Meet Newly Elected Board Member, Denise Gauny

Tahoe Donner is pleased to welcome Denise Gauny to the board of directors. Denise is beginning her first three-year term as a board member after having been a member of the association since 2010, and she is excited to serve her community in this new capacity. Read on to learn more about Denise.

CC: Congratulations again on your board seat! As a formal introduction to the community, could you give members a summary of your personal history in Tahoe Donner and your professional background?

DG: My family fell in love with Tahoe Donner when we bought our home in 2010. We’ve always treasured our recreation and quiet time in the mountains with our daughter, Jes. For the first few years, we were “off-hill,” living and working in the Bay Area while taking every opportunity to spend our free time in Tahoe Donner. When I retired from the financial services industry in 2015, my husband Brian and I realized our dream of living full-time in Tahoe Donner. Since then, we’ve been involved with clubs and committees, enjoyed the amenities, hiked the trails with our dog, Desi, and rarely missed a live music event.

In my professional career, I managed large-scale, multi-million dollar projects, primarily in mergers and acquisitions. Most notably, I led the integration of the operations and contact centers for the largest bank merger in U.S. history (Wells Fargo’s acquisition of Wachovia Bank). I have led national teams in consumer products, fraud and security, training and development, audit, IT, engineering and consumer services. I also worked as a consultant for the State of California in the Medi-Cal and Food Stamps divisions and with a start-up company to develop pricing strategies and models for their nationwide product launch.

CC: You’ve volunteered with Tahoe Donner Association in many capacities. Can you give us a brief overview of what clubs and/or committees you’ve served on in the past and why you chose them?

DG: I became involved with the following committees and clubs because they interested me, provided a way to learn about my community and allowed me to meet new people with various backgrounds.

• Long-Range Planning Committee, Secretary (2021 to July 2024)
• Private Amenity Access Working Group (2022)
• Short-Term Rental Policy Task Force (2017-18)
• General Plan Committee, Golf Course Subcommittee (2018-19)
• Women’s Golf Club, Board Member (2017 to Present)

CC: What do you enjoy most about Tahoe Donner? Do you have favorite amenities or events?

DG: I love our sense of community. We take care of each other as neighbors should, and this extends to the clubs and activities I’m involved with. The good energy is real and invigorating.

My favorite Tahoe Donner amenity is the Golf Course. I am the tournament chair for the Women’s Golf Club and also the club champion. I find golf a great way to maintain fitness. Since retiring, we like to hold “board meetings” with our paddleboards on Monday mornings at Donner Lake. I also enjoy exploring the trails, listening to live music at the amenities, playing in the bocce league and attending Wild West Fest. There is so much to do in our community that it’s hard to pick favorites.

CC: As the newest board member, what are you most excited about for the association?

DG: I’m thrilled with the association’s direction. I feel like I have been handed a gift with the staff and board that is currently in place. I look forward to working with such a dedicated and talented team. For the community, I am excited that members can just enjoy their time here knowing that their association has their best interests at heart.

CC: What impacts do you hope to make, or what are your goals for the future?

DG: I endeavor to promote positive progress; it’s so important to our community. The board works diligently to move the association forward with member-first policies, and I am excited to continue engaging the community in thoughtful dialogue that brings us together.

Another goal is to simplify the language around the association’s finance and governance principles and strategies so that our members can better understand them while providing additional opportunities for clarification and questions. An informed membership is essential to the association’s success.