Committee Member Spotlight: Denise Niles
“Strong mentoring reduces conflict, prevents costly scope changes and improves customer satisfaction. When departments understand each other, it becomes much easier to develop well-rounded professionals.”
Denise Niles, Vice President, Advanced Electronic Solutions
Sales Strategy Committee, Women’s Committee and Business Development Committee
As Vice President of Advanced Electronic Solutions and active PSA Committee Member, Denise Niles has built her career around thoughtful adoption of technology and balancing innovation with real-world impact.
In an industry where new solutions emerge faster than teams can absorb them, Denise focuses less on chasing trends and more on identifying repeatable value.
“I focus on use cases and how end users are applying the technology,” said Denise. “I pay close attention to solutions that repeatedly surface as answers to the same problem. If technology helps an end user work more efficiently and delivers meaningful results, I take a deeper dive. It takes time, but the outcome is usually worth it.”
This disciplined approach was shaped by experience. Early in her career, Denise adopted new technologies that ultimately proved too costly or inefficient for clients. Those lessons reinforced the importance of asking the right questions.
“When a new solution is introduced, I ask several key questions,” said Denise.
Does this solution solve a problem better than existing technology?
Will the end user clearly see the value, and is the cost realistic?
Can my operations team support it effectively?
What is the expected lifecycle of the solution?
For Denise, one of the biggest breakdowns in technology adoption occurs during expectation alignment. She has found that piloting solutions, documenting lessons learned and validating performance before full deployment creates stronger outcomes and fewer surprises.
Education and mentorship have also played a defining role in her growth.
“Two years ago, I began a master’s program in security management, which has been transformative,” said Denise. “While much of my knowledge comes from experience, the academic framework exposed gaps I didn’t know existed. Learning from mentors and other operational departments has also been critical in elevating my knowledge.”
A longtime advocate for mentorship, Denise believes the industry’s next generation benefits most from foundational understanding such as how systems evolved and why they work the way they do. She sees the greatest opportunity for mentoring impact in the sales-to-operations handoff, where misaligned expectations can create scope gaps and risk.
“Strong mentoring reduces conflict, prevents costly scope changes and improves customer satisfaction,” said Denise. “When departments understand each other, it becomes much easier to develop well-rounded professionals.”
Denise also values collaboration with her peers and competitors. Maintaining trusted relationships across the industry ensures clients receive the best possible outcomes and fosters shared learning that elevates execution across the board.
“I maintain excellent relationships with several competitors,” said Denise. “If I cannot provide a solution, I would rather refer a client to someone I trust to deliver quality results. When collaboration is driven by professionalism and improved execution, it remains ethical and mutually beneficial. Expanding my network while helping end users is always a win.”
Looking ahead, Denise remains focused on driving technology adoption that is intentional, operationally sound and rooted in measurable value while continuing to contribute to the collaborative spirit that strengthens the PSA community.
Interested in joining a PSA committee? Learn more!
This is Denise’s second committee spotlight. Read her first spotlight here to dive into her committee experience.