Dena Strong, President and CEO, has a Bachelor’s from Washington State University in Business Administration. Early in her professional career, she worked for fortune 500 companies in retail and banking. She spent 9 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. dstrong@innovativeservicesnw.org
Melissa Jaacks, Vice President of Operations, holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Economics and German from Willamette University. A Washington native, she began her career at Microsoft administering the supplemental employee benefits and giving programs and then moved in to various marketing positions. She eventually found her way to Portland where she has been working for branding and advertising agencies for the past 13 years and held the positions of Director and VP of Operations. Melissa is thrilled to join the team at Innovative and shift her focus to mission-driven work. mjaacks@innovativeservicesnw.org
Susan Veneruso, Vice President of Internal Operations, has an MBA and a Masters of Technology Management from Washington State University, Vancouver. She oversees Facilities, Risk Management, IT, Contracts, Marketing, Grants, and Systems/Processes with a staff of four including a Marketing Coordinator, a Facilities Coordinator, a Systems Administrator, and a Database Administrator. Susan is also on the executive and strategic planning teams for the organization and has lived in Vancouver, WA for more than 18 years. She has three children in college and has worked for Innovative since February 2004. sveneruso@innovativeservicesnw.org
Susan Lehr, Director of Health Programs & Early Intervention, has over 20 years in nonprofit leadership and experience strengthening organizations serving children, teens, seniors and individuals with disabilities. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Education from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Prior to working at Innovative Services NW, Susan’s diverse skills in organizational management, community outreach, marketing and development, and program development benefited both large and small organizations in Oregon. The opportunity to serve in the very community where she lives with her husband, allows her to unite her professional and personal passions. Susan has been Innovative staff since October 2015. slehr@innovativeservicesnw.org
