YWCA is on a MISSION

With over 25 years of leadership experience in education, government, and nonprofit management, Dennis is a proven executive focused on driving resources and stakeholder impact. He joined the YWCA Princeton in July 2025 as the Chief Advancement Officer.

Dennis has dedicated his career to empowering young people through providing resources for education, employment and training, and alleviating homelessness. Dennis began his career as a Planner with Capital Area Michigan Works managing a request for proposal (RFP) process that allocated millions of JTPA funds to service providers to provide employment and training to low-income adults, youth, and dislocated workers. Dennis worked for the City of Lansing (Michigan) as a Grants & Program Coordinator raising over $5 million per year, including funds for Project RESPECT, an adolescent health female program focused on college prep and pairing female students with professional women mentors. Dennis was then recruited to join Public Sector Consultants as a Senior Consultant in the Education area. Central Michigan University hired Dennis as the Director, Corporate & Foundation Relations to work on their first capital campaign. The capital campaign goal was $50 million; the campaign raised $78 million with almost half in corporate and foundation funds.

Dennis was then hired by Kettering University in Flint, Michigan as the Vice President for University Advancement. At Kettering, Dennis and President Liberty wrote a proposal to the Mott Foundation for a marketing campaign, student scholarships, alumni receptions throughout the U.S. and Canada, and alumni reception materials. The Mott Foundation awarded Kettering University with $2 million per year for five consecutive years. Dennis joined Davenport University in Grand Rapids, MI and grew the Advancement Division and increased corporate support. After resigning from Davenport, Dennis joined Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA. After five years at VUU, during which Dennis raised over $6.1 million during the 150 Anniversary of the institution, increased corporate support by 100% and increased alumni support to over $1million per year for five consecutive years, Dennis became the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Salus University in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. After raising over $4 million and celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Salus University, Dennis resigned to attend graduate school and worked briefly for Amazon as an Area Services Director. Dennis worked for Slippery Rock University from January 2020 to September 2022, having the best fundraising year for SRU during the pandemic. Dennis worked for Drexel University raising funds for St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. Dennis transitioned to New York Life as a Life Insurance Agent. Dennis has a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree from Oakland University in Michigan.

Dennis is deeply committed to the YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism and empowering women across Central New Jersey. Dennis is joined in his journey by his college sweetheart of 36 years and their oldest daughter an attorney with Travelers Insurance and his youngest daughter, a senior at Abington Friends School. Together, they share a passion for advocacy, equity, and creating enduring positive change in their community.