From Law Firms to Blockchain @DenelleDixon has led the @StellarOrg since May 2019, serving as CEO and executive director of the nonprofit that supports the Stellar network. Her path to the ro
@DenelleDixon has led the @StellarOrg since May 2019, serving as CEO and executive director of the nonprofit that supports the Stellar network. Her path to the role was anything but a straight line through crypto.
Dixon holds a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and began her career as a partner at litigation firm Folger Levin and Kahn LLP. She later served as Director of US Legal Strategy at private equity firm Terra Firma, evaluating investment opportunities and managing conflict resolution strategies, before moving to Yahoo as Senior Legal Director, where she worked with product leads on the company's most prominent user-facing products.
Prior to joining the Stellar Development Foundation in May 2019, Dixon was Chief Operating Officer of Mozilla Corporation, first joining in 2012 as a leading member of its legal and business development teams.During her tenure at Mozilla, she led the organization's ongoing fight for net neutrality and the global effort to ensure that people can control their personal data.
At the Stellar Development Foundation, Dixon leads a nonprofit supporting an open-source blockchain network that aims to connect the global financial system.She oversees the teams that maintain Stellar's codebase, support its communities, and advocate on behalf of the network with international stakeholders.
Under her leadership, SDF rolled out a first-of-its-kind global on- and off-ramp service for digital wallets, with the goal of creating a bridge between cash and cryptocurrencies, partnering with MoneyGram International in the initiative.She also led the launch of Stellar Aid Assist, an aid disbursement system used by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Rescue Committee.
Dixon has become a notable voice for the industry on Capitol Hill. She has testified twice before the US House Financial Services Committee: first in December 2021 alongside the heads of Circle and Coinbase, and again in December 2024 at a hearing titled "Innovation Revolution: How Technology is Shaping the Future of Finance." In her 2024 testimony, she argued that blockchain and digital assets are game changers that can safely contribute to making financial infrastructures faster, more secure, and cheaper, and with that, more inclusive.
Dixon currently sits on boards for Airtm, MoneyGram International, Trust and Safety Professional Association, and the Atlantic Council.She was named to the Forbes 50 over 50 list in 2023.
Sources:Stellar Development Foundation: Denelle Dixon Appointment AnnouncementUS Congress: House Financial Services Hearing, December 2024The Block: Denelle Dixon Profile
