ABOUT OUR MANAGING PARTNER

Denise Barreto
Relationship Revolutionist &
Intersectional Storyteller

I invite you to ask yourself: What if everything you were taught to believe—”normal”—is optional. What we think is “normal” is shaped by countless external experiences based on who we are, where we’ve been and how we’ve been influenced throughout our lives.

Denise’s experience as a marketing expert with brands like AT&T, United Airlines, Pella Windows and Doors, Sears Holdings, the Chicago Fire Major League Soccer Team and the US Soccer Federation uniquely position her to guide your organization through growth in a way that engages your team, identifies the values and priorities of the organization and allows the best of you offer to shine through.

A sought after speaker, Denise has spoken to audiences across North America on a broad range of topics centering around identifying and articulating talents/value/experiences as a way achieve personal and organizational objectives. A top-rated faculty member at the Forum on Workplace Inclusion and other conferences nationwide, Denise has two TEDx talks and selectively shares her speaking talents a few times per year due to her full slate of consulting projects.

Personal leadership is just as vital as organizational leadership and Denise has excelled professionally and personally. She was twice elected to the Board of Trustees for the Village of Lake in the Hills, IL. From 2014 -2021, Denise served on the Illinois Business Enterprise Program Council, a state commission that helps to implement, monitor, and enforce the goals of the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Females and Persons with Disabilities Act appointed by former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. In 2021, she stepped down from the Parks and Recreation Board for the City of Evanston after 5 years of service including two as its chair as well as completed 7 years of service as an advisory board member of the 101 Best and Brightest Places to Work – Chicago Chapter. She currently chairs the board of Evanston Made, arts advocacy agency.

A self-proclaimed political junkie, Denise is most passionate about her government clients and is on a personal tear to transform local government as we know it. And she does not rule out running for public office again. She’s also an award winning producer of content with a travel docu-series entering season two on PBS as well has several projects both scripted and unscripted in development now. In her other venture, Serqet Productions, she’s working on a “labor of love”fiction project that she already dreamed she won an Emmy for so look out for that dream to become a reality.
Denise has transformed all aspects of her life in the last 48months and has chronicled this journey in “healing tattoos” across her body. This newly minted outdoors gal enjoys trekking through local, state and national parks whenever she can or spending free time laughing, enjoying meals and traveling to beach locales with her offspring Emma and Evan.

Favorite living singer: Lenny Kravitz

Favorite pastime: Hot tub pruning

Favorite movie: The Photograph

Quote I live by: I am realistic. I expect miracles – Wayne Dyer.

My six word memoir: Denise lives, leads, and loves fearlessly.