Danna is a graduate from the University of Calgary where she studied Education and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree. She also studied Recreation Therapy at Mount Royal University. Danna has a certificate in Adult Education, Family Life Education and finds great reward in continuous learning by attending professional development opportunities wherever possible.

Danna began her career path working for the Learning Disabilities Society of Calgary. The journey took her next to working with Parent Anonymous with parents who identified themselves as struggling. Danna worked as an Education Assistant in an Elementary School then walked into what would be not only a series of employment opportunities, but a passion as well. She worked as a Program Manager in an agency that promoted inclusion for adults with developmental disabilities, then worked for Inclusion Alberta. It was at this point that Danna took her first workshop in FASD and formed a non profit Society that began as the FAS/E Partnership Association, now known as the Foothills Fetal Alcohol Society.

Danna loves to share knowledge. She has taught at Bow Valley College, Lethbridge College and was recently part of a national project in providing training and mentoring for Healthy Start programs across Canada. She is certified as a trainer with the Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute in Mental Health Awareness and Support. She has been a presenter at many conferences and has been able to combine her love of travel with workshops and training.

As an FASD Instructional Coach, it is Danna’s greatest reward in building capacity with school teams and administrators to be creative responders to students with FASD. From case consultations to small group facilitation and including larger presentations, Danna’s style of working with education personnel is to bring new ideas through some of the evidence based practices we know to be effective in schools while promoting the validation of those excellent strategies that are already happening in school environments.

Danna’s passion is to inspire empathy and hope when working with families, systems and communities. She believes in promoting hope and recognizes the importance of listening to all voices. Her new company – Danza Consulting Services believes in “facilitating creative resolution, encouraging dynamic learning and ensuring effective transition supports”.