Denise Mundy

Denise Mundy is the daughter of a Korean War veteran who served in a segregated U.S. Army platoon and pursued an education in sociology and political science to better understand what he endured.

Denise holds an academic background in sociology and political science. For more than 15 years, she used the lessons of her education to serve her community as a Municipal Court Judge and Court Administrator, accompanying people through the court system and help them navigate social services. Denise is also an artist and trauma-informed facilitator who has taught individuals and families how to find healing and self-awareness through creative expression. Her work is deeply informed by her personal journey as a caregiver, including navigating her daughter’s serious medical condition, which strengthened her commitment to holistic, family-centered care.

Over the course of her life, Denise has provided care to many of the people closest to her. Currently, she cares for her daughter Kerrie, a veteran of the U.S. Army who is legally blind and lives with chronic pain, PTSD, and other health challenges. Denise has also supported her sister, Constance Cotton, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Iraq, and her grandson, helping him access military-connected resources while navigating complex family transitions. 

For some time, Denise’s daughter hid the extent of her challenges from her mother. Denise said the turning point in her caregiving journey came on the day Kerrie underwent a high-stakes surgery to remove cancer from her thyroid. The procedure was a success, but Denise soon discovered that Kerrie had been fighting emotional battles on top of her physical ones.  

Since that day, Denise has realized that everything she has lived through and learned from in her life was preparing her to care for others and guide them through their greatest personal challenges. Denise says, “That realization empowered me to give voice to the often-unspoken needs of women veterans and their children. Knowing that my experiences can make a meaningful difference in their lives and that I carry the skills necessary to help shape supportive policies and programs, continues to strengthen my commitment to this work.”