Denise has held leadership positions in the corporate and nonprofit sectors. After a decade in the global advertising and marketing business, she shifted her focus to social impact work in 2005 and has since been committed to contributing her expertise in strategy, communications, fundraising, and partnership building to nonprofit organizations that focus on mental health, education, and equity.

After completing a mid-career master’s degree in public affairs at the University of Minnesota’s Hubert H. Humphrey School, Denise launched the Indika Alliance – a U.S.-based human rights nonprofit to support female domestic workers in India. She later worked at the Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California on training programs for visiting policymakers from overseas governments.

Denise has been a long-term volunteer mentor and tutor for children and youth and has certifications in teaching mindfulness to young people and trauma-informed care for youth.

Denise is honored to lead the founding board of Alongside Network and help grow the organization to create a better system of care for families impacted by pediatric medical trauma.