We’re thrilled to welcome Dena Schoenfeld onto the Leading Edge staff as our VP of Executive Programming!

Dena is technically our newest team member, because she just started as a full-time employee at the beginning of March. In a consulting capacity, however, Dena has been working closely with Leading Edge for almost five years. She served previously as Consulting Director of Leading Edge’s CEO Onboarding Program. Now, as VP of Executive Programming, Dena will continue to oversee and develop that program, while also broadening the range of Leading Edge offerings related to executive leadership.

An experienced consultant in management and leadership in the Jewish community, Dena lives in the greater Washington, DC area. She was educated at The George Washington University School of Business (BBA, Human Resources) and the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business (MBA, Management and Organization). She also holds a certificate in Executive Development from the Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management.

Here are a few Q&As to help you get to know her.

What drew you to Leading Edge?

I’ve been with Leading Edge since 2015. I came in to be a part of the CEO Onboarding Program, which has been an amazing opportunity to think about how to support the next generation of leaders in a different way than anyone had done before. Over the years, in the course of developing that program, I’ve also gotten to watch the other kinds of growth and progress that Leading Edge has achieved, which has been exciting to hear about — and now it’s exciting to be a part of.

What does a “great place to work” mean to you?

It means great people who take the work seriously but don’t take themselves too seriously.

What do you enjoy most about working with CEOs and executive directors?

I think I’ve been lucky in the relationships I’ve gotten to develop in the course of being the shepherd for this program. It’s rewarding to see these executives thrive, cheer for them when they succeed, and support them when they face tough issues.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? 

“Never let ‘em see you sweat.”  Whether at work or at home, I strive to remain calm and focused. (My kids might disagree!)

What’s the best TV show you’ve seen in the last year?

It may not be the best show all year, but I just finished “Cheer” on Netflix. It’s the story of a team with a  strong leader who combines drive and determination with real humanity. Many of the students’ stories are heartbreaking but their support for one another is inspiring. If you’ve watched the show… I’d like to send Jerry out to do mat talk for all of our executives!

Anything else you’d like to share?  I’m energized by Leading Edge’s commitment to this work of broadening the ways we can reach and support leadership in the community and very excited to work with this fantastic team.