Deanna’s passion, optimism and enthusiasm for equity and reconciliation are rooted in her Kanien’kehá:ka and settler ancestry. A member of Six Nations of the Grand River, Deanna has shared her knowledge and experience about Indigenous youth and communities for over 23 years as a strategic communications consultant, public speaker, college educator, volunteer and through her work as Media and Communications Director at Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.  

Deanna was thrilled to join Kids Help Phone in 2018 as manager of Indigenous Initiatives. In that role she established an Indigenous Advisory Council and under their leadership developed Finding Hope: Kids Help Phone’s Action Plan for Supporting First Nations, Inuit and Metis Young People. Through org-wide collaboration and dedicated Indigenous Initiatives team, Finding Hope has resulted in more Indigenous youth reaching out to KHP than ever before. 

Since 2020 Deanna has been honoured to fulfill the role of Director, Indigenous Initiatives and Equity Programs where she leads a talented team responsible for ensuring KHP programs, operations, and services are equitable and accessible to Newcomer, Black and Indigenous young people from coast to coast to coast.