Edit Values Rising Stars: Meet Danielle Pucillo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Pucillo.

Hi Danielle, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Specifically Davie, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale.

 As an only child, I embraced reading, writing, drawing, and painting in order to keep myself stimulated. I routinely browsed my father’s handcrafted bookshelf in the Florida Room to learn about science, zoology, art, and world history.

In the third grade, I was introduced to Greek mythology. This sparked a lifelong fascination with religion and culture. After that, I bought books about world mythology and archaeology, some so massive that I could barely lift them.

 I excelled in reading and writing throughout elementary school. I achieved a 6 (a perfect score, apparently) on my writing FCAT. By the 4th grade, I was reading novels such as Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton.

By the time I was in  middle school, I was constantly writing in between assignments. I enjoyed writing down and interpreting quotes from classic literature such as Heart of Darkness (Joseph Conrad), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Robert Louis Stevenson), and the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri.

I am Sicilian on my father’s side, and as someone very proud of my Mediterranean descent, I attempted to teach myself Latin and studied Florentine history and art. I also read works such as The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu and The Book of Fives Rings by Miyamoto Musashi. I am very fond of Ukiyo-e woodblock prints as well, in addition to traditional Japanese Kabuki costume design.

During this time I became obsessed with the Hannibal Lecter series by Thomas Harris*, including Red Dragon, the Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, and Hannibal Rising. I especially admire and appreciate the character of Clarice Starling.

I devoted much of my time to art and photography in high school. I won Best in Show for the 2013 AP Studio Art Exhibition in my senior year which up until then was my greatest achievement. The photo was of two bobcats curled into the shape of a heart at Flamingo Gardens in Cooper City, Fl, where I later volunteered in the Animal Department.

This award inspired me to pursue wildlife photography, which has flourished into an avocation (I refuse to use the word “hobby”) that I continue to pursue.

After graduating from Nova High School, I attended the Broward College Central Campus, majoring in Advertising. My Introduction to Business course led me to attend Nova Southeastern University, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management.

While attending NSU, I worked at the student-run newspaper, The Current. As a result, I was introduced to journalism, social media management, digital marketing, and content management systems such as WordPress. In addition, I worked in positions in various branches of the Student Media Department, such as SUTV (Sharks United TV) and Radio X.

I completed an internship with the NSU Public Relations and Marketing department during my senior year. During my internship, I was introduced to the fundamentals of digital marketing. These fundamentals include the pay-per-click advertising model, producing content, and measuring social media metrics.

I graduated from NSU in 2018 and admittedly struggled to find direction. I worked retail jobs but was still committed to my art and photography. Then, 2020 happened.

During the lockdown, I began searching for remote work. I happened upon WDWC (We Do Web Content), which hired freelance writers to produce landing pages for personal injury law firms. This position introduced me to the world of Search Engine Optimization.

Since 2020, I have been writing SEO content for various companies. I am currently employed as a Digital Marketing Specialist by Service Corporation International, the largest provider of deathcare services in North America.

As a digital marketing specialist, I am tasked with writing landing pages for our various brands, including the Neptune Society, Trident Society, Neptune Society of Northern California, and National Cremation.

Writing about the topic of death is not a common occupation. I’ll admit that performing daily research about heartbreaking issues such as advance directives and support groups for grieving parents and Alzheimer’s disease can be challenging.

But as someone who has been exposed to various cultural perspectives of death and how people honor their loved ones, I enjoy producing quality content that helps those experiencing the grief of losing a loved one.

As a result, I appreciate every day, no matter the obstacles. And I have learned that there are many paths to success, but putting in the work to pave the road makes the trip a lot easier.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The thing about roads is that they are not all created equal.

Some roads are filled with potholes, riddled with garbage, and are seemingly under construction for eternity. Like 441.

You can always dodge the erratic drivers, swerve around potholes, and cut through neighborhoods to avoid the chaos. But I recommend taking steps to pave your own road.

Instead of focusing on how to obtain your goals, first consider how to make obtaining those goals easier. You’ll be doing yourself a huge favor. Life is too short to sacrifice your mental and physical health for the sake of success.

I currently live in Plantation with my beloved fiance and two cats.

*Side note: Thomas Harris is a hero of mine. A fellow member of my writing club at NSU claimed to have been inside his home, and Harris displayed a life-size portrait of Anthony Hopkins portraying the infamous Dr. Hannibal Lecter. It was a portrait gifted to him by an avid fan. I hope to have some espresso with him on South Beach one day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://dantom1965.journoportfolio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danye_lamar/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daniellepucillo