Denelle attended the University of Idaho where she graduated with a BS in Food and Nutrition. Following graduation, she moved to Phoenix Arizona for economic and higher education opportunities. She worked for many years with local Native American Tribal Diabetes Programs and became a CDCES.

Additionally, Denelle was employed by the National Institutes of Health for a Type 2 medication study called GRADE (Glycemic Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study) which prioritized Native American individuals.

Most recently Denelle worked for Phoenix Children’s Hospital as part of a cutting-edge team of Endocrinologists and Dietitian/Diabetes Educators. She learned a great deal about obesity and nutritional interventions that complement newer medication therapies.