The International Society of Female Professionals Recognizes Denise J. Anderson

Denise J. Anderson is President & CEO, Daughters of the Inheritance, LLC Tampa, Florida, and is a retired U.S. Army Colonel.

A seasoned collaborator, strategist and accomplished organizational leader, Denise combines a fundamental and creative results-driven approach to achieve both short-term and long-term goals and objectives. With extensive experience in the public and non-profit sectors, Denise has been a significant contributor in government relations, the healthcare industry, education and the Special Operations and military communities. With solid faith in the human spirit and steadfast hope in mankind, Denise strives to lead by example as an attentive listener and proactive leader, while employing an inclusive approach designed to effectively communicate and engage colleagues both internally and externally.

Denise currently serves as the Deputy Director of Programs, and the College to Career Transitions Coach at Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) in Tampa, Florida, developing and implementing programs that benefit the Gold-Star children of Special Operations Forces lost in the line of duty and children of Medal of Honor recipients.

Prior to joining SOWF, Denise worked as a Government Contracted Program Manager, Education and Employment Initiative (E2I) and Operation War Fighter (OWF) Programs, in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), Office of Warrior Care Policy. Managing a 5-member Department of Defense-level staff, and twenty (20) Regional Coordinators throughout the United States, she was responsible for ensuring assistance with the nationwide delivery of education and employment opportunities to recovering service members (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard members) in transition to wellness, and led an effort to transfer service member’s skill sets in the military to viable civilian opportunities.

After twenty-seven (27) years of loyal military service to the Nation, Denise retired from the U.S. Army in 2006 at the rank and grade of Colonel, Army Medical Department (AMEDD), Medical Service Corps. Her final position was Director of Strategic Planning and Strategic Resource Management/(G-8), Headquarters, Department of the Army, Office of The Surgeon General where she led a national staff of 100 military, civilian, and contract personnel in the strategic development, integration, programming, defense, and measurement of a five-year Army and Defense Health Program (DHP) Strategic Plan. In 1998, Denise was selected as the Secretary of the Army’s Task Force Chief of Staff for the 50^th Anniversary of the Integration of the Army, a Nationally publicized event. In 2004, Denise was selected by The Army Surgeon General and the to the Secretary of the Army for the multi-disciplinary, policy development Task Force on Sexual Assault and Rape of military members. For each, Denise received the Secretary of the Army Certificate of Achievement.

Raised as an Army family member, Denise attributes her broad life perspectives to having lived most of her childhood to adolescent life in Bangkok, Thailand. Denise has traveled to multiple areas of the world, including West Africa, a variety of countries in Europe, Southeast Asia, and South America.

Denise has worked at the highest levels within the American Federal Government, to include Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense (DoD) to assist government clients in implementing organizational change management with a purpose to drive a new, and ultimately successful, personalized, proactive, patient-centric environment focusing attention on especially the needs of Veteran. Denise partnered with the U.S. Department of Labor, National Job Corps Program working with and through non-profit community organizations to improve individual and family health, economics, and scholarship opportunities for at risk/at promise high school students. She was selected by the National Director, DOL Job Corps to be one of the National Speakers for their Speakers, Tutors, Achievement, Retention, and Success (STARS) Initiative, presenting motivational speeches on life skills transitioning to over 3,500 students and 300 staff in 11 of 122 Job Corps Centers.

She has also served as a faculty member with the University of Phoenix introducing and executing learning methods in Leadership and Critical Thinking, Healthcare Leadership and Management, Ethics, and Communication for the respective teams. With respect to specific involvement with private and public sector organizations, Denise contributed in varied capacities to the University of South Florida Health and College of Medicine’s Centers for Transformation and Innovation for the USF Health Leadership Institute, training a multidisciplinary cohort of healthcare professionals in strategy and leadership. She also collaborated with the David C. Anchin Center for Education, and University of South Florida’s Community Leadership Summit, where she led an academia “Think-Tank” analysis seeking input from government agencies, community organizations, corporations, and faith-based organizations to develop best practices and strategies to implement that result in better life outcomes for young African American and Latino males.

To prepare her for the previously mentioned leadership positions, Denise attained a B.S. in Biology, Virginia State University; M.A. Health Services Management, Webster University; and, Master’s Degree in Public Administration/Public Policy, University of Phoenix. She completed military Leadership training at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Denise is the 1996 recipient of the ROCKS, Incorporated Bobby B. Burke Award for outstanding contributions to the ROCKS, Incorporated, a mentoring organization. She was recently inducted into the International Society of Female Professionals, she was recently appointed by the Mayor of the City of Tampa as a member of the Mayor’s African American Advisory Council (MAAAC), and she is a lifetime member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Regarding further pertinent academia and instruction, Denise is a member of both the American College of Healthcare Executives, Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society for Business, and is an Executive level leader in Sigma Alpha Pi National Society of Leadership and Success, Denise is certified to train leaders at all levels. Denise has completed certificates of training from the University of South Florida’s MUMA College of Business in Post-Crisis Leadership and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace, and through the Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, Denise received certificates of completion in Foundations in Coaching, Emotionally Intelligent Leadership, and has completed all requirements to become a Nationally recognized Board-Certified Executive, Career, and Life Coach.

International Society of Female Professionals Member, Denise J. Anderson, can be found on the Association Directory, where she is looking forward to networking with you.