Dena grew up in the Chicago suburbs before moving to Canada to pursue her college education, where she earned a BA in Religion with a major in Global Studies. Afterward, she relocated to Costa Rica, where she obtained a diploma from Instituto de Lengua Española. Her journey continued in Peru, where she hosted medical and other aid teams and taught leadership classes to youth and women.

Upon returning to the U.S. in 2015, Dena shifted her focus to marketing and administration, building a diverse career across industries from FinTech to home heating. She is a member of the Professional Writers Alliance and is fluent in Spanish, with conversational proficiency in American Sign Language (ASL), a skill she plans to develop further.

Outside of work, Dena enjoys spending time outdoors, especially near water, and loves swimming or kayaking whenever she can. She’s enthusiastic about live music, enjoys cooking for friends and family, and loves creating unique cheesecake flavors. Dena is a passionate Latin dancer who values the community she has found with fellow dancers.