Local Content Power List 2026: Denielle Christensen

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Denielle Christensen is redefining how America thinks about talent, workforce pathways, and the future of the ocean economy. As Executive Director and CEO of WaveWorks Alliance, her leadership is shaped by a formative experience early in life, choosing a vocational path at a time when it was viewed as a lesser option. That decision led directly to a stable, well-paying career and instilled a lifelong conviction that talent is not defined by a diploma, and that young people deserve multiple pathways to success.

Throughout her career across maritime and ocean industries, Christensen has seen both the breadth of opportunity available through skilled trades and the growing frustration of employers unable to fill essential roles. Those gaps motivated her to co-found WaveWorks Alliance, aligning local insight with national coordination to address workforce challenges at scale. As demand for American shipbuilding accelerates, her role has evolved from advocacy to execution, building tools, partnerships, and programs that create real pipelines into industry.

Looking ahead, Christensen sees replication as the greatest opportunity for impact. By scaling proven workforce models across regions, her work strengthens communities, modernizes education pathways, and ensures the nation is prepared for the workforce surge ahead.