Denny joined the River Alliance as Executive Director in September 2003.  Prior to that, he was Upper Midwest Regional Director with the American Farmland Trust (AFT),  a national organization working to preserve farmland. While at AFT, Caneff helped establish the first-ever farmland preservation program in Illinois. Caneff also served as Executive Director of the Wisconsin Rural Development Center, a sustainable agricultural advocacy organization.

Caneff has been an avid paddler since childhood, and once canoed the entire length of the Mississippi River. He is the father of four children.

Caneff holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from St. Cloud State University and a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Journalism from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. He also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon, West Africa.

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