Award-Winning Strategist & Community Organizer; Former White House Social Secretary
Deesha Dyer: Biography at a Glance
- Deesha Dyer is an award-winning strategist, on-the-ground community organizer, and executive operations expert who transforms ideas into causes that create tangible change.
- At 31 years old, Dyer entered the Obama Administration as a community college student intern and quickly advanced, ultimately serving as White House Social Secretary.
- In 2019, she founded Hook & Fasten, a social impact agency that specializes in transformational relationships between corporations and communities, diversity & inclusion, and executive operations with clients including Sony Music, Toyota, ByHeart, and Microsoft.
- Dyer completed a fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics where she designed and taught a study course entitled, “From Imposter to Impact.”
- Dyer is the co-founder of beGirl.world, an organization that empowers teen girls through global education and travel, oversees Black Girl 44, a scholarship fund for young black women seeking internships in Washington, D.C., and created the Deesha Dyer Second Chance Scholarship at the Community College of Philadelphia.
- She was named to Marie Claire’s “new guard of women changing the world”, recognized for her unwavering passion for servant leadership, civic engagement and social justice, and Essence called her “one of the most powerful women calling the shots in the Obama Administration.”
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Biography
Deesha Dyer is an award-winning strategist, on-the-ground community organizer, and executive operations expert who transforms ideas into causes that create tangible change. For nearly two decades, Dyer has produced successful campaigns across entertainment, politics, philanthropy, and business. In 2019, she founded Hook & Fasten, a social impact agency that specializes in transformational relationships between corporations and communities, diversity & inclusion, and executive operations. Her clients include Sony Music, Toyota, ByHeart, and Microsoft.
At 31 years old, Dyer entered the Obama Administration as a community college student intern and quickly advanced ultimately serving as White House Social Secretary. In that role, she resolved to not only open but build lasting doors of opportunity for others. Dyer coordinated the historic visit by Pope Francis and booked legendary acts including Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, and Aretha Franklin.
Her passion for activism predates her time in Washington. In 2003, she created Cover Your Lover, a hip-hop HIV/AIDS prevention program. In 2007, while at the forefront of corporate social responsibility for a Philadelphia company, she established an employee giving program and, moved by Hurricane Katrina, she initiated a campaign to provide feminine hygiene products to women after natural disasters. To date, the campaign has donated a total of $15,000 in products.
Dyer completed a two-year tenure at the Ford Foundation, and in December 2019, finished a fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics where she designed and taught a study course entitled, “From Imposter to Impact.”
Dyer is the co-founder of beGirl.world, an organization that empowers teen girls through global education and travel. She also oversees Black Girl 44, a scholarship fund for young black women seeking internships in Washington, D.C., the Deesha Dyer Second Chance Scholarship at the Community College of Philadelphia, and Impact of a Vote, which aims to expose African American students to non-traditional careers in public service and politics.
Named to Marie Claire’s ‘new guard of women changing the world’, Dyer’s personal journey has been guided by an unwavering passion for servant leadership, civic engagement, and social justice. In 2015, Essence called her “one of the most powerful women calling the shots in the Obama Administration.”
Dyer is a sought-after keynote speaker known for delivering engaging, fun, and relevant talks on a range of topics spanning women in leadership, confidence, diversity, and social change.
Topics
Imposter to Impact: Recognizing, Managing, Overcoming
Deesha Dyer's inspiring journey, documented in her book, Undiplomatic, led her from community college straight to the White House. Suddenly finding herself in rooms she wasn't sure she belonged, Deesha was faced with feeling like an imposter. In this conversation, she digs deep into the root of imposter syndrome with honesty, entertainment and humor. She shares with audiences how she dug up the root, how they can too, and how ultimately there is freedom and joy on the other side. Fit for all audiences.
Frenemies: Imposter Syndrome and DEI
How much do race, ethnicity, social class, age, disability, sexual orientation, and other categories affect someone feeling like an imposter? Addressing systems of oppression, Deesha dives deep into the relationship identity and imposter syndrome have and how fostering environments of inclusion boosts one’s confidence in themselves, their talent, and their value.
Cultivating Sustainable Impact
Deesha’s business Hook & Fasten focuses on and activates sustainable impact, which is elimination of a problem, while the flash impact is alleviating the problem. This talk will discuss how we work in partnership WITH communities as we marry them up holistically for transformations. Learn all about our model of impact, our success stories, how we’ve managed to stand out from other social impact firms, and ultimately why Deesha’s heart for community is the glue to the operation of change. This talk is for companies, schools, and organizations looking to take their impact further.
AI: Imposter Helper or Enabler
From ChatGPT to image altering, is AI helping boost our confidence or mask our confidence issues? This talk focuses on the future of imposter syndrome in the rise and wake of AI. We break down the psychological effects of depending on technology instead of doing internal healing work and how, if done right, they can actually work for good together!
The Politics of Entertaining in Politics
This topic is fun! For the event planners, diplomats, and socialites who like to hear a bit of insider scoop but also learn how there is a secret sauce to entertaining in Washington, DC and beyond. We’ll talk about White House events as well as the glitz, glamour, oopsies, and blunders of some of politics' most dazzling events. A scoop on how the deals get done at parties as the drinks are flowing!
