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Dena Higley

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Dena Higley (born September 26, 1958) is an American writer, speaker and author.

Early life and career

Higley grew up in East County, San Diego and was the first of three children. She moved to Los Angeles as a teenager eventually graduating from the University of Southern California with a BFA in Theatre. Dena was previously the head writer of the daytime soap operas Days of Our Lives and One Life to Live. In February 2015, Soap Opera Digest confirmed Higley's imminent return to Days of Our Lives, this time alongside Josh Griffith. The pair begin writing for the series on February 16, 2015, with their material airing on August 19, 2015.[1][2] Higley was fired again in January 2017; she was replaced by Ron Carlivati.[3][4] Higley, formerly a member of Writers Guild of America West, left and maintained financial core status during the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike.[5]

Positions held

Days of Our Lives

  • Head Writer: March 7, 2003 - August 8, 2003; April 23, 2008 – August 25, 2011
  • Co-Head Writer: August 11, 2003 - August 18, 2003; August 19, 2015 - July 18, 2017)
  • Script writer: September 2003 - November 26, 2004
  • Associate Head Writer: 1985 - March 6, 2003; August 19, 2003 - October 2003

One Life to Live

  • Head Writer: December 13, 2004 - September 10, 2007

Personal life

Dena has been married for 25 years to Mark and is a mother of four children, including an autistic son Connor, a daughter Jensen, an adopted daughter with physical disability,[6] from Vietnam Adelle, and an adopted son Helio, from Ethiopia.[7] Her current non-fiction book Momaholic: Crazy Confessions of a Helicopter Parent was released April 14, 2012.[8]

Awards and nominations

Daytime Emmy Award

  • Nominations: 1987, 1994, 1997–1999, and 2006, Best Writing, Days of our Lives
  • Wins: 2008, Best Writing, One Life to Live

Writers Guild of America Award

  • Nominations: 1987, 1991, 1993, 2001, and 2005, Days of our Lives
  • Wins: 1999, Days of our Lives

HW History

Preceded by Head Writer of Days of Our Lives
March 7–August 8, 2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Head Writer of One Life to Live
(with Ron Carlivati: May 8–September 10, 2007)
December 13, 2004 – September 10, 2007 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Head Writer of Days of Our Lives
(with Victor Gialanella: April 23–June 30, 2008)
(with Rick Draughon: July 1–October 10, 2008)
(with Christopher Whitesell: October 13, 2008 – June 13, 2011)
April 23, 2008 – August 25, 2011 		Succeeded by
Marlene Clark Poulter
Darrell Ray Thomas Jr.
Preceded by Head Writer of Days of Our Lives
(with Josh Griffith: August 19, 2015 – September 2, 2016)
(with Beth Milstein: February 22 – September 2, 2016)
(with Ryan Quan: September 6, 2016 – July 18, 2017)
August 19, 2015 – July 18, 2017 		Succeeded by
Ron Carlivati

References

  1. ^ "Exclusive! Major Writer Switch at Days!". Soap Opera Digest. soapoperadigest.com. American Media. February 9, 2015. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  2. ^ White-Nobles, Omar (February 9, 2015). "'Days of Our Lives' Fires and Head Writers; Dena Higley and Josh Griffith to Take Over". TVSource Magazine. SoSource Media LLC. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  3. ^ "Breaking News: Higley Out, Carlivati In At Days". Soap Opera Digest. American Media, Inc. January 24, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  4. ^ Fairman, Michael (January 23, 2017). "Ron Carlivati IN as Head Writer At Days of our Lives; Dena Higley OUT!". On-Air On-Soaps. Michael Fairman Soaps, Inc. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  5. ^ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/wga-outs-fi-core-members-109825/
  6. ^ Stephanie Vozza (February 1, 2015). "Dena Higley: A Perfect Mess". Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  7. ^ "Inspired by Her Autistic Son". People. Vol. 7, no. 16. October 20, 2008.
  8. ^ Dena Higley (2012). Momaholic: Crazy Confessions of a Helicopter Parent. Thomas Nelson. p. 235. ISBN 978-0849947360.


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