Denise Thornton is the Founder and President of The Beacon of Hope Resource Center. On February 14, 2006 Denise and her husband, Doug, opened her partially rebuilt home as a respite for their weary neighbors who were facing decisions without information or government guidance. Leading the way home, Beacon of Hope, provides a model for recovery in neighborhoods devastated by Hurricane Katrina, as well as other areas affected by disaster. Encouraging civic action, fostering repopulation, providing information and resources is the foundation on which it builds. Beacon of Hope empowers residents to facilitate their own recovery while providing a hub of resident driven activities and a safe environment to create the synergy essential for restoring viable neighborhoods and improve the overall quality of life for residents. Beacon of Hope has given birth to programs that build community and stimulate economic growth.
On a state level, Thornton served as Executive Secretary for the LaServe Commission in 2007 and is currently serving as a Commissioner. Denise is also a Fleur-de-Lis Ambassador and is a member of the New Orleans Crime Coalition. She is a founding member of the New Orleans Institute and also serves on the board of Lakewood Property Owners Association.
Despite not having a history as a civic activist prior to Hurricane Katrina, Thornton has been widely recognized for her contributions to the rebuilding of her city. She has been featured on several national news programs and publications such as CNN, Good Morning America, Washington Post, Sports Illustrated, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and the LA Times.
Denise has received numerous honors and awards including New Orleans Magazine’s Top 10 Female Achiever Award, City Business Innovative Business of the Year Award, Alliance For Good Government Civic Leader of the Year Award, Friends of New Orleans Hero Of The Storm, Young Leadership Council Role Model Award, Public Relations Society of America Hornblower Award and was named one of the 10 Heroes of the Storm by the Times Picayune.
Thornton attended the Executive Education Program at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 2007. She has been married to Doug Thornton, Senior Vice President of SMG for twenty one years. They have one son, Jared who currently resides in Laguna Beach California with his wife and their beautiful daughter Eloise, who is four years old.
