Ms. Denise Gitsham

Denise Gitsham is a Georgetown-educated lawyer and small business owner. As a former member of the Bush 43 White House staff and an appointee to the U.S. Department of Justice, she worked on the government’s anti-terrorism efforts post-9/11 and is a leader in San Diego’s innovation economy. A strong conservative, she’s taking the fight to incumbent Democrat Scott Peters who voted for the Obama Administration’s reckless Iran Nuclear Deal and the closing of Guantanamo Bay.

Denise Gitsham is a seasoned expert in strategic communications. Her media expertise and grassroots advocacy skills were established during the 2000 presidential campaign, when she developed and managed a national Latino communications and outreach plan that spanned 28 states, and resulted in the highest percentage of Latino votes for a Republican candidate in the history of US presidential elections. Following the campaign, she continued working in various political and communications positions at the White House, US Department of Justice, and US Congress.

Denise joined the K Street law firm, K&L Gates, after graduating from the Georgetown University Law Center. As an associate at the firm, she represented clients in the clean technology, nanotechnology, and biotechnology industries.

Denise also worked in both Washington DC and San Diego as Director of Corporate Affairs and Legislative Counsel at Sapphire Energy, the world’s leading algae-based biofuel company. During her tenure at Sapphire, she led industry efforts to establish a national interest in algae, as well as a public-private association focused on establishing a domestic renewable crude industry.

In 2012, Denise co-founded 7 Second Strategies (now SVN Public Relations). Her firm represents clients in cleantech, life sciences, biotech, real estate, and political sectors, and treats every client's public relations mission like a campaign.

Denise is a California native, a graduate of Bowdoin College, and a Georgetown University Law Center almuna, licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia. She serves as a founding board member of one of California's twelve Innovation Hubs, is a board member of the San Diego USO and Scripps Mercy Hospital Foundation, serves on the national board of mindSpark, and is actively pursuing her goal of becoming an Ironman in 2017.