Dani Lee Damas

• Originally from the Midwest, Dani embarked on their first solo travel adventure right after high school, visiting multiple U.S. states while living in a tent on the Renaissance festival circuit.
• Not content to remain on a single continent, they have visited several countries, including Ireland and Thailand, and spent two months immersed in the language and culture of Seoul, South Korea.
• As an editor, writer, and advocate, Dani approaches travel from a mental health perspective. Drawing from their own experiences managing bipolar disorder while traversing the globe, they aim to empower others living with mental illnesses to explore more of the world.

Experience

Before joining the Islands team in 2024, Dani set out on dozens of road trips across the United States, ranging from the Midwest to California and Maine. They also flirted with the digital nomad lifestyle on several international trips, using these opportunities to connect with locals and experience their favorite haunts. They have discovered unforgettable indie rock scenes, clever latte flavors, and the most atmospheric hookah lounges in multiple states and countries. Dani's professional writing career kicked off in 2016 when HelloGiggles published their first article detailing how K-pop and international style icon G-Dragon helped them uncover their gender identity. After working with startups and small businesses for two years, Dani leveraged their skill set to break into the video game industry as a features writer for Static Media in 2018. This position led to their appointment as the lead editor for SVG and gaming editor for Looper.

Education

Dani is pursuing a neuroscience B.S. She hopes to join forces with game studios, publishers, and mental health professionals to develop new technology and design principles to treat mental distress.