Deanna R. Drift is a member of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa located in Northern, Minnesota. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Duluth, writing her Master's Thesis on the importance of American Indian Language Revitalization and how it directly correlates to cultural practices.
She has collaborated with many non-profit agencies and county social workers in the Duluth area, explaining the importance of keeping Native children connected to their families, cultural identities, and is passionate about the compliance of the Indian Child Welfare Act. Previously, she was a Commissioner of Human Services for her Tribe, where she ensured ICWA standards were followed by every agency involved, as she advocated for the importance of relative and family placement of American Indian children. Deanna was appointed by the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council in 2021.
