During her Princeton in Latin America (PiLA) Fellowship (2016-2018), Danielle Coony served as the Monitoring and Evaluation Fellow with The DREAM Project in Cabarete, Dominican Republic. In this role, Danielle worked closely with DREAM’s education programs, collecting and analyzing data to assess program impact and ensure that educational initiatives were effectively serving students and families. From tracking literacy progress to evaluating early childhood development programs, she played a key role in helping DREAM refine and expand its efforts to provide high-quality education to underserved communities.
Inspired by her fellowship experience and the deep social inequities she witnessed, Danielle pursued a career in law, earning her J.D. and dedicating herself to advocating for marginalized communities. Today, she works as a Staff Attorney at California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc., where she represents migrant farmworkers facing wage theft, employment discrimination, labor trafficking, and housing violations. In addition to legal representation, she and her team collaborate with local agencies to strengthen community outreach and build resources for workers in one of the most vulnerable industries.
Danielle’s journey from education-focused development work in the Dominican Republic to legal advocacy in California highlights the lasting impact of the PiLA Fellowship. The skills she developed—cross-cultural communication, data analysis, and community-based advocacy—continue to inform her work today. Her dedication to justice and equity remains at the heart of her career, demonstrating how PiLA Fellows go on to lead meaningful, service-driven lives long after their time in the field. We are proud to celebrate Danielle’s work and the powerful ripple effects of her fellowship experience!