Dawn Ballew

Dawn Ballew graduated from Northeastern State University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Social Work and began her career with Bill Willis Mental Health that same year. After working with Bill Willis, Dawn began working with Effective Teaching and Learning Institute, as a certified ETL teacher to those individuals with intellectual disabilities throughout the Northeast and Southeast areas of Oklahoma. During her time with ETL, Dawn attended The University of Oklahoma, graduating with her Masters of Social Work in 2008 and becoming a licensed clinical social worker in 2014.

In 2015, Dawn began private practice, opening her own business, Blue Lotus Counseling, PLLC and continues providing outpatient mental health services to those in the Tahlequah and surrounding communities.

Dawn has served on, The National Association of Social Workers, Oklahoma Chapter as the representative chair of Muskogee for 4 years and served as chair of NASW conference committee, coordinating Oklahoma’s annual conference. Dawn is a founding member of Beta Sigma Phi, an international service sorority and has performed several roles within that sorority since, 1992. Although Dawn has partially retired from the profession, she continues to serve on the board of directors for Help in Crisis since 2019.Dawn has had the pleasure and privilege of helping raise her husband’s 5 children, 3 grandchildren, with more on the way. Dawn and her husband now spend a majority of their time riding motorcycles, traveling and spending time with family.