Deanna Petersen

Deanna is a cause crusader fueled by an unnatural addiction to sugar-free soda. She channels her commitments and caffeine into managing media outreach, community relations programs and issue-driven campaigns. She has delivered results for organizations like The McKnight Foundation, The Saint Paul Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the African American Adoption Agency and national and local governments. Deanna has found ways to turn her personal passions into public relations success. After volunteering for years as a mentor, she managed an effort that increased media coverage of Big Brothers Big Sisters and steered a national Ad Council campaign. Having spent her life in adoptive family, she leads an initiative to raise inquiries from potential foster and adoptive parents by 70 percent. Deanna gained first-hand experience with global development issues living in South Africa, where she earned her master’s degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn.