Dawn Riddle

In her current role in the Office of the General Counsel, Dawn Riddle is a Director in University Compliance Services (UCS) and the Interim Sr. Director in Risk and Insurance Management. She leads selected university compliance projects and planning for UCS and is the subject matter expert (SME) in the program area of higher education youth protection, which includes the Protection of Minors policy implementation and youth program best practices at Vanderbilt.  She advises departmental, academic, research and student programs on general risk management and compliance best practices.

Dawn has over 25 years of experience in various leadership roles in higher education institutions, not-for-profit entities, and public safety organizations, holding positions which have included risk management, policy development, compliance, teaching, training, grant and program management, and violence prevention. She joined Vanderbilt in 2013 and led the implementation of Vanderbilt’s Protection of Minors policy and compliance program, which includes an annual average of 200 registered youth programs and youth protection awareness training to 4,000 personnel.

Dawn holds degrees in Criminal Justice from Texas Christian University (B.S.) and Virginia Commonwealth University (M.S.). Dawn is a Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional (CCEP) and is a Prosci Certified Change Management Practitioner. She is a member of the University Risk Managers and Insurance Association (URMIA) and serves on the Board of Directors for the Higher Education Protection Network (HEPNet). Community service includes membership in Nashville Impact 100. She regularly presents at national conferences in the fields of risk management and youth protection.

Dawn enjoys collaborative partnerships and problem-solving with the campus community and educating others on the role everyone plays in risk management, compliance, and youth protection. She enjoys walking campus through the seasons, trying the many dining options on campus and in greater Nashville, live music and sports, and paddleboarding. She loves traveling to visit her two sons and exploring new places.