Denise is a passionate advocate for food safety, sovereignty, security, and Indigenous food systems. Denise is a subject matter expert in the value-added food sector and agriculture in Canada. She is the Vice Chair, Board of Governors, Cape Breton University (CBU), where the Verschuren Center is the hub of agricultural and sustainable food system research on Cape Breton Island. She also is a member of the board of Cape Breton University Developments Inc., a wind farm development which generates sustainable electricity, and she fulfils the role of Executive Director, Research & Development for Breton Air, while chairing the Aviation Innovation Hub. As an active member of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (Ottawa), and board member of the Halifax Chamber, Denise sits on various committees including the National Agriculture and Agri-Food Working Group, Export Development and the International Affairs Committee.