Dawn McKenna

Founder, Dawn McKenna Group

McKenna has expanded her Hinsdale-based real estate business to an international operation, leaning into the lifestyle of her clients and pursuing new development projects across the country.

McKenna recently launched a development arm of the Dawn McKenna Group, which is managing, among other projects, a new subdivision in Western Springs.

McKenna began her professional journey not in real estate, but in design — working as an interior decorator while raising her growing family. Inspired by that experience, McKenna got her real estate license in 2003 and landed a $5 million home for her first sale. 

Now, the Dawn McKenna Group, a Coldwell Banker team, is one of the biggest luxury teams in the country with 29 agents and a career sales volume approaching $7 billion. McKenna ranked 7th in The Real Deal’s 2025 rankings of top Chicago brokers by sales volume in Cook County, notching $195 million across 163 transactions. Nationally, the team traded $642 million in volume across 404 transactions in 2024, according to Real Trends, ranking 20th in the country for mega teams.

McKenna’s team operates in the suburbs, the city and the North Shore, covering all the bases in Chicagoland’s luxury market. She also operates in Naples, Florida; Park City, Utah; Lake Geneva and Southwest Michigan, allowing her to keep her clients’ business as they seek additional homes outside Illinois.

“We can cast that huge, wide net, not just in Illinois, not just in the Midwest, but across the globe,” McKenna said.

— Caleb McCullough