Dennis was responsible for AT&T Corporate Litigation, Procurement, Corporate Real Estate, Environmental, Corporate Compliance, IT, Trademark and Copyright legal matters until she retired in November 2008.
Dennis was appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to three federal government positions. President Reagan appointed her, and she served from 1986 until 1989, as a commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission. Before President Reagan appointed her to the FCC, he named her a member of the National Labor Relations Board and President Bush appointed her assistant secretary of state for human rights and humanitarian affairs in 1992.
Before joining AT&T (formerly SBC) in 1995, Dennis was special counsel to Sullivan & Cromwell for communications matters in the international law firm's Washington, D.C., office. From 1989 to 1991, she was a partner and head of the communications section of the Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue law firm.
She serves on the Boards of Directors of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company and the San Antonio Opera. She is also a NHP Foundation trustee and sits on the World Bank Sanctions Board.
Dennis was Chair of the Girl Scouts of the USA from 2005-2008 and served on its Board from October 1999 until October 2008. Gov. George W. Bush named Dennis to a six-year term on the Texas State University System Board of Regents in 1999. Gov. Rick Perry appointed Dennis to his transition team for Texas-Mexico Relations.
Born in Santa Rita, N.M., she holds a law degree from Loyola University of Los Angeles and an undergraduate degree from the University of California at Los Angeles. She and her husband, Michael, are the parents of three adult children and have one granddaughter.