Diane Yarborough - Founder and President

Diane Yarborough is a leadership and culture architect with more than two decades of experience guiding organizations through transformation, growth, and cultural reinvention. As the founder of Castaway & Company, she partners with executives and leadership teams to build thriving workplaces defined by clarity, accountability, and excellence in both performance and culture. 

Diane played key roles in major organizational transitions, including the transformation of the Disney Village Resort into the former Disney Institute -now Disney's Saratoga Spring in 1994; and the Walt Disney World Resort Call Center from what was a WDW Telecom business in 1999. She was also on the opening the grand openings of Disney’s BoardWalk Resort & Conference Center and the launch of Disney Cruise Line. 

In 1997 was chosen to join a 30-member unique team of Cast Members from across the property to facilitate Disney’s “Traditions” Orientation Program, helping instill the company’s signature values and culture for ALL new Cast Members. 

That year also gave her the opportunity to be one of the first inhabitants of Disney's private island - Castaway Cay where she lived and provided HR Leadership for the opening of the Island and the line's first two ships -  Disney Magic and Disney Wonder.  She also sailed and as the HR Officer onboard Disney Magic supporting the Captain and fellow Conference Officers, providing leadership for all Crew related functions.  

After leaving Disney, Diane channeled her creativity, strategic instincts, and deep belief in purpose-driven work into launching Cranberry Way, a boutique cause marketing agency dedicated to innovative philanthropy and raising awareness for meaningful causes. There, she and her team developed fresh approaches to social impact work and even coined the term “Philanthropy Relations” to describe their distinctive blend of public relations, purpose, and partnership.

But Diane’s greatest passion has always been building programs, shaping experiences, and designing initiatives that move people and organizations forward.

That passion ultimately led to the creation of Castaway & Company, where Diane turned her expertise toward helping organizations elevate the leader experience (LX), the employee experience (EX), employer brand, and the candidate experience (CanX). Drawing on her Disney heritage and entrepreneurial lens, she helps leaders rethink culture not as a poster on the wall, but as the living result of what leaders model, what they permit, what they celebrate, and the vision they make real every day.

Through Castaway & Company, Diane partners with organizations ready to reimagine their cultures, strengthen leadership, and create workplaces that attract exceptional talent, inspire commitment, and give people a reason to stay. Her work blends imagination with operational insight, helping companies design cultures with intention, clarity, and a touch of magic.

Her Disney experience grounded her in service and leadership excellence and sharpened an unwavering attention to detail. It was a culture where excellence was expected and going above and beyond was part of everyday life. 

Diane has worked and consulted in industries including energy and utilities, telecommunications, financial services, senior living, retail, and hospitality, helping organizations strengthen their cultures, elevate leadership effectiveness, and where exceptional employee experiences matter. Her expertise spans organizational design, leadership development, executive coaching, employee experience strategy, Labor strategies, Talent Development, Leadership excellence and culture transformation.

Diane holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and a Master’s degree in Counseling and Consultation from Stetson University. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband and two teenage sons.