Denise was appointed President/CEO of Colleges and Institutes Canada in 2013, the voice of Canada’s colleges, institutes, CEGEPS, and polytechnics, and an international leader in education for employment in over 25 countries.
She was the President/CEO of the Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation and has worked as Assistant Deputy Minister at the federal level in her last three roles. She has worked in policy and programs in social, scientific, economic, and cultural areas both in National Headquarters and in regions in several federal departments including Human Resources Development Canada, National Defense, Natural Resources Canada, Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Canadian Heritage, and the Public Service Commission and the Canada Public Service Agency. She also worked as an administrator for the Department of Education of the Northwest Territories (NWT) and taught in Ontario, Quebec, and the NWT.
She currently sits on three international boards (Qatar Foundation, the Postsecondary International Network, and is past Chair and current member of the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics), on three national boards (Montfort Hospital, Canada Science Policy Centre, and Forum for International Trade Training where she holds the Chair position). Denise is a past board member of the Ontario Trillium Foundation appointed by the Government of Ontario and has been appointed by the Government of Canada on the Future of Skills Council of Canada and the Government of Singapore on the Future Skills Singapore International Advisory Panel.
Denise has extensive leadership development experience. She is certified in professional coaching and has been leading the leadership institutes offered by CICan in Canada for more than 9 years. She does a lot of mentoring with the next generation in Canada and on the international scene.
Denise has received several national and international leadership awards and is a sought-after speaker both nationally and internationally.