Denise Lewis

Denise Lewis

SCHOOL SERVICES ADVISOR

Denise J. Lewis (she/her) is an education advocate serving as a Senior Advisor to AAI’s President. A business and community leader from Michigan, she has had a lifetime commitment to improving educational opportunity. She has advanced this commitment through years of service as a leader on the Board of Trustees of the University Preparatory Schools in Detroit. 

Her engagement in education also includes state-wide election to the Board of Governors of Wayne State University and service for several years as Chair of the Wayne State Board. In addition, her civic career includes long tenure on the Boards of the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Friends School of Detroit. 

Lewis recently retired as a senior partner with Honigman LLP, the largest law firm in Detroit, after a 36-year career. She held leadership positions with the firm including serving on the firm’s Board of Directors for several years. She founded the firm’s Urban Redevelopment practice and led a national practice that impacted urban centers across the country. She authored articles for national publications on urban development strategies. She was honored in 2015 as one of the Most Influential Black Lawyers in the U.S. 

Throughout her legal career, Lewis maintained an interest in international economic development and handled major investments in Namibia, Ghana and South Africa. Her commitment to the advancement of Africa and the Diaspora runs deep, and she was honored with an endowed lectureship in her name at her alma mater Barnard College in the Africana Studies Department. 

Lewis’ other community service included Board leadership positions with the McGregor Fund, Invest Detroit, the Real Estate Executive Council, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and the Wayne State University Foundation. 

Lewis received her B.A. degree with honors from Columbia University and her J.D. degree with honors from the University of Michigan Law School.