Deana began her career as a public relations specialist at Hirons and immediately assumed an upward trajectory. Now a 25-year veteran of the agency, she serves as chief executive officer and is the first female to serve in this role in the agency’s 47-year history.

Deana recently led the charge in Hirons becoming a Empresa empresarial de mujeres, certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the states of Indiana and Illinois, the commonwealth of Kentucky, and the city of Indianapolis.

Deana was also central to Hirons becoming a certified ESOPO (employee stock ownership plan) company in 2013. Deana is passionate about mentoring young professionals and believes, as does Hirons, that the cultivation of a talented workforce is vital to Hirons’ culture and essential to its clients’ success.

Under Deana’s skilled leadership, Hirons is one of the largest advertising, public relations and digital agencies in Indiana and serves public- and private-sector clients, including the state of Indiana, IU Health, the Indianapolis Indians, Hoosier Energy y Empresas Bosma. Hirons also has an office in Chicago.

Deana is best known for her work in crisis communications and issues management and routinely volunteers her time to provide training on these critical topics. Deana also developed the proprietary Rural Reach program at Hirons, which uses a unique matrix of strategies and tactics for companies, organizations and government agencies that need to communicate with rural populations across Indiana and around the country.

Deana was named by IBJ Media as a member of their two most recent Indiana 250 lists, which recognize the most influential and impactful leaders across the state of Indiana. She was also named a 2018 Woman of Influence by the Indianapolis Business Journal and is a 2024 recipient of the May Wright Sewall Leadership Award from the Indianapolis Propylaeum. Most recently, Deana received the 2025 Excellence in Engagement Award from the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council.

Deana serves on the boards of the Cámara de Comercio de Indiana, Indy Chamber, Central Indiana Women’s Business Center, Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, Madam Walker Legacy Center, Indiana Conference for Women, OneZone Chamber of Commerce, and Aspire Economic Development + Chamber Alliance and on Aspire’s Economic Development Advisory Council. She is an active member of the Indianapolis chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners and serves as chair of WBENC’s Central Indiana WBE Forum. Deana also serves as the 2024-2025 board chair for the Crossroads of America Council, Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America), one of the largest Scout Councils in the U.S. She is the first woman to chair the board.

Deana earned her Accreditation in Public Relations from the Public Relations Society of America. She holds a master’s degree in public relations from Ball State University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Franklin College, where she now serves as a trustee and led the PR program in an adjunct capacity from 2020 to 2023.  

Deana resides on Indianapolis’ south side with her sons, John (17) and Will (11); her partner, Michael Roman; and her American bulldog rescue, Athena.