About
I've spent my career building tools that help people make things — from the millions of architects and engineers who use AutoCAD to design the built world, to the AI workflows now reshaping how that work gets done.
For nearly a decade I ran AutoCAD as Director and Global Head of Product Management at Autodesk — taking it from a desktop-only tool to a cloud-connected, AI-enabled platform, doubling commercial users to 2M+ and driving over $2B in revenue. Before that I was on the construction site at Turner Construction, coordinating 3D models on $300M+ projects and learning firsthand what it costs when design data fails in the real world.
I started my career as a civil engineer — Tufts, then MIT Sloan for my MBA — and that foundation shapes how I think: systems-first, with a bias toward what actually works at scale. I'm now focused on what comes next, particularly at the intersection of AI, data infrastructure, and the built environment.
Outside of work, I make things with my hands. I trained with a master potter in the mountains of Lebanon, where my grandfather grew up, and discovered that the name Dania means close to the earth. I also paint — pet portraits that try to capture an animal's whole personality, and architectural watercolors of buildings that catch my eye.
Get in touch →Professional Work
Building at scale,
from the ground up.
Speaking
Writing & Press
Art & Making
Made by hand,
made to last.
"An animal's whole personality lives in its posture and gaze. I try to capture that."
Custom portraits painted in acrylic on canvas. I work from your photos and spend time getting to know the subject — the tilt of a head, the weight of a paw, the spark behind the eyes. Every portrait is a little study in personality.
Commissions are open. Contact me with a photo and we'll talk through size, medium, and timeline.
Custom pet portraits make meaningful gifts. Typical turnaround is 2–3 weeks. Prices vary by size and complexity.
Commission a portrait →
"Buildings tell stories about the people who built them and the neighborhoods that grew up around them."
Watercolor and acrylic paintings of homes and buildings that catch my eye. As a former civil engineer, I see architecture through both an aesthetic and structural lens — the way a roofline meets the sky, the rhythm of windows, the personality of a porch.
Interested in a painting of your home or a building that's meaningful to you? I take commissions for architectural portraits too.
Inquire →
"Each piece is thrown on the wheel or built by hand — no forms, no presses. Every one is unique."
I began making ceramics after a knee injury sidelined my athletic life. Looking for something to do with my hands, I trained with a master potter in the mountains of Lebanon, where my grandfather grew up. I found a deep connection between the craft and something more elemental.
My work is functional and joyful — bright glazes, shapes that invite you to wrap your hands around a warm mug. All pieces are handmade in San Francisco.
Custom commissions welcome — mugs, vases, bowls, and sets. Typical turnaround is 3–4 weeks.
Inquire →Ceramics photos from existing site — use those images here in Squarespace.
Contact
Let's talk.
Whether you're thinking about a product role, a speaking engagement, a custom portrait, or a ceramic piece — I'd love to hear from you.
dania.elhassan@gmail.com