About Dr. Daniel Zinnel

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Dr. Daniel Zinnel is a facilitator, speaker, and learner. Authenticity, intentionality, humility, compassion, and joy are his leadership values. In 2020, he launched Growth and Joy, LLC to help individuals, businesses, and organizations develop proactive, practical, and purposeful leaders. He has trained and spoken to over twenty thousand individuals on a variety of topics including leadership, power and privilege, LGBTQ inclusion, and building your personal brand. Daniel was previously on faculty as an adjunct at Des Moines University and Iowa Central Community College. He developed One Iowa’s LGBTQ Leadership Institute, was part of a team that created the 4Equity Tool, and has previously served on the curriculum committee of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute. Daniel has over 10 years of nonprofit administration and leadership including currently serving as the CEO of Proteus, Inc. and previously as the Executive Director of One Iowa. He serves as Tri-Chair of the Social Capital within Capital Crossroads, Vice Chair of the John Stoddard Cancer Center, Vice Chair of the Iowa Primary Care Association, and is on a variety of other community boards and advisory councils. 

Daniel earned a Doctorate of Education in Leadership from Creighton University, M.A in Health Studies from the University of Alabama, B.A. in Liberal Arts with Psychology and Sociology Minors from Grand View University, and A.A. from Iowa Central Community College. He has formal training through the Perception Institute on explicit and implicit bias, stereotype threats, and racial anxiety. In 2021, Daniel was recognized as a business leader to know in the Des Moines Business Record's Book of Lists. He was awarded the Community Vision Award for Challenging by the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute in 2019. In 2018, Daniel was named the Influencer of the Year at the Young Professionals Connection and Des Moines Register Young Professional of the Year Awards. He received the Des Moines Business Record’s Forty Under 40 award in 2015. Daniel also received the Karen Packer Spirit of Collaboration Award at the Iowa Cancer Summit in 2012.