Deanna Hanson

Deanna Hanson is the National Network Services for the National Academy Foundation, working to strengthen existing academies and develop new career themed college prep academies primarily within existing high schools serving youth in inner-city schools in California. Ms. Hanson has been involved in high school restructure, small school development, youth and business/education partnership development in California for many years. Although much of her work has been in the Sacramento Region, she has worked closely with foundations, corporations, intermediaries and workforce development groups on a statewide and national basis. She was CEO of a business/education intermediary in Sacramento – Linking Education and Economic Development (LEED) for several years. In that role, Deanna co-led a collaborative team to implement the Carnegie Schools for a New Society high school restructure initiative using themed small learning communities in all the Sacramento City Unified School District’s comprehensive high schools. Deanna has also been heavily involved in youth development initiatives aimed at using all community resources to involve youth and improve their opportunities for success. She helped form a partnership with the Forum for Youth Investment to implement a Ready by 21 initiative in Sacramento and form a new organization to drive that work – Youth Development Network. Ms. Hanson is currently chair of Sacramento Met Charter High School Advisory Board, and is on the boards of Youth Development Network, California Joint Special Populations Advisory Council, and the Intermediary Network. Ms. Hanson helped develop the 501c3 Big Picture Charter Management Organization and serves on its board of directors.