I launched Citrine in 2024 with a mission to help women get to the highest levels of leadership, by providing all the information and experience I know that got me to the C-suite. My “Why” for doing this, is because I believe the world desperately needs women leadership now more than ever.

I’ve had a career that expands over 35 years, and continues. I started as a law firm associate. Then I opened up my own law firm which lasted for a decade. While doing that, I became an adjunct law professor for five years. I shuttered my business, and went on to become my state bar association’s first Director of Diversity and Inclusion. I was then asked to apply to my municipality’s Civil Rights office where I became the Director of the Complaint Investigations unit. I led a team of four and managed an annual budget of $700,000, and increased my unit’s income over 300%. I was then tapped to become the deputy of strategic initiatives to my City’s Manager. In that position I led six directors which represented $6M in annual spending, with an unit overhead budget of $5M. Also in that time I spearheaded the creation of the first new city department in over 15 years. I left public service to become the first woman of color Executive Director over my state’s largest non-profit, legal pro-bono law firm with five offices, approximately 200 employees, with 18M in annual revenue. I accomplished all of this by the time I was 48 years old.

I had a hard fought education, lots of courage, a good work ethic, a goal, a strategy, and friends. What I did not have was built in family money or contacts. What I know is there is a clear playbook to get to the C-suite., despite what you’ve been led to believe. It’s not rocket science, and doesn’t have to be elusive. I truly believe every woman, no matter their background can get there with some help and support. That’s why I’m here.

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Danielle has degrees in Art History and Spanish, as well as a Law Degree. She’s a graduate of Colgate University (NY), and William Mitchell College of Law (MN). She lives in the United States, in the state of Minnesota with her husband and dog Finni.