Denise Vanison is a senior managing attorney at Erickson Immigration Group, specializing in nonimmigrant visas and extraordinary ability visa matters. Denise is the former Chief of Policy for USCIS (under the Obama administration) and has been practicing immigration law for over 25 years. She advised multinational and domestic corporate clients on employment of foreign nationals in the United States, I-9 employment verification and procurement of passports, visas, green cards and U.S. citizenship.

An advocate for pro bono work and community service for over 18 years, she was a volunteer for Human Rights First, Capital Area Immigrants Rights Coalition, the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program, the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, and the Whitman Walker Clinic Legal Services. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Center for Justice and Accountability and as Co-Chair of the Board of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs and was the recipient of the 2003 Washington Lawyers’ Committee Outstanding Achievement Award in the field of Immigration and Refugee Rights. Denise has also served as a volunteer at Francis Junior High School in Washington, DC, for almost 15 years.

She was also an Adjunct Professor for a course on immigration law at American University Washington College of Law and has been a Guest Lecturer for a seminar course, International Protection of Refugees and Displaced Persons.