Skip to main content

Dr. Denise Mitchem

Met at: Not specified Met date: Before 2025-05-12 Role(s): Connector to White House Faith Office, Advisor Last interaction: July 15, 2025 - White House Faith Office debrief conversation with Gary Sheng

Contact Information​

  • Email: Not available
  • Phone: Not available
  • Address: Appears to be based in DC area (implied in transcript)

Personal Background​

  • Attends galas and high-profile events (mentioned as being at a gala during the planning meeting)
  • Has connections to the White House Faith Office and Paula White
  • Long-standing relationship with the Bishop who ordained Marcus and Arielle Noel
  • Has significant connections in the African-American faith community

Professional Background​

  • Appears to have a consultant or advisory role, as Marcus mentioned Paula is helping Dr. Mitchem "get her own clients"
  • Has hospitality connections (able to secure discounted hotel rooms, mentioned as "$60 a night" deals)
  • Has curated a group of approximately 20 African-American faith leaders for the White House meeting

Expertise​

  • Networking and relationship building
  • Connecting faith-based initiatives with political stakeholders
  • Navigating political and religious circles
  • Event coordination and professional introductions

Current Projects & Interests​

  • Facilitating the White House Faith Office meeting with Paula White
  • Supporting the GodWave Collective initiatives
  • Described by Marcus as wanting to put on a "Coachella South by Southwest for God"
  • Building connections between faith leaders and the current administration
  • National Faith Advisory Board: Founded by Paula White, based in Florida, focusing on faith-based policy advocacy
  • White House Faith Office Collaboration: Successfully organized July 2025 White House meeting with operational challenges
  • Faith Advisory Council: Working to improve operational standards and planning for faith-based political engagement

Connections​

  • Paula White (direct relationship, arranged the White House meeting)
  • Bishop who ordained Marcus and Arielle Noel (described as close friends)
  • Multiple African-American faith leaders (invited approximately 20 to the White House meeting)
  • Marcus Noel (frequent communication)
  • GodWave Collective team (positioned as their supporter)
  • Armstrong Williams: African-American Republican media owner (Tennis Channel, Baltimore Sun, radio stations)
  • High-Value Business Leaders: $5-7 billion oil/gas executives from Africa
  • Sports Team Owners: Atlanta Dream WNBA team owner ($800 million net worth)
  • White House Staff: Lydia (facilitated Armstrong Williams' entry)
  • President Trump: Direct access through Faith Office channels

Notes​

Dr. Denise Mitchem appears to be a well-connected individual who serves as a bridge between faith communities and political power structures. She has established enough credibility with Paula White to arrange a significant meeting at the White House for the GodWave team and other faith leaders.

Marcus describes her as an "introducer" who will "big up" the GodWave team at the meeting, indicating she's enthusiastic about their work and committed to helping them make connections. This suggests she sees value in what they're doing and wants to help position them for success.

The team discusses including her as a "senior advisor" for GodWave and ensuring she benefits financially from any opportunities that emerge from the White House meeting, showing her importance to their strategic plans. This arrangement appears to be part of an understood reciprocity - she provides access and credibility, while they include her in potential future benefits.

Dr. Mitchem seems particularly interested in large-scale faith events, as evidenced by her enthusiasm for the GodWave Festival concept. Her ability to immediately connect with Paula White about this idea suggests she understands what will appeal to key stakeholders in the faith-political ecosystem.

July 15, 2025 Update: Dr. Mitchem demonstrated sophisticated operational instincts and high professional standards during her White House visit debrief. She revealed significant operational challenges with last-minute planning and communication breakdowns, while maintaining strong relationships with high-value attendees including Armstrong Williams and $5-7 billion business executives. She expressed deep concern about Lael Alexander's overpromising and underdelivering behavior, emphasizing that "commitments are sacred and divine" and that such behavior damages the reputation of faith communities. Dr. Mitchem shows particular concern about maintaining professional standards in faith-based political work and has expressed interest in Gary's help improving operational infrastructure for future initiatives.

Transcripts​

transcript-iddateone-line-summary
2025-07-15-gary-sheng-dr-denise-mitchem-white-house-faith-office-debrief2025-07-15White House Faith Office meeting debrief covering operational challenges and strategic insights about Lael Alexander's behavior patterns

Potential Collaboration Areas​

  • Serving as a senior advisor to GodWave initiatives
  • Connecting the team with faith-based funding opportunities
  • Facilitating introductions to key stakeholders in faith and politics
  • Supporting the development and promotion of the GodWave Festival
  • Providing strategic guidance on navigating faith-political intersections
  • Faith Advisory Council: Help improve operational standards and planning for faith-based political engagement
  • White House Access: Facilitate future meetings with proper advance notice and operational excellence
  • Quality Control: Establish standards for faith community representation and professional conduct
  • Strategic Planning: Support large-scale faith events with proper operational infrastructure