Daniela was born to Angolan/Portuguese parents in Madeira, where but moved to Lisbon as a young child and lived there into her early adult years. She earned a BA (Hons) degree  in Modern Language and Literature and Portuguese Studies at the University of Lisbon, followed by another BA (Hons) in same field as a teacher.  When she moved to the UK, she continued her studies, earning an MA in Inter-Cultural Communications for Business and Professions from Birkbeck, University of London, England.

For the past ten years, Daniela has taught EAL in several British curriculum schools in the UK and Portuguese in Portugal and Qatar. Since 2012, she has taught mostly Portuguese but also some Spanish  in an IB World School in London, teaching all levels including the IBPYP, IBMYP and IB Diploma.  She has also supervised IB Portuguese self-taught students. This extensive experience working in a leading IB school in London has afforded her the opportunity to participate in IB training and workshops, most recently IB Training in the new Language A (Lit) syllabus.  She has additionally participated in conferences and workshops for digital learning.  Daniela has supervised Portuguese Extended Essays on Animism in Mozambican literature and Oral Brazilian literature (Literatura de Cordel) She has also held various posts of responsibility within the IBO.