Biography
Dena Rae Hancock is the executive director and chief advancement officer of the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples (C’mon). Hancock first joined C’mon—a children’s museum in Southwest Florida that encourages exploration and discovery—in 2019, as the museum’s first chief advancement officer. Since joining, she has directed and expanded its development efforts, including spearheading a new giving program.
Before joining C’mon, Dena Rae served as the vice president of the Marian University institutional advancement department and the director of campaign and major gifts at the Indianapolis Zoological Society.
Dena Rae’s commitment to service includes serving on several boards for Indiana University, including chairing a successful Women’s Philanthropic campaign portion of the IU Bicentennial $3 billion campaign.
Currently, Hancock is president of the National Varsity Club Board and on the board of advisors of the internationally known Lilly Family School of Philanthropy located in Indianapolis. Additionally, she volunteers her time to the Metropolitan School District of Washington Township (MSDWT) serving as president of the foundation board, president of the MSDWT parent council, chair of the successful campaign to pass a general-fund referendum, and chairing the victorious effort to elect three members to the MSDWT school board.
Throughout her impressive career, Dena Rae, a full-time Naples resident, has held many titles, but her most cherished is mother. She and her husband, P. Robert Caito, are the proud parents of seven children.