Danya Sherman 

Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business

“Passionate entrepreneur striving to empower individuals through technological advancements and education.”

Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am a United States Figure Skating Association Gold Medalist in Ice Dance.

Undergraduate School and Major: The George Washington University, International Affairs

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: KnoNap, LLC; Founder and CEO

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: One of my greatest accomplishments was when my company, KnoNap, earned 1st Place in the Northern Virginia’s Chamber of Commerce 2019 i-List Awards, which recognizes the most innovative companies that have demonstrated measurable impact in the Greater Washington region. KnoNap, the napkin that knows, creates cocktail napkins that are capable upon saturation of detecting specific drug presence. Receiving recognition by the Northern Virginia’s Chamber of Commerce further validated KnoNap’s work and impact in empowering, educating, and advocating against drug-facilitated sexual assault and crime.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Inquisitive. Each person I have met thus far has brought a unique perspective to the conversation which highlighted their individual backgrounds and thirst for knowledge.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? The esteemed reputation of the university, as well as my experiences working alongside various

Georgetown business students sparked my interest in McDonough’s program. As the founder of a startup company, I value the importance of combining a strong education alongside the practical business experience.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I look forward to joining the Entrepreneurship Club and pitching KnoNap when representing Georgetown University at national and international competitions, conferences, and events.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? “Describe your greatest challenge.”

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? Pursuing an MBA at this point in my career enables me to further my business studies while directly applying the course lessons to my startup venture. As an undergraduate student at George Washington University, I enrolled in five MBA courses that directly benefited my personal, professional, and academic growth. I look forward to continuing to grow my business acumen in the McDonough’s MBA Class of 2021.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? The George Washington University’s School of Business, Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business, and Boston University’s Questrom School of Business

How did you determine your fit at various schools? To determine my fit at various schools, I toured the campuses and spoke with current entrepreneurial-minded students and student ambassadors to more intimately understand the campus culture and my potential fit as a candidate. My key goals in selecting a school included network building capability, academic resources, and the strength of the student body.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? A recent defining moment for me followed my pitch of KnoNap to Armando Perez (aka Pitbull) in front of an audience of over 500 individuals at the 2019 eMerge America’s Competition’s final round. Not only was I the sole female founder within the top five finalists, but I was also awarded first place out of the 102 competing companies. This experience further validated the merits of my company’s mission.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? My long-term business aspiration is to apply my business education, experience, and passion for empowering entrepreneurs. As someone who has experienced the challenges of launching a start-up company, I plan to build inclusive entrepreneurial communities with the goal of facilitating greater access to capital for founders of social ventures.