Deleana is an Indigenous mother, organizer, strategist, and award-winning non-profit executive from the Crow Nation and Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana. Raised in the Belmont district of Portland, Oregon, she has cultivated a life and career deeply rooted in her cultural heritage and commitment to social justice.

Professionally, Deleana is recognized for her expertise in nonprofit management, policy advocacy, and systems change, where she largely focused her community-based work within movements centering equity, gender, and racial justice. As a national and local public speaker, published writer, and thought leader, she has driven transformative community-based initiatives for nearly 15 years.

Her leadership has effectively addressed the compounding impacts of racial and equity injustices, particularly for tribal communities and communities of color. Deleana's extensive experience includes managing large, complex programs, services, and divisions across non-profits, tribes, and government agencies.

Grounded in her values and inspired by her heritage, Deleana is deeply committed to food sovereignty, ethical food systems, and sustainable water practices. Over the past decade, she has actively uplifted her own ancestral lineages and advocated for the rights and traditions of Indigenous peoples through social justice work.

She was awarded the 2017 New Mexico Young Professional Award and the 2017 National Center’s Native American’s 40 under 40 Award. 

Deleana's personal life is as vibrant as her professional one. She is the proud mother of a nine-year-old son and the owner of two pugs. In her free time, she enjoys fishing, crabbing, kayaking, harvesting local foods, hunting, adventuring, and traveling. These activities not only provide joy and relaxation but also connect her to the land and the sustainable practices she champions of reconnecting to land to reconnect with self.