Although she was born in the Lone Star State, Denny has just recently discovered this place we call "Austin". As a champion of non-profits, graphic designer, and State employee Denny shares what it is that makes her "The Grand Slam".
Why did you decided to move to Austin Texas?
I decided to move to Austin because I wanted to work for the Lance Armstrong foundation. In college my degree was in P.R. I wanted to do non-profit P.R. work. And I became obsessed with them. My step dad was diagnosed with cancer so their cause became real to me and I really pursued working for them. And then I got an internship with them and I moved down here.
So that begs the question…why aren’t you working for the Lance Armstrong Foundation now?
Well when it came time for me to get a job, they didn’t have anything open so I applied to everything in my field and I got the job with the State Bar. I stayed on as a volunteer and I am on their steering committee for the Ride for the Roses.
You said that you wanted to do non-profit? Why is that?
I just never had a desire to work for a corporation. I wanted to do something that would be helpful. Something where I knew I would be making a difference. Just helping people that needed help. Working for a corporation wasn’t appealing, or doing main-stream PR wasn’t appealing either.
What is it that you didn’t like about corporations?
At the time it seemed so stiff and rigid and the dollar was the bottom line and I didn’t want that to be my bottom line.
Do you think it is possible to make a difference working for a corporation?
It’s hard for me to say because I’ve never worked for one. I am kind of in a limbo phase now, it is government but it is run like a corporation, it’s not what I want to end up doing, but helping law students is what I’m doing now. I know corporation and industries create products and make the world go round, but it’s just not the same to me. On the other hand they often have community involvement programs where they put part of their funds into their communities that support them, if I was at a corporation that is what I would try to do.
You mentioned that this isn’t what you want to end up doing? What would your dream job be?
I don't know. I thought about that a lot lately. Things at work have been weird, but I don't know where would I want to end up. I've thought about going back to something like the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Not there, but something like that. Like The Make a Wish Foundation. I seem to go to places with health issues. As a side thing, a fun thing, I like graphic design. I would like to have better skills with that and develop that. I always wanted to have my own stationary, on the side. I make gifts. I have one client that I make gifts for. I don't have a real solid answer for that question; I feel like I am back to square one with what I should do.
You mentioned reading was one of your hobbies…what are 5 good books you would recommend?
Books I like, people can take them or leave them. Cold Sassy Tree. I love southern literature. Another favorite, Secret Life of Bees, another southern book. Every chapter starts with a fact about a bee, and it foreshadows what will happen in the chapter. The Fountain Head by Ayn Rand. It's my brother's favorite, and I read it last summer. He is an architect, and I learned a lot about him and his philosophy. I had a conversation with him about it that lead him to take a picture that is on my wall. Tender at the Bone. It is written by a lady who is a food critic for the New York Times. She would put on elaborate costumes and disguises to critique restaurants. It is really about the relationship with her mom. It is her memoirs. She has recipes in between that were her comfort foods during times of her life. The Great Gatsby was my first book, I had already read it, but in high school it was the first book that I could see everything, with the foreshadowing and symbolism, and it all really came together for me.
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