A Life of Passion - Updated 8/2026

Biography of Nancy Hunter Denney

Unable to contain her enthusiasm for developing leaders and higher education, Nancy Hunter Denney has channeled her passion in a variety of ways throughout her four decade career. She currently is wrapping up a wonderful experience teaching at the college level at two fine institutions in Boston, MA. These past four years have been filled with enormous moments of satisfaction and renewed faith in the future.

Although retiring from teaching and speaking in 2026, Nancy continues to offer writing and program consulting services with a focus on building the leadership competency proficiency of those willing to build their professionalism, self-knowledge, understandings and skills. Her audiences in the past have included undergraduates, professional staffs, women’s events, associations, and non-profit helping organizations, to name a few.

Ms. Denney’s speaking career began in 1993 with the goal of encouraging in others a personal sense of responsibility (and obligation) for serving the greater social good. Known for her ability to share original strategies for enhanced engagement, Ms. Denney has appeared on over 1000 college campuses and at hundreds of state, regional and national conferences. She has also appeared on the national stage with financial advice expert Suze Orman, news correspondent Soledad O’Brien, and talk show host Dr. Phil. Her focus remains on non-profit helping organizations, women’s leadership organizations, professional associations and higher education. She thrived on bringing her ZING! wherever she goes - even in the classroom to unsuspecting undergraduates!

Prior to starting her own speaking business, Ms. Denney worked in higher education student affairs serving as the assistant dean of students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute from 1986 to 1993. Prior to that she was the program board advisor at Case Western Reserve University. Her energy on stage, virtually, and in her teaching, is consistently described as "contagious." She is the TM owner of the words “Zing!” and operated her business through 2024 under “Zing! Leadership Development Systems, LLC.”

Ms. Denney is the author of, or contributing author to seven books. Her most recent releases include The Lead365 Reflections Journal,Wisdom Along the Way: Writings on Life and Leadership, Zing! 21 Insights on Maximizing Your Influence - 3rd Edition (Foreword by Dr. Ken Blanchard) and The Now Factors of College Success - 2nd Edition, with Jermaine Davis and Michael Miller. Life by Design was her first book.

In 2015, as an effort to honor the many blessings afforded Ms. Denney during her professional career, she created the brand “Lead365” TM . The Lead365 Foundation (non-profit) was established shortly thereafter as the host of the Lead365 National Conference where she served as its conference director until COVID changed the plan.

As a passionate believer in the importance of giving back, Ms. Denney served on two national non-profit boards; The ACPA Foundation which supports social justice initiatives, and Missions for Humanity, which provides medical supplies and support to developing countries.

Ms. Denney attended the State University of New York at Oswego where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Communication Studies and Psychology. She earned a Masters Degree in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University. Ms. Denney and her husband Tom of over three decades, are the proud parents of two Millennials, Jacob and Kaitlin. Tom and Nancy reside in Marion, MA with their sailboat Legacy and Daisy the Cat.