As a project manager of the institutes, Danielle Kalisek works with other project managers and the grant and proposal coordinator to coordinate and develop proposals and budgets and facilitate the submission process, serving as a liaison between the institutes and the Office of Sponsored Research Services. Once funded, she assists in monitoring projects and ensuring reporting requirements are met.

Kalisek also serves as a member of the communications team and manages the Rio Grande Basin Initiative, coordinating communications for the initiative, fulfilling reporting requirements to the funding agency (USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture) and seeking out additional funding opportunities.

Kalisek joined the Texas Water Resources Institute as an extension assistant and communications coordinator in 2005 and has been a project manager since 2008. Before joining the Texas Water Resources Institute, Kalisek was a student worker for Texas AgriLife Communications, responsible for writing news releases and crop and weather reports. She received a bachelor of science in journalism from Texas A&M University.