Denise joined the board of Life House Atlanta through her friendship with Kathleen Fleiszar. She serves as the Treasurer of the Board of Directors and also serves on the Fundraising committee. Denise brings almost 30 years of experience in public accounting to LHA.

Denise holds a BBA and Masters in Accounting CPA from Kennesaw State University. She is a member of the Georgia Society of CPAs and AICPA. She is a Partner at Nichols Cauley & Associates, LLC. Her specialties include taxes, accounting, and general business consulting. O’Connell has experience in supporting the accounting and advising needs of individuals, sole-proprietors, partnerships, corporations, S Corporations, estates, trusts, and non-profits. Denise’s career in public accounting began at age 12, helping with the family business. After graduating from college, she accepted several positions with various CAP firms. Since 2002, Denise has been with Nichols Cauley, advancing through various positions to her current role as partner.

In her volunteer life, Denise serves as the LGE Credit Union Secretary, the Vice President of the Kennesaw State University Accounting School Advisory Board, a member of the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants (GSCPA) Advisory Council and various committees, and is a member of the North Cobb Civitan Club. In the past, Denise has supported the YWCA of Northwest Georgia (now LiveSafe Resources), MUST Ministries, North Atlanta Chapter of the GSCPA, served as the Ethics Committee Chair for the GSCPA, the American Cancer Society Pink Ribbon Board, and many more organizations over the years. Denise is devoted to her husband of 35 years, her two adult sons and their families including several grandchildren. She enjoys traveling, reading, playing tennis, and antiquing. She brings a wealth of experience, both professional and personal, to support Life House Atlanta.

“My entire career has been devoted to serving clients. Serving others is engrained into my daily life. I have been fortunate to work with many wonderful non-profit organizations throughout my life. Through this work, my eyes have been opened to many areas of need that I never realized existed. I have a special place in my heart for those with physical challenges as well as their families. We can change the world by helping one person at a time. Fulfilling the mission of Life House would have a huge impact on many families and individuals.”