Dena Strong
President & CEO
Dena has a Bachelor’s degree from Washington State University in Business Administration. Early in her professional career, she worked for Fortune 500 companies in retail and banking. She spent nine years working for a custom manufacturing company with headquarters in Vancouver, Washington, where she held numerous positions, eventually working her way through the ranks to become President and CEO. Through her career, she has gained a wide variety of skills including experience in business strategy, executive management, organizational efficiencies, and leadership. Dena has lived in Clark County her entire life and is proud to be a member of this community. Working at Innovative allows her to give back to her community and fulfill both professional and personal aspirations. Dena has been Innovative staff since September 2016.
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Melissa Ruth
Chief Strategy Officer
Melissa holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Economics and German from Willamette University. A Washington native, she began her career at Microsoft administering supplemental employee benefits and giving programs, and then moved into various marketing positions. She eventually found her way to Portland where she had been working for branding and advertising agencies for 13 years, and held the positions of Director and VP of Operations. Melissa was thrilled to join the team at Innovative and shift her focus to mission-driven work.
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Susan Veneruso
Chief Operating Officer
Susan has a Master’s of Business Administration and a Master’s of Technology Management from Washington State University Vancouver. She oversees Facilities, Risk Management, IT, Contracts, Grants, and Systems/Processes with a staff of three including a Facilities Coordinator, an IT Database and Systems Administrator, and an IT Support Specialist. Susan is also on the executive and strategic planning teams for the organization and has lived in Vancouver for more than 18 years. She has three grown children and has worked for Innovative since February 2004.
