos.

Donations can be made in Dawn’s honor for scholarships at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law. https://www.tjsl.edu/donate/d…

“The story of life is quicker than the wink of an eye…The story of love is hello and goodbye, until we meet again” - Jimi Hendrix

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/dawn-dekle/obituary/

Copy