Dawn Simonson, MPA 

Dawn is the President and CEO of Trellis. Dawn champions organizational vision and provides strategic leadership resulting in services and programs that benefit older adults and their families in the Twin Cities region of Minneapolis and St. Paul and throughout Minnesota. With deep experience in aging issues, services and policy, Dawn is recognized for her leadership as an innovator and collaborator. Her priorities are to develop networks and other partnerships that support older adults to live healthy and secure lives at home. 

Dawn is a respected voice in the aging policies and practices arena through her leadership roles with the Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging and the Minnesota Association of Area Agencies on Aging. She is a past president of USAging formerly known as the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging.  

Through Dawn’s leadership Trellis developed and operates Juniper, one of the earliest and currently largest Community Care Hubs in the nation delivering services in the community that improves health outcomes of older adults and reduces cost to private and public payors. 

In 2024, Dawn was named one of 100 most influential people in healthcare by Minnesota Physician magazine. She received the Ann K. Johnson Community Health Spirit and was recognized by the Women’s Health Leadership Trust in 2022 for partnerships and collaboration. 

Dawn has a Master of Public Affairs degree from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota. 

Contact Information: 

Dawn Simonson, MPA 

President and CEO 

Trellis 

3001 Broadway Street NE, Suite 601 

Minneapolis, MN  55413 

dsimonson@trellisconnects.org 

651-900-8700