(Stacie Banton)
The significance of digital payment education in today’s fast-paced, digital world cannot be overstated since it is essential for promoting financial literacy, facilitating safe transactions, and improving economic efficiency. It equips individuals with the necessary tools to prevent fraud, manage digital accounts effectively, and utilize modern payment systems. As a result, it improves general financial security, reduces administrative challenges for businesses, and promotes economic inclusivity.
More female leaders than ever are stepping forward and doing exceptional work in advancing digital payment education as a critical enabler for wealth generation and entrepreneurship. One such example is Dawn Nelson, a well known Payments & Fintech Leader from Trinidad and Tobago. Dawn’s vision to promote digital payment education throughout the Caribbean is admirable. Her more than 20 years of experience, including working on payment implementation projects at national scale in Trinidad and Tobago, demonstrate her extraordinary skills in Digital Finance and Innovation.
Founder & CEO at MyCashlessClass
Dawn is the Founder and CEO of MyCashlessClass, a digital marketplace for all schools and school cafeterias. She launched MyCashlessClass in 2024 with the goal of teaching children the value of financial responsibility and how to be digitally comfortable while making school transactions easier for working parents. With MyCashlessClass, busy parents on the go can use digital transactions to transfer money to their children in school in real time. Parents can make purchases from the digital school office from the comfort of their phone or computer 24/7. Students are given a MyCashlessClass Student card that they can use to make payments at school. The school office and cafeteria can scan the cards thanks to the secure MyCashlessClass app.
Vice President of Financial Sector Transformation at NPICTT
Most recently, Dawn served as the Vice President of Financial Sector Transformation for the National Payment and Innovation Company of Trinidad and Tobago before leaving in January 2026 to devote her efforts fully to MyCashlessClass. NPICTT, formerly the TTIFC, is the state agency responsible for advancing digital payment solutions and innovation within the public sector.
Academic Background
Dawn has a strong academic background. She graduated with a BSc (Upper Second Class Hons), then a Masters of Business Administration from the Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business at the University of the West Indies. Additionally, she holds qualifications in Marketing, Sales Management, Public Relations, Advertising, and Selling as well as Dispute Resolution and Mediation.
Speaking Engagements
Dawn has spoken at numerous conferences, such as the Clico Youthpreneurship Conference 2025, AMCHAM’s T.H.I.S conference and NEDCO’s three-day business forum, where she discussed how to launch enterprises properly in today’s digital world.
From Medical Representative to Entrepreneur
Dawn’s journey from medical representative to entrepreneur is incredibly motivating. She began her career in science earning her first degree in Zoology with a Biochemistry minor. She then spent nearly four years as a medical representative.
She’s traveled widely; To Germany, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, the Eastern Caribbean, Canada, and the United States. By the age of 29, she held her first managerial role at Barbados Mutual, which is now Sagicor, as the Marketing Administration Manager.
As part of re-inventing herself for a career pivot from sciences into the corporate world, she obtained certifications in Marketing, Public Relations, Sales Management, Advertising, and Selling. She has worked in several fields, such as Supply Chain Management, Healthcare, Financial Services and IT Consulting.
The way Dawn launched her company is quite inspirational. She tells the story that after dropping her son off at school in 2024, she was at work when he called to say, “Mom, yesterday was the last day to pay. The event is this morning, and I cannot attend because I didn’t submit the form and pay the money.” Despite leading digital payment projects at national scale, as a parent, she couldn’t send money to her son in school in real time. This served as the impetus behind the creation of MyCashlessClass.
She shared “I didn’t inherit opportunity — I engineered it. Every obstacle became the blueprint for who I am today. Working across multiple sectors, locally, regionally and internationally, shaped my inner consultant and I really think that is what fueled my design thinking approach for MyCashlessClass”. Dawn Nelson is a wonderful illustration of the fact that success comes to those who embrace challenges. To become the lady she is today, she put forth a lot of effort and conquered numerous obstacles.
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