Denelle Dixon, originally from Gilroy, California, leads the Stellar Development Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing the Stellar network (XLM). Her journey has taken her from practicing law at Folger Levin & Kahn LLP, through strategic positions at Yahoo! and Terra Firma, to becoming COO at Mozilla Corporation. Drawn by the potential of blockchain to improve global financial access, she took the reins of Stellar in 2019, crafting innovative solutions to facilitate cross-border monetary transactions.
Denelle Dixon, a woman with an impressive career, has excelled in various fields before heading the Stellar Development Foundation. A native of Gilroy, California, she first studied political science at the University of California before earning a law degree at Hastings College of the Law in 1997.
Her professional journey began as an Associate at the law firm Folger Levin & Kahn LLP, where she climbed the ranks to become Partner in 2006. She then joined Yahoo! in 2007 before working for the private equity firm Terra Firma.
In 2012, Denelle Dixon joined Mozilla Corporation, where she quickly rose through the ranks to become Chief Operating Officer in 2018. This remarkable path led her to collaborate with Jed McCaleb in 2019 to lead the Stellar Development Foundation.
Under her leadership, the organization works to make financial services accessible to all through the Stellar network. Dixon sees blockchain, and Stellar in particular, as having tremendous potential to solve the challenges related to financial inclusion around the world.
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The Beginnings of Denelle Dixon
Denelle Dixon was born in Gilroy, California. She studied political science at the University of California before obtaining a law degree at Hastings College of the Law in 1997. Her career began in 1998 when she became an Associate at the law firm Folger Levin & Kahn LLP. After eight years of dedication and hard work, she was promoted to Partner in 2006. This inaugural experience in law allowed Dixon to build a solid foundation to face the future challenges she would encounter in the world of technology and finance.
In 2007, Dixon joined Yahoo! as a Senior Legal Director. This position prepared her for more strategic roles, as she subsequently joined the private equity firm Terra Firma where she led legal strategies for the United States. These positions were pivotal in developing her skills in leadership and litigation management, as well as in formulating crucial internal and external policies for the entrepreneurial environment she would later join.
The Rise at Mozilla Corporation
In 2012, Denelle Dixon joined Mozilla Corporation as an Associate General Counsel. Mozilla is well known for creating web browsers, bug tracking systems, operating systems, and web development tools. In seven years, Dixon rose through the ranks to become Chief Operating Officer in 2018. This COO position was particularly significant as it exposed her to the ever-evolving technology environments.
Leadership at the Stellar Development Foundation
In 2019, Denelle Dixon accepted a new challenge by becoming the CEO and Executive Director of the Stellar Development Foundation. This foundation, established in 2014, is dedicated to the growth of the Stellar network, a high-performing payment system designed to provide financial services to the global unbanked population. Dixon was approached by Jed McCaleb, co-founder of Stellar, to lead the organization. Under her leadership, the Stellar team maintains the network’s source code, supports local communities using Stellar, and advocates for the network’s interests with international stakeholders. With transactions that can be completed in seconds for minimal fees, Stellar stands out for its commitment to promoting financial inclusion.
