Denise Elson

About

Denise Elson is the Director of Programming and Engagement at the Hoover Institution, where she provides strategic leadership for the Institution’s major initiatives, ensuring alignment between Hoover’s research priorities and its programmatic and external engagement efforts. She works closely with Hoover fellows and senior leadership to translate scholarship into high-impact convenings and sustained engagement with policymakers, partners, and public audiences. Elson has been a key member of Hoover’s management team since 2001, where she has played a central role in the development and expansion of the Institution’s programming portfolio, including the launch of key working groups, task forces, and signature initiatives such as the Summer Policy Boot Camp and the Hoover Veteran Fellowship.

Prior to joining Hoover, Elson served as Vice President of Operations and was a founding member of the senior management team at Starwire Corporation, where she was responsible for client and professional services, human resources, board relations, and corporate administration. Elson holds a BS in Business Administration and Marketing from American University and completed graduate coursework toward and MBA in Business Administration at Pepperdine University. She resides in Pleasanton, California, with her husband and two children.