DENISE MILL PARKER was born and raised in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. She graduated with a B.S. in Nursing from The Ohio State University. Later, she earned her MBA at The George Washington University in Washington DC.

While working in various healthcare roles her entire career—from direct patient care to hospital and medical group administration—she became acutely aware of disparities in care and worked to alleviate some of the burdens experienced by the disenfranchised. Denise is married to a retired neuroradiologist and has four adult sons, three daughters-in-law, and two grandchildren.