Denise Worrell

Denise Worrell is the Managing Principal of Langrand’s transformation practice, where she helps institutions make sense of emerging change and translate it into strategy, systems and services that can hold up over time.

An academically trained futurist and systems thinker, Denise works at the intersection of foresight, strategic design, experience and organizational transformation. Her work focuses on the structural decisions that shape how institutions adapt, from new operating models and experiences to the leadership choices required to move change through complex systems.

Before joining Langrand, Denise served as Executive Director of Innovation at MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she established the institution’s human-centered design practice. She later served as Vice President of Consumerism at Memorial Hermann Health System, leading work focused on next-generation services, digital experience and transformation inside one of the nation’s largest health systems.

Earlier in her career, Denise worked in creative direction and brand storytelling, a foundation that still shapes how she communicates complexity, builds alignment and helps leadership teams make sense of difficult change.

She holds a Master of Science in Strategic Foresight from the University of Houston, where she serves as an adjunct professor in the graduate foresight program. She also serves on the advisory council for the University of Houston Foresight program and the Design in Health Advisory Council at the University of Texas at Austin and is a co-founder of the Houston chapter of Speculative Futures. Her writing and perspectives have appeared in Forbes, Fast Company, Futures and the Journal of Futures Studies.

Outside of work, Denise can usually be found with her giant dog, riding electric motorcycles, wandering through Joshua Tree National Park or traveling with her husband and family.