MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: DENISE HOLMAN
/Could you tell us who you are and what it is that you do?
Hi, I’m Denise and I lead the institutional fundraising program at The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to covering gun violence in America. I oversee the full grant cycle for our institutional funding portfolio, building relationships with foundation funders and connecting their priorities with The Trace’s work. Ultimately, my job is to turn those partnerships into resources that fuel ambitious journalism. There’s a lot of reading, writing, relationship-building, strategy, and storytelling involved — and, yes, Salesforce is my right hand.
Outside of work, I’m a daughter, a wife and a mom, so a lot of life happens in the car and on the sidelines of the soccer fields. I love trying new recipes, entertaining friends and family, gardening, house projects, and discovering new music.
What do you love about the work?
I love being close to work that is making a positive difference in the world. I’ve spent most of my career in mission-driven non-profit organizations, and I’m happiest when I can see a clear connection between what I’m doing every day and something larger than myself – and when I feel like I’m leaving the world better than I found it. Fundraising is interesting because you get this incredible vantage point across an organization: you need to understand the work, see where it’s headed, listen to what others care about, and bring all of those pieces together.
I also love the long game of relationship-building. The most meaningful partnerships rarely happen because you wrote one perfect proposal. They develop through curiosity, trust, persistence, and finding the places where your respective ambitions overlap. There’s something really satisfying about helping turn those relationships into resources that allow talented people to do important work.
How did you arrive at this point in your career? What’s your backstory?
I studied communications at Bridgewater College and started my career in roles that gave me exposure to a little bit of everything — operations, events, communications, development. I was the first employee hired at the then-startup Center for Open Science, where I helped build many of the systems, policies, and processes that supported the organization as it grew. From there, I joined the Southern Environmental Law Center, where I spent nearly a decade and, somewhat unexpectedly, found my niche in institutional fundraising.
SELC is where I really learned the craft of fundraising — how to collaborate across an organization, build lasting relationships with funders and colleagues, ask good questions, understand complex work well enough to communicate why it matters, and bring different perspectives together around a shared vision. More than anything, I came to see philanthropy not simply as funding, but as a way to give mission-driven organizations the space and capacity to be ambitious — to take on big challenges, invest for the long term, and pursue work that might not otherwise be possible.
In 2025, I joined The Trace. Moving from environmental advocacy into nonprofit journalism might look like a pivot on paper, but there’s a very clear throughline. I’ve always been drawn to organizations tackling complicated problems in the public interest — and to the behind-the-scenes work of helping make their ambitions possible. At this point in my life, I’m especially motivated by doing work that feels urgent and that can help make the world a better place for my 8-year old daughter and 11-year old son. Gun violence and climate change are two of the most pressing challenges today, and I feel fortunate to have spent my career supporting organizations working to address both.
Has there been a light switch moment, a turning point (or two), professionally and or personally along the way?
I’m not sure I believe in “light switch” moments anymore — at least not in the way we tend to tell those stories in hindsight. For me, one of the biggest realizations has been that growth is much less dramatic than that.
An experience that helped crystallize this was graduating from the Center for Nonprofit Excellence’s Emerging Leaders Academy. One lesson that has stayed with me is that leadership starts with the self. So much of the work is internal: understanding your strengths and shortcomings, pushing yourself to grow, and continually trying to become a better version of yourself. You can’t control everything that happens around you, but you can control how you show up.
For me, that means waking up every day and trying — trying to do good work, to be a good parent, partner, colleague, and friend, to keep learning, and to make choices that move me a little closer to the person I want to be. Some days I get it right. Some days I don’t. And then I wake up and try again.
I think careers work much the same way. They aren’t necessarily a series of big breakthroughs or perfectly timed turning points. They’re built through relationships, small decisions, risks, disappointments, unexpected opportunities, and showing up consistently. Maybe that has been my “light switch” moment: realizing I don’t need to be waiting for one, and real transformation happens little by little, in how you choose to show up every day.
Who or what has been your greatest influence?
I’ve been influenced by so many people over the years, but the earliest role model I can remember is Dolly Parton. Beyond being a brilliant songwriter, savvy businesswoman, philanthropist, champion of literacy, and owner of an exceptional rhinestone collection, she’s a pretty wonderful example of how to move through the world: generous, funny, authentic, and able to hold strong convictions without losing her kindness. She’s also shown me that success means more when you use it to create opportunities for others.
And then there’s Martha Stewart. I admire her creativity, curiosity, exacting standards, and unwavering belief that almost anything — a room, a garden, a meal — can be made a little bit better. There’s something about that combination of imagination and attention to detail that I love: notice things, stay curious, and care enough to do them well.
Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with incredibly talented people, and I’ve taken lessons from all of them. I’m especially drawn to people who are endlessly curious — who keep growing, and looking for ways to get better, no matter where they are in life or their careers. My mom has been one of the best examples of that for me. In her 40s, she went back to school to earn her bachelor’s degree and then her master’s. She also became a head lifeguard at a local pool because it was something she had always wanted to do. Watching her taught me that there’s no expiration date on becoming the person you once imagined you might be — and that continuing to learn, stretch yourself, and pursue the things that matter to you is a vital part of a full life.
And last, but not least, becoming a mom has shaped me more than anything else. It clarified what matters, made me more protective of my time, and taught me patience — something I’m still practicing. It has also taught me to trust the process (and maybe the universe), loosen my grip on the plan, and leave more room for the unexpected. To flow a little more, control a little less, and love a whole lot more deeply.
What are you currently working on, excited about, looking forward to?
We have an incredible group of foundation partners who make our journalism possible, and a big part of my work is stewarding those relationships while also making room for what comes next. The Trace recently completed a strategic planning process, and I’m excited about the vision it sets for the next chapter of the newsroom and about bringing that vision into more conversations. There’s something energizing about being able to step back from the day-to-day, think ambitiously about where an organization can go, and then find the philanthropic partners who want to help make that future possible.
I’m also looking forward to our second annual Safer Together Forum in Washington, D.C., on September 22. It’s an opportunity to bring together people approaching gun violence from different perspectives and disciplines, and I love seeing the conversations and connections that can happen when you get all of those people in the same room.
Fundraising is inherently a long game, which can be both exhilarating and humbling. You can’t manufacture genuine relationships overnight. Right now, I’m doing a lot of seed-planting, and I’m excited to see what grows!
What are you reading, watching, listening to these days?
Every year, I build a playlist of songs, so lately I’ve been listening to my 2026 mix. .
I’m currently listening to Yesteryear on audiobook, and I’m a daily listener of The Headlines from The New York Times. It’s part of my morning routine and helps me feel at least somewhat informed before the day takes off in twelve different directions.
Anything we missed that you might care to share (closing thoughts)?
I’m grateful to be a part of this community and am looking forward to getting to know more of you! If you’re curious about The Trace, nonprofits, fundraising — or just want to connect — please reach out.
And finally, a big shout-out to Greg for all he does to bring this community together. Thanks for creating a space where we can get to know one another, learn from each other, and have a little fun along the way!