Meet Denise

Denise A. Romano

Denise earned an EdM in Counseling Psychology and an MA in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University, and previously taught counseling skills to graduate students at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Denise has a strong interest in relationship and workplace ethics and successfully assisted the FBI and US Attorney’s Office as the “whistleblower” or “relator” in a multi-million dollar whistleblower case against Columbia University involving Medicaid fraud, which was settled in 2003. She also assisted with a second, similar case against New York Presbyterian Hospital from 2004-2008. Tell YOUR Story here.

Denise has over twenty years of progressively responsible experience working in government, non-profit organizations, and the private sector. She was Director of HR/OD for a public benefit corporation in New York State for nearly eight years and prior to that was Director of HR/OD at a small private company. Denise also worked for seven years at Columbia University Medical School in various administrative positions.

Denise has written The HR Toolkit: An Indispensable Resource for Being a Credible Activist, a practical, user-friendly handbook for HR/OD professionals (also for any employee in any field at any level) that was published by McGraw Hill in March of 2010. With more than 100 templates, memos, and checklists, there’s nothing this toolkit can’t fix! HR/OD professionals know that addressing issues before they escalate can make the difference in saving the company time and money.

The HR Toolkit is the must-have handbook if you’re looking to skillfully identify, diplomatically address, and strategically resolve any issue that confronts your organization. Including a handy indexed listing of the most common workplace conflicts and solutions for ease-of-reference, expert author Denise A. Romano, MA, EdM provides practical and actionable ways to empower and educate HR/OD professionals and leadership.

Denise has many years of experience working in the Human Resources and Organizational Development (HR/OD) field in government, nonprofit, and for-profit companies, including 6 additional years of whistleblower activity. She has built two different HR/OD departments from the ground up.

Denise is certified in administering Emotional Intelligence assessments, the EQi and the EQ360, which were developed by Reuven Bar-On, PhD, and has been a delegate at the International Emotional Intelligence Conference since 2008. She has been studying Non-Violent Communication with Thom Bond and Elizabeth Banner at the NY Center for NVC since 2009.

Denise has provided individual, couple, family, and group counseling to adults and children in the New York City area. She has counseled men who were court-ordered to attend counseling sessions due to domestic violence offenses as well as women who have been sexually assaulted. She also has provided volunteer counseling through the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services for family members of those who have joined cults or other high-control groups that seek to control members’ behavior, intellect, thoughts, and emotions.

Denise has trained in Gestalt Therapy with Ruth Wolfert, is a CTA-Certified Coach, and is a Certified PREPARE/ENRICH Counselor. PREPARE/ENRICH is a statistically valid assessment and counseling modality that helps couples understand their expectations of and strengths in their relationships while actively helping them find viable solutions to relationship challenges.

Denise has also co-presented with Joanna Foley, LCSW, on Workaholism at the National Association of Social Work Addictions Institute at Fordham University and has presented on Human Resources and Organizational Development for the student chapter of SHRM at Baruch College.

Denise also earned an MFA in Writing and Poetics from Naropa University where she studied with Allen Ginsberg, Bobbie Louise Hawkins, Anne Waldman, Andrew Schelling, and guest faculty members Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Alice Notley, Diane di Prima, Amiri Baraka, Gary Snyder and others. She also studied English, Theatre, and Dance as an undergraduate at SUNY Geneseo, where she performed in Lysistrata, Who Will Carry the Word, Sexual Perversity in Chicago, Play It Again, Sam, and several modern and ballet dance performances.

Tell YOUR Story here.