Denise Zermeno

I attribute my success over the past 20 years to my deep passion and commitment to serving underserved populations. My work has been especially focused on helping children experiencing homelessness or coming from environments impacted by substance abuse. This mission has served as my guiding light throughout my career. I do believe that we have a responsibility as a society to children, and to just put our efforts together to do things that really impact them in a positive way. Although the field is challenging and underpaid, my determination and resilience have kept me focused on creating meaningful change. I'm driven by a strong desire to help break the cycles of hardship that many children and families face. More than any award, my biggest achievement has been the relationships I've been able to keep with my clients through the years - they send me an email years later, or they might call me, just letting me know that they're doing good, or they stop by and say hi, and if they don't find me, sometimes they leave sticky notes telling me thank you. I have a big collection of those things, and they really feed your soul when you're doing these jobs. When your clients value you, and when your clients see that you're there for them, I think that's phenomenal and the best award that you can get.

The best career advice I ever received came from my English teacher, Mr. Robinson, when I was in an English learner class. It was something so simple, but so powerful to me, and he told me, just don't be scared, you can do it. As a teenager, you're always a little bit scared - you don't want to make a fool out of yourself, you don't want to say the wrong thing, you don't want people to laugh, and just be the joke of everyone else. But I was the top student in his class, and he was just by telling me, don't be scared, just keep doing it. That had so much effect on me, and I apply it in anything, not only in academics, in the work that I do, if I want to learn a new hobby, whatever. He was truly an amazing professor.

My advice to young women entering this field is to not take things personally, as the work is emotionally and mentally challenging and can easily feel overwhelming if interactions are misinterpreted. Instead, I focus on staying grounded in purpose—prioritizing what I can contribute in each moment, whether that means solving a problem or simply being present and listening to a client who needs support. This is a complex and often underpaid profession, so it requires passion, resilience, and commitment to meaningful service rather than personal reactions or financial motivation.

One of the biggest challenges in the homeless nonprofit field is the growing demand for housing and supportive services that often outpaces available resources. Many organizations also face funding limitations, which can make it difficult to provide consistent, long-term support. At the same time, there is a significant opportunity to build stronger partnerships across public, private, and community sectors to expand impact. Increased awareness and innovation in housing solutions also create hope for more sustainable pathways out of homelessness.

The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are integrity, accountability, and resilience. Integrity means staying true to my values and doing what is right, even when it is difficult, while accountability involves owning my mistakes, learning from them, and moving forward rather than dwelling on setbacks. Resilience is equally important—I have seen its power firsthand through my clients, especially those facing substance use challenges, who continue to try and rebuild their lives even after repeated relapses and setbacks. Their persistence and determination deeply inspire me and reinforce my belief in the importance of never giving up.