Lisa Danno

EXPERIENCE DESIGNER for innovation

About

Lisa Danno

Summary

My deepest passion lies in learning and exploring in order to connect people and ideas, so that we can inspire each other to courageously make the world a better place.

People like me help unravel complex problems. We break them down into small chunks. We research. We prototype. We often fail, go back to the drawing board, and try again and again until a usable design emerges that often drives large or small innovations for companies. Because nothing happens in a vacuum, it takes authentic human experiences and ideas to design veritable interactions and help groundbreaking ideas emerge, so I steal like all great artists from my own experiences interacting with and observing other brands, constantly learning, and allowing myself to move out of my comfort zone, always pushing for greater understanding. It's why some of my personal hobbies have always been traveling the globe, learning new languages, reading daily, and playing 18 years of competitive volleyball. I love being able to connect with people and connect dots, because it's through greater empathy and understanding that we can design and achieve an improved quality of life and planet.
We must look within to draw empathy for others. We must look outside ourselves to generate ideas, and we must view trials and errors as stepping stones to progress.

Proudest Accomplishment

Leading and designing a $2M experience based startup business full of Fortune 500 clients at age 28.

Experience Highlights

  • Helping an insurance client role out their new company vision statement
    Led the workshop that helped the client inspire a new and empowering corporate culture.
  • Living in Europe
    lived in spain and portugal for 5 months learning, exploring, improving, sharing, & ideating.
  • Reigniting the value proposition at the Hotel Monaco Chicago
    i BROUGHT UP THE VALUE OF OUR OFFERING, IMPROVED BRAND IDENTITY, & THE REVENUE FOllowed.
  • Using design thinking to lead to innovation and drive strategy at Steelcase
    WORKSPRING'S LEARNINGS & ITERATIONS IMPACTED STEELCASE'S STRATEGY & GENERATED NEW business models.
  • Running a startup in Workspring
    HELPING PEOPLE HAVE THEIR BEST WORKDAY while learning & improving the biz was incredibly rewarding.

Causes

  • Heartland Alliance Teacher
    Taught refugees and immigrants the basics on how to enter into the hospitality industry.
  • Citizens Climate Lobby Member
    I aid communication with local businesses and congress to support changes to improve our planet.
  • Broad College of Business Mentor
    I mentor 2 sophomores a year at my alma mater in business, career design, and transition.

Interests

  • Learning New Cultures
    Whether it's learning languages, trying cuisines, meeting people, i'm always in what's different.
  • World Travel
    I've visited 30 countries & 38 states since age 7. always eager to jet off to learn a new culture!
  • Competitive Volleyball
    I've been playing since age 10 and won multiple championships including a national championship.
  • Environmental Work
    My volunteer passion project has always revolved around saving our precious planet.

Timeline

  1. 2018 - 2025
    Became an Innovation Designer & Facilitator, EY
  2. 2019
    Moved to Seattle
  3. 2018 - 2018
    Lived in Europe and Nicaragua and Europe, Unsettled
  4. 2005 - 2009
    Graduated with 2 BAs and with Honors, Michigan State University

    BA in Hospitality Business

    BA in Spanish Lanaguage

  5. 2009 - 2010
    Manager in Training, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants
  6. 2010 - 2012
    Promoted to Assistant Executive Housekeeper, Hotel Palomar Chicago, a Kimpton Hotel

    Led the opening team for the Hotel Palomar Chicago.

  7. 2012 - 2013
    Promoted to Sales Catering and Service Manager, Hotel Burnham, a Kimpton Hotel
  8. 2013 - 2015
    Promoted to Catering Manager, Hotel Monaco Chicago, a Kimpton Hotel
  9. 2015 - 2018
    Became Operations Manager, Workspring by Steelcase

Results

  • 8,600
    accomplished guests served per year at workspring
  • 27%
    average annual revenue increase
  • 92%
    nps scores

Skills

  • facilitation
    15
  • agile
    10
  • influencer and connector
    15
  • operations
    10
  • strategic thinking
    13
  • business model design
    12
  • innovation
    12
  • team leadership
    11
  • sales
    8
  • user centered design
    18
  • Public Speaking
    15
  • Project Management
    11

personal mission statement

So What?
Because that's the fun of life and makes the world a little smaller. 
Why?
In order to share ideas and connect more deeply with others
What I Believe:
I will never stop learning via experience and human connections

Resources

Images of success

  • Iterating on Workspring's slogan as we evolved
    Iterating on Workspring's slogan as we evolved
  • What Workspring helped clients achieve
    What Workspring helped clients achieve
  • Ideating in a Design Thinking model
    Ideating in a Design Thinking model
  • Me leading an internal insights workshop
    Me leading an internal insights workshop
  • Analyze phase of innovation.
    Analyze phase of innovation.
  • At Workspring, we created a whole studio dedicated to innovation!
    At Workspring, we created a whole studio dedicated to innovation!

see where i've delighted thousands of customers!

Links

  • Find me on LinkedIn.com!
    www.linkedin.com/in/lisadanno/
  • Hotel Palomar Chicago
    http://www.hotelpalomar-chicago.com/
  • Hotel Monaco Chicago
    http://www.monaco-chicago.com/
  • Workspring.com
    http://www.workspring.com/

Files

  • Things to think about for our clients going into a session design conversation
    pdf, 632 KB
  • Results of my learning cycle on hiring
    pdf, 47 KB
  • My Learning Cycle on Hiring
    pdf, 24 KB
  • My point of view on hiring our Experience Team
    pdf, 61 KB
  • Workspring food and beverage design and philosophy
    pdf, 1 KB

Contact

Location

Seattle, WA

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