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Denise is a professor of Business and Organizational Studies in the Barowsky School of Business at Dominican. She is also the founder and executive director of the Institute of Leadership Studies. Denise has more than 40 years of experience in higher education as an educator and executive; first at the University of San Francisco and currently at Dominican. 

Some of her former roles include Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of Liberal and Professional Studies, Associate Dean of Dominican College, and Associate Dean and Director of Marketing and Corporate Development at the University of San Francisco’s College of Professional Studies. She is actively involved in the Marin community serving in leadership roles on various non-profit boards. Among the honors she has received are the Marin Women’s Hall of Fame, San Rafael Chamber of Commerce's  Women of Industry Community Benefit Leader Award, Magnificent Women of Marin Award, Dominican's Outstanding Business Professor Award, Outstanding Research Award in the Barowsky School of Business, Outstanding Service Award and Dominican’s Presidential Medallion and Sr. Aquinas Nimitz Distinguished Service Award and University of San Francisco’s Merit Award and USF's Griffin Award.

Denise directs Dominican’s leadership development center: The Institute for Leadership Studies. She teaches and consults in leadership and team development, organizational change, negotiation and conflict management, business communications, business and society, corporate social responsibility, and civic engagement. 

Education

University of San Francisco, Organizations and Leadership, EdD

California State University, Fresno, MS, Clinical Psychology

Michigan State University, BS, Psychology

Research Interests

Research interests include small business export enterprises, leadership, leader and team development, business education, micro-finance poverty reduction.

Expertise

Leadership, Management, Organizational Studies, Business Communications, Conflict Resolution and Mediation, Management Consulting, Change Leadership, Community Leadership, Strategic Planning, Teams, Microcredit, U.S. SME Exporting.

Honors and Awards

• Women of Industry Community Benefit Leader Award, San Rafael Chamber of Commerce, 2023
• Outstanding Researcher Award, Barowsky School of Business, 2021-2022
• Outstanding Faculty Service of the Year, Barowsky School of Business, 2020- 2021
• Outstanding Faculty of the Year, Barowsky School of Business, 2019
• Outstanding Faculty of the Year, Barowsky School of Business, 2017
• Joseph R. Fink Lifetime Achievement Faculty Award, Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ of California, 2016-2017
• Excellence in Education Award, San Rafael Chamber of Commerce, 2016-2017
• Outstanding Service Award, Barowsky School of Business, 2014-2015
• Outstanding Faculty of the Year, Senior Faculty, Barowsky School of Business, 2013-14
• Marin Women’s Hall of Fame Inductee, 2011
• Magnificent Women of Marin, 2008
• 19th Annual Service Award, 2008
• Sr. Aquinas Nimitz Distinguished Service Award, Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ of California, 2007
• Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ of California Alumni Service Award '07
• Griffin Award, School of Education Alumni of the Year, University of San Francisco, 2002
• President’s Medallion for Distinguished Service, Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ of California, 2001
• Merit Award, University of San Francisco, 1987
• Staff Service Award, College of Professional Studies, University of San Francisco, 1987