Draft:Denise D. Resnik

Denise D. Resnik
Denise D. Resnik
Born	November 9, 1960 (age 65)
Education	Arizona State University (BS)
Occupations	Nonprofit founder, CEO and president
Organization(s)	First Place Global, First Place–Phoenix

Submission declined on 7 April 2026 by Devonian Wombat (talk).

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Declined by Devonian Wombat 4 months ago. Last edited by Devonian Wombat 4 months ago. Reviewer: Inform author.

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Denise D. Resnik (born November 9, 1960) is an American nonprofit leader, entrepreneur and autism advocate. In 1997, she co-founded Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC)..^[1], a Phoenix, Arizona nonprofit dedicated to autism research, education, evidence-based treatment and community outreach. In 2012, Resnik founded First Place® AZ, a Phoenix-based nonprofit that operates First Place–Phoenix^[2], a supportive community for adults with autism and/or intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD), and First Place Global^[3], an organization that is building a worldwide marketplace of inclusive communities for adults with autism and/or I/DD. Prior to the two nonprofits, she founded a public relations firm, DRA Collective^[4], which continues serving real estate and community developers.

Early life, education and career

Denise Resnik was born November 9, 1960, to Patricia Dreiseszun (née Goldstein) and Herbert Dreiseszun in Phoenix, Arizona. She graduated from Central High School in 1978. Resnik earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1982 from Arizona State University (ASU), where she served as president of Associated Students of ASU 1981–82^[5]. Resnik was also a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. In her senior year at ASU, Resnik volunteered for Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt's re-election campaign managed by senior aide Fred DuVal. Also on the election team was her future husband, Rob Resnik.

After graduating from ASU, Resnik joined the Del E. Webb Corporation as administrative assistant to the president before serving as director of marketing, communications and investor relations. In 1986, she founded her public relations firm, Denise Resnik & Associates, specializing in real estate and community development.

Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center

Resnik’s son Matthew (Matt) was born in 1991. By the time he was 2 years old, Matt had stopped responding to his name and no longer made eye contact. Specialists diagnosed him with autism spectrum disorder (autism) and recommended institutionalization. At the time, it was estimated that one in 2,500 children was likely to be diagnosed with autism^[6]. Current rates indicate one in 31^[7]

Resnik began researching autism and reaching out to other families who had children with similar diagnoses. After four years of meeting with doctors, visiting research facilities and weekly meetings with other parents, Resnik co-founded Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) in 1997 with Dr. Cindy Schneider and Dr. Raun Melmed to conduct research, provide evidence-based practices, disseminate effective training and build inclusive communities for individuals with autism and their families. Resnik served as SARRC’s board chair from 1997 to 2007 and became an emeritus board member in 2013. Today, more than 625 individuals receive education and training each year through SARRC, which also provides more than 125,000 clinical intervention hours annually^[8].

First Place^® AZ

In 2012, Resnik established the nonprofit First Place AZ in her pursuit to develop supportive communities for adults with autism and/or I/DD. With the name First Place, Resnik wanted to acknowledge the community as the “first place” a person may live after they leave their family home. By 2016, Resnik had raised sufficient philanthropic funding to break ground on First Place–Phoenix, which opened its doors in 2018. In a 2016 two-part series about First Place AZ, PBS News Hour named Phoenix “the most autism-friendly city in the world^[9].”

First Place–Phoenix is an 81,000-square-foot apartment community that is home to more than 60 adults with autism, Down syndrome, traumatic brain injury and/or other developmental disabilities. The midtown-Phoenix property provides residents with structured community life activities, as well as life skills, employment, and health and wellness support. It has served as a model for other housing communities meeting the needs of the autism and I/DD population^[10]

First Place–Phoenix was featured in the 2022 documentary In a Different Key^[11], adapted from the Pulitzer Prize finalist book In a Different Key: The Story of Autism, co-authored by Caren Zucker and John Donvan.

Resnik pursued the goal of expanding impact by establishing the First Place Global Leadership Institute (First Place Global) as a catalyst for innovation in housing, employment and healthcare for adults with autism and/or I/DD. Staffed by research, policy, employment, education and communications professionals, First Place Global conducts applied research, develops curricula and toolkits fostering independent living, advises community leaders and hosts an annual global symposium in Phoenix. Resnik launched Vote the Spectrum in 2023, a grassroots nonpartisan campaign that educates the national disability community about the election process and voter registration.

Personal

Denise married attorney Robert Resnik in 1984.They have two children, Rabbi Ally Resnik Jacobson and Matt Resnik.

Publications

• A Place in the World®: Fueling Housing and Community Options for Adults with Autism and Other Neurodiversities (First Place Global Leadership Institute) https://firstplaceglobal.org/housing-community/a-place-in-the-world/

• Housing Market Analyses (First Place Global Leadership Institute) https://firstplaceglobal.org/housing-community/housing-market-analysis/