Deanna Schwenner
MPA
Chief Operating Officer
“Healing in indigenous communities often takes an intergenerational collective approach, which goes against the individualized Western model. If the funding sources are truly willing to honor Indigenous ways of healing, they will be generous with interpreting different approaches to healing. It is imperative for our legislative bodies to understand the needs of their communities, and offer the flexibility to work through the challenges that colonization presents for real healing in the 21st century.”
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Deanna volunteered and moonlighted her efforts since 2016 as a founding team member at HIR Wellness. She started a part-time position as the Grants and Operations Officer in early 2019 and quickly grew into her full-time role as Support Services Director. In this position, Deanna serves in multiple capacities, including human resources, administrative, grant management, daily operations, and communications. In addition to these responsibilities, Deanna works closely with our staff and interns to support the needs of victims of crime. This includes coordinating victim services and oversight of emergency funds and other identified resources.
As a survivor of violence, she is passionate about human and environmental rights and advocating for others. Deanna's previous development roles were at the BloodCenter of Wisconsin and Saint John's On The Lake. Previously, she volunteered with several local organizations, including Sojourner Family Peace Center and the International Institute of Wisconsin.
Deanna earned her BA in Anthropology and a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a Master's in Public Administration from the Keller Graduate School of Management.