Raising the Bar: Meet Principal Counsel Diana
Today, we’re visiting Team Disney for a Q&A with a Principal Counsel for Walt Disney World Resort and Disney Cruise Line, Diana. Born in Jakarta, Indonesia, Diana moved to the United States at five years old and grew up in Tallahassee, Florida. After launching her legal career, she eventually moved to Orlando to raise her daughters and jumped at the chance to support complex legal work at The Most Magical Place on Earth.
Read along to learn more about Diana’s career protecting the magic in Disney Legal!
What can you tell us about your Disney career so far?
“I’ve been with the company a little over six years. I started as an Associate Principal Counsel for the Regulatory and Operations legal team supporting Walt Disney World Resort. I was promoted to Principal Counsel about 3 years ago when I started supporting Disney Cruise Line in addition to Walt Disney World Resort. The breadth of the operations of the Disney company is unmatched. There are so many opportunities to grow and learn different areas of the law within Disney! I would never have had the opportunity to learn all of the different areas that I currently support anywhere else.”
What’s a day in the life like in your role?
“There is never a dull moment at work. I provide legal support and advice for all operational and regulatory aspects of the Walt Disney World Resort and Disney Cruise Line. In addition, I support Disney Cruise Line’s international projects and expansions. The variety and complexity of the legal work that I handle is unparalleled and you truly cannot find a more interesting or challenging lawyer job! One minute I am looking into a question about a standard for Walt Disney World Resort, and the next minute (literally) I am jumping on a call to negotiate a multi-million-dollar contract for Disney Cruise Line.”
Can you share some favorite work memories?
“I have so many… it’s hard to pick just one! I recall attending Traditions and getting my name tag, which was such a proud and happy moment. My other favorite experiences are when I get to see first-hand all the incredible things that the Disney teams work on! For example, I got to attend the Disney Wish christening a couple of years ago. I met Tinker Bell before she flew out of the castle one night! I also got to see where some of the music is recorded for the theme parks and hold one of the Emmys the team had won! And on one recent team outing, we met with the Animal Sciences team to learn more about the animals they care for at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.”
Time for some fun questions! Who is your favorite Disney character?
“My favorite Disney character is Judy Hopps. There are so many reasons to love her. She’s small like me (lol), super ambitious and driven towards her goals and achieves them in the face of adversity and naysayers. She’s also an optimist, cheerful and kind.”
Imagine you’re spending a day off from work at Disney. Which park do you go to and what are your must-dos?
“I love EPCOT, especially during festivals! We ‘eat around the world’ and ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind - my favorite ride of all time. My family is also obsessed with Disney Cruise Line!”
How does it feel to work for a company with a legacy like Disney’s?
During the early years of my life in the U.S., my parents did not have a lot of money, so we did not take family vacations. But one day when I was about 6 years old, my parents told us that we were going to Walt Disney World! We had the best two days visiting Magic Kingdom Theme Park and EPCOT! We made so many memories. Among the couple of souvenirs we got, my dad bought a Mickey Mouse sport mug for himself. He used it every day until (unfortunately) the lip of the cup got chipped. But he still kept it and he was not one to keep anything!
Today, I have his mug on display in my home office to remind me of my dad and the wonderful time we had together as a family at Walt Disney World. I could never have imagined when I was 6 years old that I would be a lawyer for Disney! I take great pride in working for Disney because I am now part of a team that helps other families make special memories of their own.”
“Disney is an iconic company not only because of the unique and unparalleled content it produces but because it is woven into so many special memories for so many people … like myself.
