Her Story
About Danielle
My career has been a multifaceted journey that started unexpectedly during the 2009 recession. I joined the Coast Guard in 2010 after graduating from the University of Rhode Island because there were simply no jobs available. What I thought would be a four year guaranteed paycheck has now evolved into 16 years of service. After my initial active duty period ended in 2014, I went back to school through the University of Connecticut's accelerated teacher preparation program and earned my Master's in Curriculum and Instruction in 2015. I taught high school science and biology for two years before a perfect opportunity came up at Officer Candidate School for curriculum writing - the very program I had commissioned through. That one year position turned into two years, which then rolled into a civilian training specialist position where I worked for four years as a curriculum writer for the Coast Guard. During that time, I pursued my doctorate in education through Grand Canyon University, with a concentration in adult learning. I took about nine months off cumulatively for various life events (including the birth of my second son!), but I finished, which is the important thing. Now I balance two roles: working for TSA as an instructional designer supporting various training programs nationwide, while still serving as a reserve military officer. My work primarily centers on adult learning and workforce development, creating curriculum that produces better-trained, happier workers- a demographic I feel doesn't always get enough attention outside of academia.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Danielle
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The world is going to tell you, whether explicitly or otherwise, that you have to choose between an established career and a family - especially in the military. This simply isn't true, you can absolutely have both. The key to that, however, is making sure that you have a good support system in your partner and your family unit. The journey is never linear, or easy, but don't be immediately turned off by how overwhelming life can feel, because it's all temporary. This is especially true depending what season of life you're in- are you a young professional with nothing but time to dedicate towards your career, or are you a mom of young kiddos who require your undivided attention? These seasons will ebb and flow, as will what you can effectively shoulder during times that feel completely overwhelming.
02What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Family is number one. I'm always going to make sure that whatever I want to do, even if it's a benefit to me, is not a detriment to my family or the time that I have with them. And this is kind of a recent one for me - I've always known how important it is, but I feel like I'm at the point in my career now where I can be comfortable being authentic. I've reached a point in my career where I think I'm as high up as I'm going to go since I'm just a few years shy of military retirement. When I got promoted to my current rank in 2024, I finally felt like I was able to breathe. There was empowerment in knowing that a subsequent promotion probably wasn't in the cards for me due to my retirement timeline. Authenticity is something I heavily value, and that is best exercised by surrounding yourself with people think differently than you or might disagree with something that you say. As long as it's professional and respectful, I find it very valuable to surround yourself with people who aren't going to tell you exactly what they think you want to hear. The people who try to stir-up disagreement for disagreement's sake aren't your people. Find a new circle of trusted individuals to surround yourself with.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Connecticut
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.