About

Mmm, cramberrys…

Dena has been scribbling since she was a kid. While her pithy exposé on the dangers of Thanksgiving without turkey was ahead of its time, her later work on children being poisoned to death on Halloween raised the eyebrows of at least one elementary school teacher, as well as those of Dena’s mom. And maybe a school counselor.

What sad witches, indeed.

Fast forward to the University of Oregon where, with her horror-writing phase behind her, Dena earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Telecommunications & Film. After that big party was over, Dena moved to Portland and then Seattle, working in various corporate marketing positions where she learned how to coordinate meetings, produce direct mail and pilfer office supplies.

She eventually landed a project management position in the Creative Group at Starbucks Coffee Company. And it was there, surrounded by some particularly clever and creative talent, that she tried her hand at copywriting. (Dena had done some marketing writing in previous positions but it was nothing compared to collaborating with this caliber of graphic design. She was hooked.)

Two reorgs and a million discounted Frappuccino sugar highs later, Dena had the opportunity to join another group of amazingly talented people at Phinney/Bischoff Design House, a distinguished boutique brand design firm in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.

And then, in 2003, all hell broke loose and Dena relocated to Austin, Texas, where (after a brief and painful gig as a bev cart girl at a local golf resort) she started writing for a whole new set of fantastic creatives and clients. She also joined the cast of Gag Reflex, a beautifully wayward sketch comedy group (foaming-at-the-mouth mimes, anyone?).

In 2006, breast cancer tried to jack things up for Dena but she had other plans. That crappy, barf-inducing ordeal (and she knows she’s one of the lucky ones) is the topic of her first book, currently in the works. In the meantime, she discusses her cancer-related experiences on her blog.

Dena is dedicated to providing clients with kick-ass concepts and copy, but writing about her personal travels, observations, and other humor pieces is what she loves most. A long way from the ruled, newsprint pages of preschool, her (non-copywriting) work has appeared on Fresh Yarn, Yankee Pot Roast, and in Austin Woman Magazine. And that’s just the beginning.