Our Story

A Chicago native, Danyelle grew up surrounded by community: church, block parties, sports, and family gatherings big enough to fill a house. Her parents enrolled her in youth programs like the Urban League’s Tomorrow’s Scientists, Technicians and Managers (TSTM) and Top Teens of America, where she found she loved meeting people. Friends have long called her “the glue.” In her first year at the University of Missouri, she started a Christmas party to reunite her friends and hosted it for a decade.

After earning dual degrees in marketing and communications from Mizzou, Danyelle spent more than a decade in experiential marketing, producing brand activations for The Coca-Cola Company and large-scale programs at leading experiential agencies.

In 2020, Danyelle and her sister, Dionna Gray, turned an idea for an online women’s community into Womanish, an immersive exhibit celebrating every facet of womanhood. It opened in downtown Chicago during the pandemic, expanded to Miami, and welcomed over 150,000 guests. Womanish has worked with brands including Amazon, Grey Goose, Courvoisier, Rémy Martin, and Pretty Little Thing.

C.R.O.W.N. carries that mission forward through consumer experiences and brand collaborations. “I’m Black and I’m a woman,” Danyelle says. “I wanted to create spaces that make us feel seen, heard, and celebrated, because there’s a lot that happens in the world where we don’t.”

She sees C.R.O.W.N. joining spaces like Create Cultivate, CultureCon and AfroTech that put these communities first. “The list is short,” she says. “I hope more people are inspired to create experiences for us. Experiences are the best way to bring people together.”

She is the co-founder of C.R.O.W.N. Experiential Group, an experiential entertainment company dedicated to creating innovative, culturally relevant experiences that center women and people of color. Rooted in the values of Culture, Representation, Ownership, Women, and Networks (C.R.O.W.N.), the company develops immersive destinations that blend storytelling, entertainment, and community to create unforgettable moments.

Dionna previously co-founded Womanish, a groundbreaking immersive experience celebrating women, creativity, and self-expression. Under her leadership, Womanish welcomed more than 150,000 guests across Chicago and Miami and garnered national media attention from outlets including Forbes, Chicago Tribune, and Time Out.

In addition to her entrepreneurial ventures, Dionna brings extensive corporate marketing experience, including her work at Amazon, where she has led global marketing strategies and customer acquisition initiatives spanning 28 international marketplaces. Her expertise in go-to-market strategy, brand development, consumer engagement, and business growth informs her approach to building scalable, experience-driven brands.

Through C.R.O.W.N. Experiential Group, Dionna is expanding her vision with Mrs. Claus’ Winter Wonderland, an immersive holiday destination in Atlanta that reimagines traditional holiday entertainment through whimsical storytelling, interactive environments, and a celebration of the women behind the magic.

At the heart of Dionna’s work is a simple belief: representation matters, experiences create connection, and everyone deserves to see themselves reflected in the spaces they explore. Through C.R.O.W.N. Experiential Group, she continues to push the boundaries of experiential entertainment while creating destinations that celebrate culture, creativity, and community.