On Tuesday we did a post explaining what Teen Mom star Farrah Abraham’s dad Michael does for a living, but anyone who watches the show knows that Farrah’s mom Debra Danielsen is also a professional. (Anyone remember the episode in which Debra helps Farrah with her college project and is quick to point out she has a Masters in Business Administration?) So… what does Debra Danielsen do for a living?
Oddly enough, according to her online resume, the answer for the last few years is “talent” for ViaCom. In other words, cast member on 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom. But don’t let that fool you! Debra’s got skillz y’all! Let’s start with that MBA and her educational background:
University of Nebraska at Omaha
BS/BA, Business Administration & Land Use Economics
2010 – 2011
Graduated Magna (um Laude
Activities and Societies: Golden Key International Honor Society
UNO Real Estate Investment Club
University of Nebraska at Omaha
EMBA, Executive Masters of Business Administration
2010 – 2011
Thesis Capstone Project was for EARTH University, Costa Rica.
Research included conducting: Consumer blind taste tests, focus groups, online consumer survey, and the development of an American Banana Consumer Strategic Marketing Plan. Purpose was to expand EARTH’s market reach, reduce risk, and drive revenues to fund agricultural students’ education in the humid tropics.
Activities and Societies: International Leadership Award – Strategic Choice and Adaptability
Debra was applying her degree in land use economics for a university in Costa Rica to help drive revenues to fund agricultural students’ education in the humid tropics? Wait, what?
But wait! If you were intimidated by Debra’s academic endeavors, just wait until you catch up on her work history! Here it is, starting with her present gig with MTV and working backwards. (Although she seems to have left out her most recent endeavor with Farrah on the Mom & Me brand of food products.) (UPDATE – Nevermind, scroll down to the bottom for the Mom & Me connection!)
EXPERIENCE
Talent
Viacom
January 2008 – Present (4 years 7 months)
Cast member.
Accomplishments include:
• “16 & Pregnant”
• “Teen Mom” seasons 1, 2, 3
• “Teen Mom” season 4
Sales Director
Alcatel-Lucent
September 2005 – October 2007 (2 years 2 months)
Provide leadership in growing service and software sales into at&t. Leverage deep understanding and focus of wireless and converged technologies to develop business. Build profitable relationships with diverse exteral partners (IBM, SYndesis, Ellacoya, Cloudshield, SUN, and HP amoung others) to customize solutions for at&t. Partner with c-Level contacts at at&t to discuss operational, engineering, and technology challenges. Review proposals in conjunction with C-Level decision makers and build consensus. Determine and assess the financial and business risks for projects valued over $5.0M together with top-level management.
Lead deciion-making for projects under $5.0M (with standard terms and conditions) and define details in regards to delivery, timeline, and opportunities. Present finalized proposals to at&t decision-makers.
Director Sales
Lucent Technologies
2000 – 2007 (7 years)
Responsible for complex IT and Operations Software sales. Consistently delivered year-over-year revenue growth and exceeded team quotas. Team player and responsible for a matrix managed solutions sales team.
Software Sales Director
Lucent Technologies
May 1982 – October 2007 (25 years 6 months)
Mobility (2003 – 2004)
Selected to serve on the NARSEAC Sales Leadership Team.
Proposed and supported a key re-design initiative to improve sales tracking and management and to facilitate reporting to present data to Lucent Technologies C-Level executives.
Pinpointed a gap in the wireless Tier I Service Provider Market and partnered with a C-Level client and Bell Labs to develop the NetIIventory software solution.
Software Sales Director
LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES
January 1992 – January 2005 (13 years 1 month)
$10 billion (2005) provider of end-to-end portfolio of solutions and services to the Service Provider Market on a global scale; merged with Alcatel to form Alcatel-Lucent.; Directed 3 Sales Managers and provided guidance in selling into wireless service providers in Canada and the US. Aligned sales efforts with quota and new business development milestone objectives. Steered cross-functional team efforts. Assessed performance, conducted written appraisals and ranked employees.
Fostered and grew key relationships both internally and externally, including forming solid ties with C-Level decision makers and diverse companies such as AllTel, T-Mobile, MetroPCS, Cingular Wireless, Sprint and Verizon Wireless.
Achieved 100% of new business development milestones for compensation payout.
Influenced Sprint’s decision to buy VitalNET to facilitate the delivery of managed services to their Fortune 500 customer base, which proved beneficial in creating a new source of monthly revenues.
Software Sales Director
Alcatel-Lucent
September 2001 – September 2003 (2 years 1 month)
Direct 3 Sales Managers and provided guidance in selling into wireless service providers in Canada and the US. Aligned sales efforts with quota and new business development milestone objectives. Steered cross-funtional team efforts. Assessed performance, conducted written appraisals and ranked employees.
-Fostered and grew key relationships both internally and externally, including forming solid ties with C-Level decision makers and diverse companies such as AllTel, T-Mobile, MetroPCS, Cingular Wireless, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless.
Global Senior Sales Manager
Lucent Technologies
January 2001 – January 2003 (2 years 1 month)
Integrated and implemented resource plans to create a comprehensive service forecast/funnel management process.
Delivered optimal service to customers and achieved a Customer Loyalty Index measurement of 7.2.
Collaborated with a Sprint affiliate (Pegaso) onsite in Mexico City and contributed to the closing of a large infrastructure contract.
Senior Sales Manager
Lucent Technologoies
January 1996 – January 2000 (4 years 1 month)
Contributed to over $90 million in professional services revenue and exceeded quota each year by 150% to 200%.
Traveled and worked in France
Circulation Desk Supervisor
University of Nebraska
January 1979 – January 1982 (3 years 1 month)
Supervised six full-time staff members and fifteen student workers
Responsible for waiting on patrons, assisting patrons in finding documents, annual performance appraisals, conducting staff meetings, resolving patron dissatisfaction issues, reshelving books, and schedule management.
Lead software implementation of the LIRS at UNO, UNMC, and UNL.
Completed leadership and supervisory professional development courses required by UNO.
Worked extensively with Campus Security to maintain Library Security.
Assisted with inter-library loan requests.
Lead implementation team for entering all books in the UNO Library into the LIRS system.
Worked with Reference Desk department and Cataloging.
If you’re like me you were just as impressed with Debra’s resume writing skills as her workplace skills! WOW! I’m beginning to realize why I never could seem to get a job outside of retail prior to landing a blogging gig 🙂
Though I’m guessing Farrah would be the last one to admit it, I think we know how she became motivated to become an independent businesswoman.
UPDATE – I ran across a brief bio of Debra on the University of Nebraska Omaha Executive MBA site that said she “is a Telecom Consultant with S’Imaginer, LLC in Council Bluffs.” That entry was from 2011, so I did a little research and discovered that S’Imaginer, LLC is a nine-year-old company owned by Debra Danielsen that also happens to own the trademark for… Mom & Me! Here’s the full bio from the UNOMBA site:
Debra (B.S., Land Use and Economics, University of Nebraska at Omaha) is a Telecom Consultant with S’Imaginer, LLC in Council Bluffs. She specializes in wireless and data center network buildouts/expansions requiring professional services, software, and multivendor hardware solutions. She also provides contract negotiations, consulting and deal brokering for MWBE, MBE and start-up telecommunication firms seeking to do business with Alcatel-Lucent, AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and T-Mobile. Prior to starting S’Imaginer, Debra was the Sales Director for Alcatel-Lucent. She is a member of the TeleManagement Forum and Downtown Economic Redevelopment Plan Committee for Council Bluffs.
