28-Year Disneyland Cast Member Says Mentoring is “Most Rewarding Job”
Disney Parks wouldn’t be the same without the people that work together behind the scenes to bring magic to Guests. A seasoned Disneyland Cast Member shares that during her 28-year career, she’s found mentoring to be the “most rewarding job there is.”
Dana White
Cast Member Dana White started working at Disneyland in 1995, as a holiday caroler! Disney Parks Blog shares that over the years, she’s been involved in “Entertainment, Parades, Event Planning, Operations Training, character voices at the Walt Disney Studios, Labor Relations and, currently, as senior manager of Entertainment Integration and Guest Talent.”
Photo: Disney
Wow, that is quite a resume! Throughout all of her different jobs, one constant has remained, her love of mentoring.
Mentoring
Dana uses her leadership as a means to create an inclusive environment for her coworkers. She shares, “leadership is hard, as it is not one-size-fits-all.”
Photo: Disney
Dana adds, “But when you lift somebody up, help them navigate through something extra challenging and watch them succeed, it is the most rewarding job there is.”
THRIVE and ENABLED
In addition to her current role as senior manager of Entertainment Integration and Guest Talent, Dana serves on two core leadership teams, ENABLED, and THRIVE. These Business Employee Resource Groups support specific goals.
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ENABLED helps Cast Members with disabilities. THRIVE offers mentorship for Cast Members.
Dana has been working as a mentor for THRIVE since its inception in 2021. During her tenure, she’s journeyed alongside four individuals, helping them pursue their dreams.
Photo: D23
She shares, “it is extremely rewarding to listen to your mentee solve problems through trials and tribulations while simultaneously celebrating them as they achieve milestones.”
March is Women’s History Month, and Dana talks about why the celebration is personally meaningful to her. “I am the youngest of four girls, and my mom raised us by herself. I feel like honoring women is always important, not just during the heritage month, as we have so many women to give thanks to for paving the way for us. I am grateful that I had a mom who worked so hard to help me realize that I can do and be anything I wanted to be.”
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Her advice to fellow women is, “lift one another up. Nobody gets ahead by diminishing others. Put yourself out there, take a risk, and be genuine each and every step of the way. None of us have all of the answers, but we are here to figure them out together.”
Hear, hear, those are some inspiring and much-needed words! We love hearing stories of how Cast Members like Dana give back.
Photo: Disney
It’s touching to know that mentoring plays such a pivotal role for her and other Cast Members in their roles at The Happiest Place on Earth!
