Danielle Nelson ’96, vice president of media and partnerships for Westfield Rise in the U.S., lives by two guiding principles: life’s beauty lies in its messiness and kindness is compounding.
Raised in Hendricks, Minnesota—her “Hallmark village”—Nelson holds tight to her small-town roots.
“When I moved to New York about 20 years ago, I was overwhelmed because everyone had deep connections, but I knew I could make a large city into a small village,” Nelson said.
After graduation, Nelson began her career with the Arena Football League, first in Chicago and then in New York. Then she shifted to cinema advertising and marketing sales. Now, as the vice president for Westfield Rise, the media and experiential division of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield—a global developer and operator of flagship shopping destinations—she leads a team in crafting immersive digital campaigns for iconic spaces like New York’s Westfield World Trade Center, home to a 100-yard digital screen.
“It’s a powerful storytelling platform,” she said. “Our campaigns captivate millions of visitors.”
Although Nelson was often the only woman in the room, she stayed focused on authenticity and caring. Over the years, people realized the “you betcha” remnants of her Minnesota upbringing weren’t an act, and being authentically unique brought success her way.
“Kindness is my superpower,” Nelson said. “I’m going to be as kind as possible through any situation because I truly believe that kindness compounds.”
Nelson also applies this mindset to global travel. It started with a trip to London with Professor of English Stephen Lacey ’65. Now Nelson lives life in the moment, traveling as often as possible. With trips ranging from a few days to a few weeks, she and her husband live by the motto “do more now,” which Nelson shares on Instagram, @DoMoreNowTravel. They have visited about 70 countries—more than 35% of the world.
“Our careers are extremely important, but we also value taking time to recharge,” Nelson said. “Stepping away to explore and understand the world not only refreshes us—it makes us better at what we do.”
Still, she points out that even while biking through Paris, savoring spices in Hong Kong, or gazing at Patagonia’s glaciers, life keeps unfolding. Work intrudes on vacations, plans go awry, and delays happen. But she knows, with understanding and patience, life is better. The messes are manageable.
“There are moments when travel can feel challenging,” Nelson said. “You arrive somewhere, and everything—the place, the culture—feels unfamiliar. But that’s also the beauty of it. Those moments become part of the story.”
And the people who are part of the story always include Cornellians.
“It’s amazing how many Cornell alumni I run into—whether they’re passing through New York or I meet them during my travels,” Nelson said. “They keep popping up in my life, and it comes full circle. Makes New York just a little bit smaller and life a little bit kinder.”
Turns out, a little bit of mess, a lot of kindness, and a pinch of Cornell can make even the biggest city feel like home.