Dana joined Education First in 2021 as a senior executive assistant for the Effective Organizations & Investments team. She brings with her 15 years of higher education experience supporting legal, medical, and teacher education programs. Dana thrives at complex scheduling, creative problem-solving, helping others stay organized, and making work fun.
Dana believes that education is a fundamental human right and supports systems-level change that prepares diverse learners for college, career, and life. Her passion for improving education systems stems from working with international, indigenous, and other underrepresented students, and recognizing that different populations do not have equitable access to—and are not equitably served by—education.
Dana is a first-generation college student having earned her M.Ed. in Global Education from Arizona State University and B.S. in Communication from Drexel University. Originally from the east coast, Dana currently resides in Phoenix and spends most of her time exploring the desert with her partner and 3 rescue dogs. You can also find her fostering dogs, listening to true crime podcasts, searching for swimming holes, and planning her next adventure.
