Danielle White talked to us about the leadership required to execute President Barack Obama's strategic priorities and being an executive at a Fortune 300 company. These are our responses to her inspirational discussion.
"An idea Mrs. White that struck me was is that 1 bad interaction takes 20 positive interactions to undo. She pushed the idea of being prepared, even more so as a woman. Before a meeting be prepared to know solutions, to offer ideas, and be quick to confirm tasks. She said to never just speak to fill the gaps, but to have substance when you add to a meeting. This can help us all traverse the labyrinth and give us a light to our paths by establishing that we as women deserve to be at the table, and deserve to do more than just take notes." Sarah Arcella
"Her talk enhanced my understanding of the issues that women in leadership face on a deeper level that went beyond the articles we have discussed. She made me see that when I walk into a room, I need to exude confidence and remember that I deserve to be in the room and have a seat at the table just as much as everyone else. " Kiera Jackson
"A point that Mrs. White made about empathy really stuck out to me. She said that to be a good leader, one must have empathy. She then went on to talk about how she encourages her staff to tell her when life happens. This is one of the things that I will forever hold in my memory of what it means to be a good leader." - Elisabeth Schumm
“Mrs. White reminded us that we are capable of doing anything we set our minds to, and if we weren’t, we wouldn’t be there. She mentioned that she still catches herself in meetings saying, “Can I ask a question” instead of simply stating her question. This was insightful to hear that even after all of her success, she still has to remind herself to be confident sometimes.” - Kylee Seaver
" Mrs. White states that the single most important aspect for women to stay in leadership positions is confidence. Confidence allows women to be bolder and be comfortable stabilizing a vision." Rhayane Costa
“Ms. White’s mentions of Michelle Obama and the way that she consistently put her family first despite everything was very empowering. The President and First Lady putting their daughter's dance recital before an appointment with the leader of a powerful nation is one of the largest public displays of healthy parenthood I have seen.” - Samantha Lawless
“Mrs. White made me have more courage and determination to pitch my resume for a future job I may really want.”- Ciara Aleman
“Danielle White emphasized the importance of exuding confidence and approaching every scenario with an assertive mindset. She discussed how when she began her career she could only afford a suit from TJ Maxx, while her cohorts were sporting much more expensive attire, but that did not hinder her confidence. She understood that she had earned her spot at the table, and by showing any insecurity she would open the doors for her voice to be disregarded.” -Julia Galli
"Danielle White mentioned that early in her career at MGM she was told by a coworker that you can’t have both the family and the job because one will have to sacrifice. The notion “You can’t have it all,” as gut punching as it is, is the hard truth that we as women have to be conscious of." - Aleisha Mowatt
“The way Danielle White emphasizes on the importance of not giving up is really inspiring. She emphasizes how if you really want something, you should work hard for it, and not give up no matter how difficult things get. I also admired how she said she still maintained confidence even after earning her spot” - Nya Hernandez
“Mrs. White's discussion was especially empowering. She emphasized the importance of having courage and going after what you want in life. As someone that is graduating soon, this is something I’ll remember when I start looking for jobs”. - Leen Shlomo
“Even if doors are closing and things seem to not go your way, you must keep pushing forward. You must continue to strive for being your best self and then help others. …stay true to self and bring all those other people up with you’ (Mrs. White)”. -Kavina Howard
MORE ABOUT DANIELLE:
Danielle White is responsible for promoting Social Impact & Sustainability initiatives at MGM Resorts International, a Fortune 300 global entertainment company with eight regional properties across seven states and more than 50,000 employees.
Before joining MGMRI, Ms. White served as Assistant to the President and Director of Scheduling & Advance at the White House working directly for President Barack Obama. There, she led a team of approximately 250 full and part-time employees responsible for creating and executing the strategic priorities of the President of the United States. She led the creation and management of the logistics of the President’s daily schedule, including domestic and foreign travel to over forty countries as well as a multimillion-dollar budget. She also managed the planning and execution of several high-profile events, such as the 2012 G8 Summit, 2 Presidential Inaugurations, the 2012 NATO summit, and many more.
Prior to being part of the White House team, she served as Director of Scheduling with Obama for America during the 2007-2008 presidential campaign, where she managed the candidate’s time to best reach campaign goals.
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