Monica Denson

I attribute my success first and foremost to my Lord Jesus Christ, my Savior. I also credit my mother, who was an absolute powerhouse - the strongest human being I've ever known. She grew up in Jackson, Mississippi in 1951, moved to Minnesota a month after I was born in 1971, and made it her life despite experiencing so much hardship. She instilled in my sister and me the importance of getting our education, preparing us to be independent and strong. She would say things like 'boys can wait' and taught us not to move into an apartment we couldn't afford to pay for on our own. She was my biggest cheerleader, even during my darkest times, including when I lost my daughter. Beyond my faith and my mother, I attribute my success to the mentors who believed in me when I started my investigative career - the people who gave me opportunities, who saw something in me and projected where I would be 20 years before I even knew it myself. They told me 'You have it. You are it. You are the total package,' and they gave me the resources, positive reinforcement, and constructive feedback that helped me grow. They showed me what I could do to increase my skills and impact. So really, it's a compilation of God, my mother, and the mentors who helped shape my investigative career and believed in me when I was just starting out.

The best career advice I ever received came from a commissioner I worked with at the Minnesota Office of Inspector General, someone I developed a really good relationship with because he recognized my strength. He told me: when you've done all you can, and there is nothing else you can do, you stand. You just let what happens happen, and you deal with whatever is left, but you do not let it break you. He also taught me that every problem has a solution, and it's how you manage it that matters. Those two pieces of advice - standing firm after you've done your all, and knowing every problem has a solution - have carried me through the most challenging situations. It taught me not to let problems dictate who I am, change my mood, or change how I treat people. Interestingly, that advice about standing is also a lyric in a spiritual song I listen to, which reinforces its power for me. When I've been in the worst situations - like being deposed for 8 hours because someone chose to sue based on my investigation - I remind myself that I can do all things, and that there is no one on this earth who can make me feel otherwise. That advice gave me the resilience to keep going no matter what comes my way.

First and foremost, I would say be true to yourself. Don't minimize who you are as a woman. Embrace the gifts that you have been instilled with, whether or not you have tapped into them yet. Know who you are, be confident, be strong, and don't be afraid to stand alone if you believe in something. If you know within your heart, within your mind, within your ethical integrity, that something is right, stand firm in that - even if it means standing alone. That ethical compass will guide you through anything you choose to do in life, whether you're a janitor, a president, a CFO, or a manager of investigations. If you have those core values within yourself, you're going to be able to deal with, manage, accept, and work through very challenging and sometimes almost debilitating conditions. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it's a passion - something you're compassionate about, dedicated to, and professional in. When you are doing something that you absolutely believe in and love, when there's a purpose behind it, it doesn't matter how many cases you get or what your caseload looks like. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens us - that's a scripture I say to myself every single day, along with Romans 8:28, that all things work for the good for those who love God and who have been called according to His purpose. Education is important, but I believe we put too much emphasis on requiring degrees. Life's experiences can make you a subject matter expert because you've lived it, learned it, and mastered it. So become a subject matter expert, get the credentials you need, take trainings and classes, and be resourceful - you don't have to pay thousands of dollars when you can go to the library and learn. Create your own curriculum. And finally, give yourself grace. Nobody is perfect. You're going to make mistakes every day, but when you're doing things truthfully, with integrity and ethical balance, don't be afraid to keep going. Use any error as a tool and be thankful for it, because had you not experienced that, you would not be prepared for your future purpose. Success is not just about your career path - it's about being a mother, an aunt, a friend, a volunteer. It expands beyond just one area of life.

I would say the biggest challenge is the influx and increased number of cases involving disability, protected classes, discrimination, harassment, and inequitable treatment. We're seeing so many people being harassed because of gender, age, and other protected characteristics, and the amount of cases surpasses what you could ever imagine. We're going from having 10 cases to almost up to 100, and there aren't enough personnel or investigators to maintain manageable caseloads. The volume of violations occurring in the workplace and complaints being filed is overwhelming. Another major challenge is that in some instances, executive and senior leadership don't really understand the processes on the ground. They're developing and implementing policies based on statistical data, but they're not actually conducting the investigations themselves. They're not on the front line, so they don't know what actually works. What they think works doesn't actually work and often causes additional stressors for investigators. I think if there was a balance - if we allowed the actual investigators who are doing the work to have a say in policy changes or improving optimization for better results - that would be a real benefit. That would be a plus. The opportunity lies in bridging that gap between leadership decisions and frontline reality, so we can create systems that actually work for the people doing the investigations and the people we're protecting.

The values most important to me are integrity, honesty, trust, respect, and humility. Being humble means not ever thinking you are better than anybody on this earth, no matter how successful or high on the totem pole you are. I always remember to know that I'm human first, and being human comes with everything - disappointment, love, life, hurt - but I don't let those instances dictate me or change who I am. My biggest strength is my heart, but I've also learned to align it with my mind. I'm a very compassionate, giving person - I will help anyone, I will give anyone my last dollar - but I've also learned to differentiate between being used or manipulated versus genuinely helping people who are in need and grateful. I never expect anything back from what I give, because I give from my heart. What really drives me, both personally and professionally, is treating everybody how you want to be treated. It's so simple and it's a cliche, but it's the truth. Treat everybody with respect and dignity, because we are all entitled to it, regardless of what is or isn't being given to us. That ethical integrity, that compassion, my faith, my strength, my resilience - these things redefine me and define who I am at my core.