Dena Hanson
Associate Facilitator, Disney Institute
Professional Experience
Dena Hanson is an associate facilitator for Disney Institute. In this role, she works closely with businesses to find new opportunities for growth and improvement. Dena is known to inspire innovation among professionals seeking to enhance their business, thanks to her diverse background in entertainment.
Before becoming a Disney Institute facilitator, Dena excelled in a wide range of roles at Disney Resort locations around the world. She began her career at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., with on–stage roles. Realizing that she was more interested in the behind–the–scenes production, Dena transitioned to entertainment labor and training manager at the Walt Disney World Resort. In this role, she supervised specialty staffing levels within parade entertainment; coordinated multiple rehearsals; created labor solutions to aid operating areas; and improved business results by casting the right talent.
In 2005, Dena was selected for a position at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, where she implemented advanced policies and practices for the entertainment scheduling and pay team. While in Hong Kong, she served as stage manager for two of the Resort’s official grand opening media events.
In addition to joining the Disney Institute facilitation team in 2008, Dena also began facilitating Disney Institute’s holiday leisure tour, Yuletide Fantasy. This unique role allows Dena to give guests a look behind the diverse holiday traditions and beautiful array of decorations that add a special touch to Disney parks and resorts.
Education
Dena graduated from the University of Georgia in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech communication. In 2009, Dena received her certification in management from Rollins College. She attained the credential for learning and performance professionals (CPLP) offered by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). She is also a certified Image Consultant with the London Image Institute and is a member of the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI).