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Danielle Antonellis
Founder & Executive Director at Kindling
Professional Background
Danielle Antonellis is a pioneering fire safety engineer with a rich and varied career dedicated to enhancing fire safety and resilience, particularly for the urban poor. With years of experience in the field, Danielle has held numerous positions that demonstrate her expertise and commitment. She began her professional journey at Tyco Fire Protection, where she participated in the Engineering Development Program, focusing on both Technical Services and Advanced Fire Suppression Systems. Her career path then led her to Arup, a global engineering and consulting firm.
During her time at Arup, Danielle held several key roles including Engineer positions in Boston, Hong Kong, and London, and eventually, a Senior Fire Safety Engineer role in Boston. Her work with Arup allowed her to apply her engineering background to real-world fire safety challenges, blending innovative solutions with rigorous engineering principles.
In recognition of her deep commitment to community safety and resilience, Danielle founded Kindling, a non-profit organization designed to tackle fire safety inequalities and empower individuals to cultivate safety within their homes and communities. By integrating elements of social enterprise and engineering, she emphasizes collaboration and amplifying local voices to address systemic issues related to safety and resilience across vulnerable populations.
Education and Achievements
Danielle's educational background is equally impressive and foundational to her career in fire protection and civil engineering. She earned her Master of Science (MS) in Fire Protection Engineering, as well as a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Civil Engineering, both from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Additionally, she pursued a minor in Business at WPI, which has undoubtedly assisted her in her entrepreneurial endeavors through Kindling.
Throughout her career, Danielle has actively engaged with interdisciplinary teams and projects that reflect her passion for bridging the gap between engineering and social impact. Her tenure as a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provided her with invaluable research experience, further solidifying her skill set in fire protection engineering.
Achievements
Danielle’s foundational belief in the beauties and dangers of fire has inspired her to innovate beyond traditional fire safety. With Kindling, she aims to address inequalities in fire safety, especially in marginalized urban communities, acknowledging that fire safety extends into a myriad of social issues. Danielle's philosophy embraces relentless optimism, curiosity, and compassion—key tenets that guide her mission of bringing people together to solve complex safety problems.
Through her work, Danielle advocates for integrating science, engineering, and social sciences to create sustainable solutions that not only tackle immediate fire safety concerns but also reinforce community resilience. By focusing on local needs and solutions, she actively contributes to the global discourse on safety and resilience in urban settings. Danielle Antonellis exemplifies the kind of leader who blends technical proficiency with a deep humanitarian ethos to make a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals and communities worldwide.