Prior to her current role, Dena held several senior positions at the World Bank including Regional Director for Human Development in the Africa West and Central Region, Practice Manager for the Human Capital Project, and Practice Manager for Social Protection and Jobs in the East and Southern Africa Region. Dena was a core team member of the World Development Report 2013 on Jobs and worked in the Office of the Chief Economist for Human Development. She began working at the World Bank in the Europe and Central Asia Region, where she helped to initiate the World Bank's involvement on Roma inclusion. She holds a BA in History and Political Science from Swarthmore College and an MSc in Political Economy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.