Denise M. Lucy, Ed.D.

Dr. Denise Lucy is one of Marin’s progressive educators. She has consistently demonstrated academic leadership and vision in the formation of degree programs and strategic partnerships providing unique educational and community engagement in Marin County. Her commitment to educational equity has been unwavering during her 30 years in higher education.

Denise believes that education is the great equalizer in society. This philosophy has inspired and guided her throughout her exemplary higher education career, as well as in her community service. Marin County has benefited from her commitment to help others, positively impacting the lives of her students, employers, and our community, through myriad educational programs.

She held a variety of management positions, both at the University of San Francisco and now at Dominican University of California. At Dominican she served as Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of Liberal and Professional Studies and Director of Pathways. Prior to Dominican, she served the University of San Francisco’s College of Professional Studies as Associate Dean.

Currently, Denise is Professor of Business Leadership and a scholar in the areas of small business enterprises in the global market place. She is an expert in leadership and organizational change, and founding Executive Director of the Institute of Leadership Studies, a leadership development center.

Under her direction, Dominican’s well-received Leadership Lecture Series, a cooperative project with Marin’s own Book Passage, has welcomed luminaries including former Vice President, Al Gore and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, finance guru, Suzie Orman and our fellow Marin Hall of Famer, Isabel Allende, to name a few.

As a community leader and member on local boards, including serving as Chair of Marin Education Fund, now named 10,000 Degrees, she has positively impacted the lives of others. Marin employers benefited from various business outreach programs, and the general Marin community through her myriad efforts at partnership formation and bridge-building. Her partnership with the Marin Women’s Commission helped form the Women’s Leadership Summits advocating for the rights and needs of women and girls.

The University of San Francisco has awarded Denise the Edward Griffin Award for Outstanding Service in Education and well as its Merit Award. Dominican University of California has recognized her many contributions by presenting her with the Presidential Medallion and the Sr. Aquinas Nimitz Distinguished Service Award. Denise was also a recipient of the Magnificent Woman of Marin Award 2007. She earned a B.S. from Michigan State University, an M.S. from California State University, Fresno, and an Ed.D. in Organizations and Leadership from the University of San Francisco.

Denise and her spouse, 2007 Marin Women’s Hall of Fame honoree, Dr. Françoise Lepage, live in San Rafael and collaborate on research, global travel, and golf.