Dawn Maria Doty

Dawn Doty, 61, of Boulder, died peacefully at home on January 2, 2026 surrounded by the love of her husband and three brothers. Raised in the small town of Columbus Grove, Ohio, Dawn lived a life defined by curiosity, creativity, integrity, and a deep commitment to helping others find their voices. She was a beloved wife, sister, aunt, mentor, friend, and educator whose impact reached far beyond Boulder. Dawn was a 7 ½ year cancer survivor, thanks to Dr. Tejas Patil and team at UC Health.

She is survived by her devoted husband, Matt Vawter, of Boulder. She is also survived by her brothers: Travis Doty and Rita of Cincinnati, and their children Kyra, Reese, and Miles; Jason Doty and Sara of Columbus, and their children Sage, Alexa, Alyssa, and Ash; and Matt Doty and Kari of Columbus, and their children Sophia and Olivia Dawn. She was preceded in death by her mom, Judy Doty of Columbus Grove, and father, Larry Doty of Lima, Ohio.

After marrying in Venice, Italy, Dawn and Matt shared a life filled with travel and adventure, exploring destinations across Europe, Asia, Africa, and beyond. Dawn often said her adult life with Matt was shaped by experiencing new places and cultures.

Some of Dawn’s favorite vacations were beach trips spent at the Outer Banks with her three brothers and their families. Also, 10 of Dawn’s favorite days in life were with her mom on a trip to Ireland, fulfilling one of her mom’s bucket list items.

Dawn began her career in nonprofit arts communications at the Columbus Symphony Orchestra before moving into agency work at HMS Partners. She later held leadership roles with global public relations and advertising firms in Chicago and San Francisco, including Ketchum, Burson-Marsteller, and FCB Chicago, and also managed public relations for the travel website Orbitz.

Her career eventually brought her to Colorado, where she led public relations efforts for Keystone and Breckenridge Ski Resorts. She later became a partner and vice president at Denver-based Linhart Public Relations, where she earned a reputation as an energizing, creative, and no-nonsense leader who cared deeply for her team and clients. Her client work included nationally recognized organizations such as Chipotle, Crocs, General Mills, and Southwest Airlines.

In 2016, Dawn joined the University of Colorado Boulder, where she taught public relations—an experience she frequently described as the highlight of her career. She loved mentoring students at a pivotal time in their lives and also served as advisor to the Public Relations Student Society of America. She previously taught Introduction to Public Relations at Columbia College Chicago and was a frequent guest lecturer throughout her career.

Dawn earned an undergraduate degree in communication with a marketing minor from the University of Dayton and a master’s degree in communication from The Johns Hopkins University in 2014. Her professional excellence was widely recognized. She served for many years as a judge for the Public Relations Society of America’s Silver Anvil Awards, received PRSA’s Outstanding Educator of the Year Award in 2021, and was honored with the Swede Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award from PRSA Colorado in 2022.

Dawn lived by a quote from author Zadie Smith, I am the sole author of the dictionary that defines me and believed deeply in this mantra: May we be filled with loving kindness. May we be peaceful and at ease. May we be well and may we be happy.

A private family celebration of life will be held in Columbus and Matt will host a celebration of life for friends in Boulder. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to CU Boulder PRSSA.

 Make donations here and add Dawn Doty in the comments field: https://giveto.colorado.edu/campaigns/53430/donations/new?amt=50.00. Dawn encourages you to make time to mentor students when asked.