Denise Thomas

Communications Coach/Consultant/Emcee/Keynote Speaker/Voiceover

Denise Thomas is the Founder and Owner of The Effective Communication Coach a consultancy focused on transforming emerging and existing professionals into extraordinary leaders by mastering the art of effective communication. With twenty years of experience within Fortune 100 companies, Denise has honed the ability to deliver and receive messages across language, cultural, and communication-style barriers. She has been recognized for excellence in leadership from companies including Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana, PepsiCo, General Electric, and MolsonCoors. Denise continues her focus on coaching people by traveling and teaching effective communication to professionals worldwide including Tel Aviv Israel, Cartagena Columbia, and Cape town, South Africa. Denise has supplied her expertise to the National Urban League, Thurgood Marshall Leadership Institute, and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee. She currently consults for R.W. Baird, Southern Company and Northwestern Mutual amongst other highly regarded employers. Denise has been recognized with multiple awards by the Milwaukee Business Journal including 2019 Woman of Influence and Top 100 Power Brokers for 2018, ‘19, ’20, ’21 and ’22. She also received Milwaukee Magazine’s 2019 “Women of Distinction”, and BizStarts “Inspiring Entrepreneur” award. The Milwaukee Times Newspaper recognized Denise for her “Excellence in Business” during their 35th Annual Black Excellence Awards. Denise is a Facilitator at St. Norbert College as part of the School of Business’s Center of Exceptional Leadership and co-hosts the “Truth Be Told” morning talk radio show on The Truth 101.7FM – Milwaukee. She serves on numerous non-profit organization’s Board of Directors and Advisory Councils including Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, The Milwaukee Ballet, TEMPO Milwaukee and the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County’s Women United Leadership Council. She is also a certified Hogan Assessment Coach, Center of Exceptional Leadership 360 Feedback Coach and E-Learning Trainer/Coach. Denise is a graduate of Cardinal Stritch University in Business Management and a proud member of The Links Incorporated –Trinity (Dallas) Texas Chapter. She is a proud mother of two emerging leaders, her daughter Dominique and son Daren. She enjoys being a grandmother to her five-year-old English Bulldog, Earn! In her role as “ The Effective Communication Coach” she uses techniques that are engaging and relevant. She has been featured as a keynote speaker, emcee and moderator for various corporations and organizations. A graduate of Cardinal Stritch University in Business Management, Denise is a proud member of the The Links Incorporated - Milwaukee Chapter. In 2015 she was recognized as the ONE MKE Drivers of Diversity, “Professional of the Year” and the MillerCoors 2015 Q3 BIS Diversity and Inclusion Award Recipient. In 2016, she was featured on the cover of NV (New Vision) as one of the twenty 2016 “Movers & Shakers”. She is a proud member of The Links Incorporated - Milwaukee Chapter, serves on the Cardinal Stritch University College of Business and Management Advisory Council, Mt. Mary University Communications Advisory Council and on the Board of Directors for Meta House - Milwaukee. She also serves on the Social X Milwaukee Advisory Council. Denise’s coaching techniques include the “communicating with purpose” formula delivered through engaging team workshops, dynamic keynote addresses and individual coaching sessions.She began her professional career 17 years ago working in leadership roles for corporations including GE Healthcare and most recently Miller Coors. Throughout her journey, she witnessed first hand how effective communication is critical to a business’s growth and played a key role in her career wins. She now wants to share these winning techniques with others all over the world.