Dawn Decker has found her calling in empowering students with disabilities and supporting her neighborhood.
In the quiet, tree‑lined streets of Emerson Manor, neighbors know they can count on Dawn Decker. Whether she’s walking her Boston terrier, Sully, checking in on the block, or volunteering her time to support students with disabilities, Dawn has become a familiar and deeply appreciated presence in Westchester. But her story begins far from Los Angeles, in a tiny speck of a town in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls region of western New York.
“It’s the kind of place where if you blink while driving through, you’ll miss it,” she says with a laugh.
A rural farming community surrounded by woods, fields, and endless sky: it was the backdrop to a childhood that Dawn remembers as nothing short of magical.
Growing up in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Dawn lived the kind of unplugged childhood that now feels almost nostalgic. Days were spent exploring the woods with neighborhood friends, picking berries straight from the bushes, building blanket forts in garages, and racing home only when the streetlights flickered on. Her father worked nearly four decades on an assembly line building heating and cooling systems for American‑made cars, while her mother stayed home until Dawn reached middle school. As the youngest of three siblings, she jokes that her brother and sister still insist she “got away with everything.”
As a youth, Dawn once owned a tie‑dye shop on a beach along Lake Ontario. At just 20 years old, she created her colorful designs in her parents’ basement, leaving their washer permanently stained with a rainbow dye line.
Those early years shaped her love for nature, community, and curiosity, qualities that would eventually guide her toward a career in psychology.
A Calling Found Early
Dawn remembers the exact moment she declared her future path. She was in 10th grade, walked into the kitchen, and announced to her mother that she was going to study psychology and become the next Dr. Ruth.
“If you know, you know,” she says with a grin.
She never wavered. Dawn earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in theater arts, followed by a master’s in clinical psychology. She even squeezed in specialized training in Washington, D.C., and because life is more fun with unexpected twists, a bartending certificate.
Then came the leap that changed everything: a move to California to pursue her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology.
Along the way, she found mentors who shaped her professionally and personally: Dr. Timothy Osberg, Dr. Grant McLaren, and Dr. Joy Asaman. As a first‑generation college student, Dawn says their encouragement helped her push past moments of doubt. Her parents, too, were unwavering in their support.
During her internship at Santa Ana College, Dawn discovered the spark that would define her career. Working with students who had struggled in school or gone undiagnosed with learning disabilities, she found joy in helping them understand their strengths and reclaim their confidence.
“I loved giving students hope–helping them see they belonged in college, and that they could reach their goals,” she says.
She also found lifelong friends there, co‑advising the campus gay‑straight alliance and building community in ways that would echo throughout her life.
A Career and a Calling
Just three weeks after earning her doctorate, Dawn was hired at a community college in Orange County as a learning disability specialist and academic counselor. In 2011, she joined Cypress College as adjunct faculty, eventually earning a full‑time position in 2016 and tenure in 2020, an achievement she still describes with pride.
Her most influential career mentor, Dr. Brooke Bui, helped her see potential she didn’t yet recognize in herself.
“She encouraged me, connected me, and supported me,” Dawn says. “I wouldn’t be where I am without her.”
Dawn continues to serve students with disabilities, helping them navigate higher education with dignity, support, and opportunity.
Finding Home in Westchester
Dawn moved to Westchester in 2011, shortly after landing her part‑time job in Orange County. She had lived in Playa del Rey and Del Rey since arriving in Los Angeles in 2003, but Westchester felt right: affordable at the time, walkable, and full of neighbors who quickly became friends.
“It reminds me of my small town in some ways,” she says. “People look out for each other.”
She helped revive the local Neighborhood Watch, forging connections with neighbors, LAPD, LAXPD, and community leaders. She also became involved with the Westchester Neighbors Association, deepening her roots in the community.
Today, Dawn and her husband, Brian, whom she calls her “jackpot,” after their 07/07/07 Las Vegas wedding, can often be spotted walking Sully through the neighborhood, exploring local restaurants, or checking out museum exhibits. Brian, originally from the Adirondack region of upstate New York, works in the video game industry and shares Dawn’s love of travel and Disney adventures. The couple is on a mission to visit every Disney park in the world, with Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea next on their list.
Dawn met Brian in the most unexpected of places, a small video and lingerie shop near the University at Buffalo. He was the cute assistant manager behind the counter; she was the curious customer who struck up a conversation and somehow walked out with a job application. They worked opposite shifts, but Brian would “check in” on the new hire, and over time, their easy banter turned into something more.
One night after closing, a simple “What are you doing later?” led to drinks, a movie, and the beginning of a connection neither of them had been looking for. Both fresh out of long-term relationships, they kept things casual at first, but by the Ides of March they decided to make it official, even knowing Dawn would be moving across the country in a few months.
A trip to Las Vegas sealed the deal. At the VooDoo Lounge atop the Rio, over a smoking Witch Doctor cocktail, Brian told her he loved her for the first time. What happened in Vegas definitely didn’t stay there. They committed to a one‑year long‑distance relationship, and when Brian visited Dawn in Los Angeles, he fell in love with the city, too. Within months, he moved west, landed a job in the video game industry, and began building a life with her.
When it came time to marry, Vegas was the obvious choice. They tied the knot on one of the most popular wedding dates in the city’s history: no Elvis, just a Tommy Bahama‑themed celebration on a golf course surrounded by friends and family.
Nearly 19 years later, they’re still laughing, still exploring, and still planning their next adventure together.
Though child‑free by choice, Dawn and Brian are beloved by their 21 nieces and nephews, ranging from toddlers to adults and by many of their friends’ children, who affectionately call them Auntie Dawn and FUNcle Brian.
A Life of Service and Color
Dawn’s commitment to service extends beyond her career. She volunteers with Boston Buddies, a Boston Terrier rescue organization, conducting home checks for potential adopters and foster families. She also serves as treasurer for the California Association for Postsecondary Education and Disability (CAPED), helping plan its annual convention and supporting scholarships for students with disabilities.
A Neighbor Who Makes Westchester Better
From her rural New York roots to her life in Emerson Manor, Dawn’s story is one of resilience, curiosity, service, and community. She has built a life grounded in helping others, nurturing friendships, and embracing the joy in everyday moments.
Westchester may not be the small farming town where she grew up, but thanks to neighbors like Dawn Decker, it has the heart of one.
By Sylvia Wilson. Photo by Zsuzsi Steiner.