February 13, 2024
Dana Newell: bringing leadership with a smile
Dana Newell joined the College of Business in 2021 as an instructor of marketing and cultural international business. Newell brings more than 35 years of experience working in the public and private sectors and nonprofit organizations. She’s a 27-year executive with creative services agency, marketing, and social media strategy experience collaborating with emerging, small, and mid-sized businesses to create strategies for revenue-producing profit centers.
Last year, Newell was named as the new director of the two-year Copeland Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship, which provides opportunities for COB students to add to their leadership knowledge and gives them a better understanding of different world views.
But who is Dana Newell, really?
Proudly borrowing from the Proust Questionnaire, we asked Newell some questions so we could get to know her a little better
What was your first concert?
My first concert was with my mother and aunt. We went to the Apollo Theatre to see James Brown and Al Green. If you know anything about soul music, they were considered royalty. The Apollo Theatre was the ‘mecca” of soul music.
What are the qualities you might like in a person?
I like a person who smiles. A smile can go a long way without saying a word. I try to smile at people when I greet them with a hello.
What is your idea of happiness?
Spending time with my husband, my daughters, and my son-in-law. We are a very competitive family, so we play everything from pickleball to a mean game of UNO.
If not a professor, what would you be?
I was in corporate life before becoming a teaching instructor. I’ve held titles ranging from director to vice president of marketing and public relations. I would love to be a lawyer to help those who can’t afford legal help.
If you could go back in time and witness anything in history, where would you go?
I would go back to witness the great Harriet Tubman and how she used skill and ingenuity to free slaves without formal education. I would also like to go back to see how my mother was as a child.
Who is your favorite hero in fiction?
The Avengers. I’ve seen almost all the Marvel Avengers movies. Love them!
Who are your heroes in real life?
My mom was/is my hero because she loved everyone and had a beautiful soul. My dad because he is the strongest person I know. Last but not least, my husband because he is the smartest person I know with a heart of service.
Who are your favorite writers?
Michelle Obama, as I see a lot of similarities in our life stories, and Charles Dickens.
What is your favorite childhood memory?
Traveling with my mom, aunts, and cousins. I have tons of first cousins, and they are like my extended brothers and sisters.
What’s your favorite ECU/College of Business memory?
The paper airplane activity I do at the beginning of every semester.
What’s the one thing people would find most surprising to learn about you?
I am an adult Disney and Universal Studios enthusiast.
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