Applied Financial Ethicist
Exploring a new understanding of the
nature of work and the
responsibilities of wealth
Thought leadership, podcasts, and documentary film at the intersection of finance, ethics, and longevity.
About
Who is Dr. Dawn?
Dr. Dawn M. Carpenter is a prominent ethicist, financial advisor, and educator, currently serving as the Director of Financial Longevity at the Milken Institute. In this role, she focuses on the intersection of contributive justice research and thought leadership in the longevity economy, advocating for financial strategies that support the well-being of individuals across their lifespan.
With a rich background in capitalization and investment strategies for social purpose corporations, Dr. Carpenter emphasizes the importance of ethical financial practices that uplift marginalized communities and the working poor.
Selected Engagements
The Big Idea
What is Contributive Justice?
A framework for understanding the moral architecture of our economy: how work gives life meaning, how marginalization happens across every stratum of society, and how we can honor human dignity at every stage of the lifespan.
This isn’t abstract philosophy. It’s the lens through which Dr. Dawn approaches everything—from retirement policy to documentary filmmaking.
The Work
One Mission, Three Channels
Thought Leadership
Senior Fellow at the Milken Institute Center on Aging, contributing research and insight on longevity, retirement architecture, and the responsibilities of wealth. Dr. Carpenter writes on a wide range of subjects, bringing theological and philosophical insights to bear on today's pressing economic issues.
Audio Storytelling
Creator and host of What Does It Profit?—an award-winning podcast exploring the most innovative ways we can reconcile capitalism's demand for profit with the long-term well-being of people and the planet. From socially-responsible investing to conscious consumerism to business ethics in this age of extremes.
Film & Documentary
Producer of Interwoven and ongoing documentary projects that bring contributive justice to life through visual storytelling—from the margins of society to the corridors of power. Award-winning work that makes complex ideas accessible and human.
Listen to the show
What Does It Profit?
Dr. Dawn talks with thinkers, researchers, entrepreneurs, executives, and workers—exploring the cutting-edge ideas and experiments driving the purpose-driven business revolution. Your guide to reconciling profit with the long-term well-being of people and the planet.
Gold – Cause Awareness
"Locked Doors"
Gold – Documentary
"Locked Doors"
Silver – Public Service & Activism
"Safety First"
Silver – Best Indie Podcast
"California Dreaming"
Silver – Best Indie Podcast
"Entertaining AI"
Silver – Public Service & Activism
"Entertaining AI"
Gold – Cause Awareness
"Brewing Change"
Film & Documentary
Some ideas need to be seen to be understood. Through documentary film, Dr. Dawn brings contributive justice out of the abstract and into the lived experiences of real communities — capturing the dignity of work, the weight of economic displacement, and the resilience that follows.
Her debut feature, Interwoven, follows the people of Morganton, North Carolina as they reimagine their town's storied textile legacy through sustainable practices and worker ownership. It's a story about what happens when a community refuses to let globalization have the last word.
Articles & Essays
Markets With Memory: A Brussels Holiday Reflection
When the Ladder Breaks: Financial Nihilism Among America’s Youth
The Ethics Behind the Longevity Equation
Revitalizing Communities: The Essential Role of the Community Reinvestment Act
Navigating Retirement Planning Pitfalls: The Untapped Potential of Financial Solutions
The Solidarity Economy: A Pathway to Social Transformation
Health and Wealth: A Dual Perspective
The Power of Durable Powers of Attorney: Essential Tools for Planning
Unlocking Legacy: The Role of Philanthropy in Financial Planning
Investing in Health: The Financial Benefits of Preventive Care and Wellness Programs
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Speaking & Presentations
Dr. Dawn has a passion for engaging with challenging ideas—synthesizing concepts across theological, economic, and philosophical ways of thinking. She is as comfortable speaking to a Corporate Board as she is to an auditorium of scholars.
From keynotes to fireside chats to panel discussions, her most satisfying conversations are often with those who never even dreamed these ideas might have relevance to them.
Let’s Start a Conversation
Whether you’re seeking an interview source, a keynote speaker, a panel participant, or a creative collaborator on film and media projects—Dr. Dawn welcomes inquiries from journalists, producers, and organizations aligned with these ideas.