We are excited to welcome Danielle to the Deaconess Foundation. You can learn about her professional experience on our website or her LinkedIn profile, but thought you might appreciate getting to know her a little better!
- Tell us a little about yourself.
I am Cleveland boomerang! I grew up in and graduated from Shaker Heights schools. I left after high school to attend the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Go Blue!) and completed my Master of Art in Teaching and Education at Bard College in upstate New York. After completing my master’s, I knew I had a passion for helping people and supporting people in their goals and dreams. To that end I started my professional career as a high school educator in New York City. My true calling, however, was in supporting a wider array of people through building nonprofit capacity and lifting up communities that looked like me, but were not afforded some of the same opportunities and privileges I was. After building my career in philanthropy and nonprofit organizations in New York City and Detroit, Michigan, I decided it was important for me to move back to Cleveland to be around family. In 2019 I moved back to Cleveland and continued my nonprofit passion at United way of Greater Cleveland where I grew the grantmaking portfolio to go deeper with fewer organizations and support the capacity building of those organizations. Moving to the Deaconess Foundation this year marries many of my passions. First and foremost, working in philanthropy is a calling – a desired place where I know my input can make an impact – for me to help black and brown people live, work and thrive in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. Beyond a calling, practically, I enjoy managing relationships and the process of grantmaking. I am so incredibly happy to be here.
- What was your first job? How did it shape your career?
I was fortunate in my first job. Due to my GPA and participation in extracurricular activities, I was called into my guidance counselor’s office and asked if I was interested in applying to NASA Glenn Research Center’s summer internship program. This was an amazing opportunity that came with privileges and responsibilities. I completed my application consisting of questions about why I was interested in becoming a business administration intern at NASA. I then completed two rounds of in-person interviews and was selected as part of a cohort of interns from across Cuyahoga County. I spent the next two summers experiencing corporate America through the eyes of a curious young person. Growing up in Shaker Heights, I was afforded a lot of privileges not provided to other black and brown children across the county, so there was no way I was going to waste my internship. I spent my summers understanding the importance of the business side of NASA Glenn and got a taste of what growing up outside of Shaker Heights was like for my cohort peers. This experience shaped my career by preparing me with soft skills like writing a resume, interviewing and how to manage my time and also importantly it taught me how to work in an office setting, something I know most of my peers were not able to do at 16! It shaped some of my most formative years and taught me what it means to be work in a professional setting.
- What makes you hopeful about philanthropy in Cleveland?
After moving back to Cleveland in 2019, I wasn’t quite sure to make of the philanthropic landscape in Cleveland. Four years later I’m keenly aware there has been a change of leadership at several levels in government, philanthropy and nonprofit organizations. I think this has been necessary and welcome for Cleveland leadership. It’s imperative for Cleveland and Cuyahoga County to prosper, and for those of us in positions of influence and with access to dollars to move the needle on improving outcomes for our residents. My personal philanthropy goal is to make sure residents are prospering, and that we are doing everything we can to make it happen. It makes me optimistic for our future that racial equity and justice are at the forefront of philanthropy’s efforts. I also acknowledge how hard this work will be. Cleveland is rated among the worst metropolitan areas for Black women. Obviously, this is an issue deeply personal to me and I feel called to do this work and make sure that we are successful.
- Why is workforce the right focus for the Deaconess Foundation?
It is impossible to function, thrive and make your way out of generational poverty and any kind of poverty without a sustainable living wage earning job or career path. I watched firsthand as my grandmother supported my brother and me. She was able to support us because she was a Registered Nurse (RN) who maintained her license and credentials into her 60s. She taught me how valuable it is to get an education, and that education leads to a career that can sustain me. She also taught me to shoot for the stars and never give up, even when things get hard. For that I will always look up to and admire my grandmother. I know workforce is right for Deaconess and myself because workforce is an imperative – a must have – in order for an individual to flourish in society.
- When you are not making grants, what do you enjoy?
As a lifelong learner and a student of history, I absolutely love to travel. My partner and I have explored several states across the US, and I have been fortunate to travel to parts of Central America and Europe. This year I am planning trips to Montreal, England and Amsterdam with hopefully a few weekend trips when the opportunity presents itself. I am also a cat mom! I have two boys: Onyx and Tigre, who have been a part of my heart for the last decade. If you walk into my office, you are certain to see cat décor and that bleeds into my home décor as well. And finally, I’m a huge music fan. My taste is eclectic and I’m currently in a Foo Fighters, Migos, Beyonce and Megan thee Stallion season.