Dano created the sustainability function at Smith College and now oversees the Center for the Environment, Ecological Design and Sustainability. This center links real-world problems and campus challenges to research and curriculum. Dano is also responsible for large-scale planning projects at Smith. Recently these include the electrification and decarbonization of a thermal and electric district energy system, a landscape master plan, and a teaching and learning space master plan.

Dano has a bachelor’s of fine arts in Industrial Design from the Rhode Island School of Design, and a master’s degree in urban and environmental policy and planning from Tufts University.