Latina Diversity, Equity and Inclusion leader.
15+ years experience in digital PR.
Obsessed with opening the doors to our industry for under-represented ethnicities.
“Danielle Calhoun is a force of nature. As kind and empathetic as she is driven and accomplished. And I think that what we’ve already seen from Danielle is just the beginning.”
Brian Offutt, Chief Workforce Innovation and Operations Officer, The Weber Shandwick Collective
The More We See Ourselves, The Less We Feel Like Outsiders
PRovoke Media OpEd
I’ve always been semi-vocal about having Multiple Sclerosis. I loved to talk on panels and career events about how having MS doesn’t affect my work, but a 2023 report showed 43% of people with disabilities have avoided sharing their disability due to the belief it would stall their progression at work or affect promotion. In this piece, I dive deep into the realities of living with a disability in the workplace, and what companies can do to embrace this large, but often unseen, community.
Bringing chronic illness to the forefront.
The Female Quotient: Permission to Thrive: Unpkacing Chronic-Illness and Managing Burnout & Stress
Talking about chronic illness and disability has been (and sometimes still is) taboo in the workplace. We all want to be seen as strong, ready for the hustle. And we are. But the reality is many workers are living with chronic illnesses, and unless we give that reality the spotlight too many hide their needs, and may ultimately burnout prematurely. I joined best selling authors and MDs in partnership with The Female Quotient to bring this topic front and center.
Innovating how brands work with the disabled community
Perceptions of disability are often vastly different from reality. In 2023, I joined industry leaders from McCann and Current Global on the IPG Collective Intelligence Podcast to discuss media representation of the disability community, how our industry can better include people with disabilities, and the importance of including disability in the larger diversity, equity and inclusion conversation.
Coming out with a disability.
San Francisco Chronicle: MS often invisible illness
Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis as a teenager, I got more than side-eye from strangers when using my handicap pass. In 2013, I shared my story in this Op-Ed when the amazing Annette Funicello passed away.
The power of partnerships.
Diverge: Paying It Forward in PR
“I realized if you don’t come from a family of professionals and either already know someone in the industry or related industries, and don’t know it’s okay to get those introductions—or even have access to those introductions—you don’t have a clue that that exists.” In 2016, I spoke with Diverge about building partnerships to open doors to our industry.
Making the career leap.
PR Nation Podcast: How To Land Your First PR Agency Job
In 2020, I took the leap and pivoted to a career focused 100% on what I care about: diversifying our industry. In 2021, I sat down (virtually) with Paula Chirinos at PR Nation Podcast to talk about the changing landscape of DEI, the opportunities and barriers for students of color, and what our industry is doing to make progress.