At the top of DAWN sits the Board of Directors, a group of seven individuals elected from a list of candidates recommended by peers and colleagues alike, though the positions are sometimes passed down by mentors as well. Only familial succession is disallowed as a means of preventing nepotism.
In any case, the selection process relies on a rigorous list of criteria - physical, mental, and moral - to ensure the Board comprises of people dedicated to the well-being of both the natural world and all the creatures (feral and sapient alike) that rely on it. This process used to be somewhat more lax in the past, operating mostly on good faith, but due to inner turmoil in the past that almost led to DAWN's dissolution, the standards used had to undergo serious reevaulation.
Each member leads and represents a branch of DAWN and together decide the course of action for every major issue their organization tackles with the Executive Director serving as the final say. Simple as this process sounds, it doesn't always pan out smoothly on account of the various and even clashing personality types among the Board - but when the going gets tough and lives need saving, everyone at DAWN can always trust their Directors to buckle down in the face of adversity and strive for a better future.
Though only time will tell if this group's leadership will be enough against what Ambrosia has in store.
Speaking of whom, these are the Board's current members:
Roberta Olivares (Voiced by Angie Cepeda ) - a female Rosenberg’s gladiator tree frog from Colombia and Director of GAMMA. Her soft-spoken nature and status as the Board's smallest member belie a fierce dedication to the job and drive to succeed, two qualities she does her best to cultivate in her agents. She is a woman of few words, preferring to observe and take action based on what she notices rather than waste the air with pointless chatter, sometimes even forgoing protocol to ensure her agents succeed, a habit Scratch has called her out on many times. As someone who grew up in a rough neighborhood, Olivares values self-sufficiency and resilience and has no patience for those who seek shortcuts in life. She also doesn't tolerate injustice or unfairness and will not hesitate to call others out on their wrongs, including her fellow Board members. Yet despite her seeming intensity, she is easily among the more laid-back and even-tempered among her colleagues, acting as a balm to the more colorful personalities on the Board alongside Kapoor (albeit in a more…hands-on manner). She also happens to be a staunch defender of shoujo anime.
Kuziva Nyoni (Voiced by Nyasha Hatendi) - a male Southern masked weaver from Zimbabwe and Director of TRAIL. An inventor by heart and brilliant in mind, Nyoni values diversity and creativity and welcomes folks from all walks of life into his branch so long as they have the heart and drive to better the world. Optimistic and forward-thinking, he is always looking ahead to the future and what good can be done to improve the lives of the less fortunate. As a result, though, this chatty bird can sometimes get a bit ahead of himself and overlook what's going on in the here and now, especially when excited. He can also be a bit hard to understand as a person due to his flimsy grasp of social cues and scatterbrained nature, hence why he's considered the weird uncle of DAWN. At the end of the day, however, Nyoni is someone who means well and strives to keep everyone's heads up even in the midst of adversity. Just be sure not to ask for his opinion on the best cuisine to try when visiting another country - you'll never hear the end of it.
Alban Rousseau (Voiced by Benz Antoine) - a male bison from Canada and Director of WARN. The biggest (and grumpiest) member of the Board, Alban is a man of reality and a blunt stubborn one at that, unafraid to ask the hard-hitting questions or point out some painful truths. He's also not above poking holes in others' arguments whenever possible. That said, his perspectives tend to err on pessimism as he often struggles looking on the bright side of things due to certain life experiences, hence his near-constant arguments with Barnacles. Yet despite being the perpetual rain cloud of the Board, his naysayer behavior stems from a desire to prepare others for the harshness of the world (whatever form it may take) as to hopefully limit the resultant pain and disappointment - because despite what his appearance might suggest, he knows all too the well the pain of feeling helpless and unprepared. In truth, while he is very slow to give his trust, proving your mettle is the most surefire way to gain it and once you do, never will you find a more steadfast ally. Or a better gardener, tight-lipped as he is about that.
Sarine Pavlova (Voiced by Anastasia Baranova) - a female European mink from Russia and Executive Director of DAWN. To say she has a chip on her shoulders would be an understatement, considering the tragic fate of her mentor and predecessor, not to mention the doubts among older DAWN members about her ability to lead. Yet despite everything, Pavlova perseveres to continue DAWN's mission while also keeping a close ear and eye on world events in case an opportunity to redeem her organization's reputation arises. As head of the board, she does her best to hear everyone out and ensure all branches felt seen, although doing so can be a struggle due to all the various headstrong individuals under her lead. She also has a bad habit of disregarding her own well-being for the sake of others, sometimes to detrimental degrees. In fact, she could easily give Barnacles stiff competition in regards to who has spent an unhealthier amount of time not sleeping in favor of getting work done. This has resulted in her being rather secretive, even among the rest of the Board, for the sake of not worrying anyone. She's not without her sense of fun, though, as the mink can be pretty mischeivous when she wants to be and has even shown a rather playful side during her rare moments out on the field. Also, yes she does have a rather massive sweettooth, thanks for asking.
Ulluriaq Natquik (Voiced by Simon Greenall) - a male polar bear and native Inuk of the Arctic Circle and Director Captain of the Octonauts (formerly Oceanic Affairs). Known more commonly among his crew and colleagues as "Barnacles", an old childhood nickname given to him by his stepfather, this bear possesses the heart of a true hero, willing to go above and beyond for any in need of help regardless of the risks (primarily to himself). Selected on the recommendations of both his mentor and predecessor, Professor Inkling, and the many friends and teammates who remember him fondly from his time as a CLADE agent, the humble bear found himself thrust into the position almost instantaneously, a placement he still harbors insecurities about to this day. Yet time and time again, Barnacles has proven the doubts of both himself and others wrong with his and his crew's high success rate and never-ending dedication to the well-being of ocean life and beyond. He tends to be the guiding heart among the Board, his compassion and empathy a constant reminder of why DAWN exists, although his idealistic views sometimes meet friction in the form of Rousseau and his constant cynicism. He's also the biggest theater kid you'll ever find in DAWN.
Avani Kapoor (Voiced by Rahnuma Panthaky) - a female Oriental garden lizard from India and Director of The Four Winds. The eldest of the Board's members, Kapoor has seen more than her fair share of tribulation and heartache throughout her time with DAWN. As such, she does her best to impart wisdom upon her fellow Board members and others to avoid seeing history repeat. On the topic of history, she has always placed priority on learning from the past - a side effect of being a former history professor as well as a daughter of archivists - as a means of preparing for the future, which sometimes puts her at odds with the future-minded Nyoni. On that same note, she can sometimes be stuck in her ways in that she can be slow to try novel solutions and wary of any deviations from tried and true methods. However, when push comes to shove, she's willing to break tradition and learn some new tricks, especially if they give her a new perspective on those around her. As both a mother and grandmother, Kapoor is not above babying or teasing others, even the rest of the Board, and is well in tune with the gossip throughout DAWN, including who's got friction with who and which relationships are on the rise or fall. She's also a diehard romantic, so expect her to play matchmaker often.
Peggy Scratch (Voiced by Teresa Gallagher) - a female chicken from England and Director of CLADE. No-nonsense and focused to almost a fault, Scratch would seem humorless to the point of even coming off as a fuddy-duddy. On the contrary, she is a woman who merely prefers to keep work and play separate as she can be actually be quite lively once she lets her hair (er, feathers) down, proving herself to be just as eccentric as Nyoni and fun-loving as Pavlova. It's just a shame her work reputation precedes her to the point that only her fellow Directors are willing to sit with her at lunch. Plus, her overfocus on bureaucracy can make her frustrating to deal with as she will often hand down briefs for missions (or Creature Cases as she likes to call them) to agents even when they're in trouble or when an issue is obvious; this fixation often puts her at odds with Olivares. Yet no matter what, Scratch will always do whatever's necessary to help her agents achieve success, even if it means bending the rules on her part. Did we forget to mention she's also a pro bowler?
Disclaimer: Captain Barnacles belongs to Meomi and CBeebies, and Peggy Scratch belongs to Gabe Pulliam. Everyone else is my own creation.
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