Golnaz Banihashemi blends technical expertise with creative vision to drive innovation, support community development and empower the next generation of thinkers. As the founder of the Da Vinci Workshop and Café, she has created an inventive space that merges art and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in a setting designed for families, children and adults to explore and collaborate. The workshop offers classes and events that foster imagination and learning, while the café component encourages conversation among local artists, entrepreneurs and scientists. Her entrepreneurial initiative reflects a larger mission to inspire creativity, cultivate interdisciplinary learning and build community across generations.
Ms. Banihashemi’s academic background provided a strong foundation for her diverse and accomplished career. She earned a Master of Science in business analysis from Villanova University and holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Islamic Azad University in Iran. Her technical education, combined with her curiosity and leadership skills, enabled her to navigate multiple sectors, from energy and engineering to organizational transformation and business consulting. She also holds certification in change management from Prosci, which has supported her work in leading strategic initiatives and complex transitions.
Through her consulting business, TotMuse, Ms. Banihashemi offers services in change management, project management. She also specializes in systems applications and products, sales and distribution/ project system (SAP SD/PS) solutions. Her work has supported companies undergoing critical operational shifts and helped organizations align their people, processes and systems for long-term success. Her approach to consulting is both structured and human-centered, grounded in practical experience and a clear understanding of how technology and people interact in dynamic work environments.
Before founding TotMuse, Ms. Banihashemi was a change management manager at United States Steel Corporation, where she guided teams through enterprise-level transformation. Earlier in her career, she worked with GE Grid Solutions as a senior project manager, training more than 250 employees and overseeing system integrations during a period of intense technological advancement. She also held positions with Alstom Grid as a regional IS expert and SAP SD/PS specialist and worked as a finance systems expert and project manager with AREVA T&D. In those roles, she developed and implemented key systems that improved efficiency and helped global teams navigate change with confidence.
Ms. Banihashemi’s early experience included engineering and project coordination roles with Fulmen Company in the United Arab Emirates, as well as contracts and project finance work with Alstom Grid and AREVA T&D. Her international experience and exposure to diverse markets sharpened her adaptability and strategic insight, qualities that continue to guide her entrepreneurial and consulting work today.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Ms. Banihashemi is an advocate for education and social impact. Her work reflects a desire to give back, particularly through programs that support underserved families. She has established a scholarship through the Da Vinci Workshop and Café and actively supports a charity in Iran that assists hundreds of single mothers and their families. Inspired by her grandfather’s example as an entrepreneur, she carries forward his values of hard work, perseverance and service. Looking ahead, she plans to expand the reach of her ventures while continuing to mentor others.