About Dr. Dennis Stevens
Founder of Penelope Mimetics LLC & Conway Cultural Development Corporation
Author, Sacred Descent of the Warrior | Creator of SEMPERGEIST
Biography
Dr. Dennis Stevens is a visual artist, inventor, researcher, narrative philosopher, veteran educator, and systems thinker whose work explores personal and cultural transformation through symbolic storytelling, systemic insight, and philosophical inquiry. A U.S. Coast Guard veteran and alumnus of Save-A-Warrior and Boulder Crest’s Warrior PATHH programs, Dennis brings lived experience to his work at the intersection of trauma, healing, and meaning-making.
With a doctorate in art and art education from Teachers College, Columbia University, Dennis has taught, written, and spoken widely on the hybrid intersections of art, craft and design. And, his current work engages those navigating transitions, such as veterans, leaders, creatives and communities of practice that are seeking agency, understanding and deeper coherence.
Current Project – SEMPERGEIST (in development)
SEMPERGEIST is an agentic AI platform designed to support veterans navigating post-service trauma, personal growth, and transformation. It is built on the foundation of Dennis' recent book, Sacred Descent of the Warrior. SEMPERGEIST is in the design and development phase by Penelope Mimetics LLC, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), founded and operated by Dr. Stevens.
The platform combines AI-driven, voice-based technology with narrative philosophy and symbolic systems to deliver low-barrier, ethical mental health coaching that operates outside traditional clinical structures. This platform aims to supplement and integrate with manualized, research-supported treatments provided by mental health professionals.
Rebuilding Public Meaning Through Deliberative Journalism
In a time marked by deep divisions and competing realities, my work is rooted in the conviction that journalism must do more than report facts; it must actively cultivate the conditions for meaningful public dialogue. The crisis we face is not simply about misinformation or bias, but about the erosion of shared frameworks through which society interprets events and navigates disagreement; the American moral imagination has been fractured, and it must be repaired before trust can be renegotiated.
To advance this project of repair, I advocate for a journalism that is transparent about its own framing, open about its limitations, and courageous in surfacing the deeper moral and epistemic tensions that shape our public life. Rather than shying away from conflict or factionalism, I believe in structuring and moderating disagreement in ways that foster mutual recognition and civic understanding.
My approach centers on creating civic spaces, both digital and physical, where diverse perspectives can be shared, examined, understood, and then synthesized, where possible. By integrating new technologies as tools for mediation and clarity, and by prioritizing ethical sponsorship and community moderation, I seek to restore journalism’s role as a steward of public meaning.
Ultimately, I am committed to advancing a model of journalism that empowers citizens to engage across differences, confronts complexity with humility, and rebuilds the foundations of trust and shared purpose in our democracy.
Other Projects
Dennis' other projects include HEGEMONACO, which explores the intersections of AI ethics and democracy; Redefining Craft, which examines the hybrid terrain of art, craft, and design; Penelope Mimetics, specializing in contract research and development, IP commercialization, and agentic AI; and Conway Cultural Development Corporation, a nonprofit dedicated to creative placemaking that revitalizes communities through creative placemaking, and integrative urban planning.
Speaking, Writing & Collaborations
Dennis is available for keynotes, workshops, and collaborative design projects. His recent book, Sacred Descent of the Warrior, forms a narrative foundation for his work with SEMPERGEIST and artificial intelligence; other books are in development.