About Dr. Denise R. Ames
Denise, Shanghai, China
Dr. Denise R. Ames’ varied life experiences—teaching, scholarly research, extensive travels, thoughtful reflection and a range of personal experiences—have shaped her balanced views, global perspectives, cultural understanding, and holistic approach.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in history education from Southern Illinois University and both a master’s degree and doctorate in history education, with a focus on world history, from Illinois State University. A veteran educator, she has taught in secondary schools, a community college, universities, adult education programs, and professional development settings. Her academic expertise includes U.S. and world history, geography, global issues, and a wide range of global awareness topics.
In 2003, Dr. Ames founded the Center for Global Awareness, an educational nonprofit organization where she continues to serve as president. She has presented numerous classes, workshops, and lectures on a wide range of topics at local, national, and international levels; developed a variety of educational resources; and participated in global education projects in nine countries. She is also the author of eleven books covering subjects such as holistic world history, the global economy, human rights, worldviews, and, most recently, global awareness for travelers.
She currently resides in sunny Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
More About…Dr. Denise R. Ames
Dr. Denise R. Ames’ diverse life experiences—including teaching, scholarly research, extensive travel, thoughtful reflection, and a wide range of personal experiences—have shaped her balanced worldview, global perspective, cultural understanding, and holistic approach.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in history education from Southern Illinois University and both a master’s degree and doctorate in history education, with a specialization in world history, from Illinois State University. A veteran educator, she has taught in secondary schools, community colleges, universities, adult education programs, and professional development settings. Her teaching experience spans a broad range of subjects, including world history, global issues, United States history, Western civilization, world humanities, cultural studies, global business issues, secondary social studies, pedagogy, and global education.
In 2003, Dr. Ames founded the Center for Global Awareness, an educational nonprofit organization where she continues to serve as president. The organization’s mission is to promote a holistic approach, global perspectives, cross-cultural awareness, and balanced viewpoints through its eleven books, numerous blogs, lesson plans, articles, newsletters, teaching units, and other educational resources designed for the nonprofit, its clients, educators, and students from grades 9 through university level.
Denise at the Gyeongbkgung Palace, Seoul, South Korea
Dr. Ames has developed three programs for the Center for Global Awareness. Global Awareness for Educators serves educators and students from grades 9 through university level. GATHER (Global Awareness Through Engaged Reflection) is a conversation-based study program that connects small groups of curious and concerned lifelong learners. In these self-organizing groups, participants gather to explore and discuss pressing global and cultural issues with the goal of understanding multiple perspectives.
Her newest program, Global Awareness for Travelers (GATE), encourages engaged travelers to heighten their senses, broaden their perspectives, and deepen relationships in order to create richer and more meaningful travel experiences. Through this program, she combines two of her passions—travel and global awareness. Dr. Ames is currently developing a fourth CGA program, Culture Decoded, a series of commentaries on modern culture.
Dr. Ames has presented numerous classes, workshops, and lectures on holistic world history, the global economy, cross-cultural understanding, and global awareness at local, national, and international venues. She has also developed a wide range of educational resources and participated in global education projects in nine countries.
She is the author of eleven books covering topics such as holistic world history, the global economy, human rights, worldviews, and, most recently, global awareness for travelers. Her titles include Waves of Global Change: A Holistic World History (two editions); Waves of Global Change: An Educator’s Handbook for Teaching a Holistic World History; The Global Economy: Connecting the Roots of a Holistic System; Connecting the Roots of a Global Economy: A Brief Edition; Financial Literacy: Wall Street and How It Works; Human Rights: Towards a Global Values System; Divided: Five Colliding Worldviews and How to Navigate Them; Five Worldviews: How We See the World (two editions); and Travel with New Eyes: Global Awareness for Travelers. She also continues to write and publish blogs on a regular basis.
Denise with family in Beirut, Lebanon
"The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." - Marcel Proust
World cultures and history have been lifelong passions and areas of study for Dr. Ames. Her extensive travels have taken her throughout the United States and to numerous international destinations, most of them connected to educational programs and research for her books and instructional resources.
Her international travels include Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Denmark, Russia, and Mexico (2017); Croatia, Greece, Italy, France, and Belize (2016); Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar (2015); South Korea and Germany (2014); Germany (2013); China and Turkey (2011); Mexico (2010); Iran and Mexico (2007); Singapore and Malaysia (2006); Spain, France, and Italy (2006); Syria, Lebanon, and Costa Rica (2005); Costa Rica (2001); United Kingdom (2000); Israel, Palestine, the Galápagos Islands, and Ecuador (1999); Russia (1998); Slovenia and the Caribbean Islands (1996); China and Hong Kong (1991); Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and former East Germany (1990); the former Soviet Union, Russia, Ukraine, and Moldova (1989); Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay (1988); the Netherlands and Belgium (1983); and Canada on numerous occasions. She has also traveled extensively throughout the United States.
Alongside her educational accomplishments, Dr. Ames has exhibited and trained Arabian horses, built and remodeled eight homes, and owned and operated a small retail business for eight years. She has two adult children, their spouses, and three grandchildren.
She enjoys traveling, hiking, yoga, reading, biking, gardening, and spending time with family and friends, especially her grandchildren. She currently resides with her partner Jim near the campus of the University of New Mexico in sunny Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
“I soon realized that no journey carries on far unless, as it extends to the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within.” – Lillian Smith
Denise in Tortolla, British Virgin Islands