About Me

My name is Daniela and I graduated with my doctorate in Flute Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Iowa in the Spring of 2021. Upon graduation, I had a thousands of questions floating around in my head. “What am I going to do now?” “Why are there so few teaching jobs open?” “All these jobs would require me to move away from my significant other.” “Will any of these jobs actually offer the stability I seek?” You get the point. Furthermore, I was overextended. I had studied, practiced, and worked hard for 15+ years and even though I loved performing, I had lost sight of myself and what was important to me. My idea of “happiness” had changed and I wanted to pivot to something that would allow me more stability, peace of mind, free time, a steady income, a family, a plan for retirement, etc. I realized that as much as I loved being a flutist and teacher, I was unlikely to live out my dreams unless I made a change. I’ve always been an avid writer, a creative thinker, and a resourceful learner adept at honing new skills quickly, so I decided to explore a new career path.

I started by working part-time at Kirkwood Community College in Iowa and was promoted to a full-time department assistant position soon after. In this role, I learned a lot about working collaboratively, being flexible when challenges arose, and creating my own systems. But having been in academia for so much of my life, I felt that I needed a new challenge that was more central to my interests. So when Omaha Symphony offered me a role, I picked up my life and moved to Omaha. In my role as Communications Manager, I managed social media accounts, wrote press releases, maintained assets, coordinated media coverage, conducted interviews, updated the website, created emails and graphics, and spearheaded digital initiatives. And even though the work was challenging, I’m grateful for the opportunity to dip my toes into arts administration. This job gave me the confidence and skills to apply to my current marketing job in which I utilize many of the same skills.

When not working or teaching, I love spending time with my husband, playing with our sweet pitbull/boxer mix named Bubba, traveling, attending comedy shows and concerts, and cooking.