Denise Duclos, Ph.D., is Director of Program and Operations at Hospitality Homes, a not-for-profit that, for 40 years, has provided free and low-cost short-term housing in volunteer host homes and donated accommodations to patients, families, and caregivers who travel to Boston to receive lifesaving medical care.

For nearly a decade, Denise has been instrumental to Hospitality Homes’ growth and operational success. As the parent of a child who spent the majority of her life in a hospital, Denise knows how important it is for patients and their families to remain together during prolonged hospitalizations.

Denise oversees over 120 volunteer hosts and handles over 1,200 applications and 2,500 guests a year. As Director of Program and Operation, she has led the design and execution of a comprehensive strategic plan to expand and deepen relationships with guests, hosts, and partner organizations. Furthermore, she has been instrumental in achieving a 90% increase in volunteer host participation, a 139% increase in families served, and an unprecedented 98% rate of “high” client satisfaction.

For two decades, Denise pursued a distinguished career as a scientist. After completing an engineering degree in Agronomical Sciences with honors at Universidad Católica of Valparaíso in Chile, she went on to pursue a Masters in Agricultural Sciences at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel. Denise then completed a Ph.D. in Plant Science at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Motivated by personal experience and a desire to positively impact the lives of people at their most vulnerable, Denise shifted careers to focus on giving hope to families seeking critical medical care.