Denise Copening:  

After graduating from the University of Colorado, I took a job with EDS General Motors and moved to the Detroit area. It was a great job opportunity, however, it did not pay well but the exposure to systems and the experience laid a solid foundation for better future positions. After Detroit, I spent about 18 months in Houston and Evansville, IN doing internal consulting for a financial and insurance company. Evansville may be a great family town, but it was quite a bore for a single person. Since 1991, I have lived and worked in the Chicago area. My background in business analysis provided a springboard into Quality Assurance work, which I have done since then. I work for Olenick & Associates, one of the largest companies in the Midwest specializing in this type of work. Recently I was promoted to Senior Associate. When system break, I get a call and try to help fix it. Sometimes I do preparatory work outlining the details for QA work for company regulatory filings. One of my underlying talents very useful in my career is an ability to recognize patterns in numbers and words. This talent is very helpful in detecting problems in systems. Often I have been retained at client sites since I am a very fast and accurate technical documenter. I would say my most significant achievements to date have been the only 2 articles I ever submitted to a journal were published and being appreciated for the love and devotion I have demonstrated to pets and people. After each of my previous dogs passed, the veterinary hospital donated money in their memory to veterinary research. One of the vets said he had never seen someone love their pets more than me. Also, what meant the most to me in helping out in the effort to rescue an abducted dog was a letter from the former director of the Anti Cruelty Society thanking me for loving Reba the dog and Tom. Taking time to write has been difficult since I am now a management person. In my company it means that I do 40 hours of billable work plus about 10 to 15 hours a week of internal work. Having a long commute to the city does not help. Sometimes when I walk through the Chicago Loop to work I have this great sense of possibility in the enormity of the city, teeming with so much activity. I think of my origins, how I miss Colorado, and take stock of who I am to date. Regarding family, I have four great-nephews and one great-niece. They are such cute kids. My family lives all ov...Expand for more