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Meet Deesha
Award-winning event strategist, community leader, author, speaker, founder & CEO
Deesha Dyer is a philanthropist, award-winning strategist and author, on-the-ground community organizer, and executive operations expert. Working her way up from a 31-year old community college student who served as a White House intern for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, Deesha ended her government career as the White House social secretary, a highly-coveted senior position. She is currently the founder and president of social impact agency, Hook & Fasten where she coordinates transformational partnerships by utilizing a company’s funds, skills, resources or product to ignite sustainable change in communities.
Dyer is curator of multiple scholarships for Black women in politics, travel, wellness and animal care and sits on board of the Humane Society of the United States.
A vibrant, infectious and entertaining speaker, she is known for her authentic delivery on topics such as imposter syndrome, mental health, leadership, race & ethnicity and social change. In 2019, Dyer was appointed a Harvard Kennedy School resident fellow at the Institute of Politics where she designed and instructed a course titled Imposter to Impact. This course served as the catalyst and foundation for her 2024 memoir, Undiplomatic, which has been praised by Oprah’s Book Club, Michelle Obama and called a must-read for corporations and institutions around the world. For Undiplomatic, Dyer was awarded the Larry Neal Writer’s Award.
Community is where Deesha’s heart is anchored and she represents that everywhere she goes. In 2014, she co-founded beGirl.world Global Scholars which focused on helping teen girls become global citizens through travel, passports and global education. Dyer was included in Marie Claire’s new guard of women changing the world, the Root’s most influential African-Americans and profiled in Women Who Run the White House by Essence. She’s been featured in Vogue, Travelnoire, and the Washington Post and has also delivered commentary on CNN, MSNBC and NPR. Deesha has written for Oprah Daily, Glamour and Lonely Planet and was awarded the Women of Excellence Award by the District of Columbia.
Deesha and her family reside in Maryland.
Work With
Deesha
Whether she’s on stage, in the streets, or behind the scenes, Deesha moves with purpose—and always with people at the center.
From Imposter to Impact
Speaking
Whether you need a keynote speaker, a workshop facilitator, or a real-deal thought partner, I bring lived experience and sharp strategy to every space I enter.
Hook & Fasten
Social Impact
Agency
I wanted to make so much impact, that I needed a team.
Hook & Fasten is an embodiment of our commitment and responsibility to sustainable social impact through partnerships with local organizations and corporations.
Community and authenticity are the seasonings that add the flavors to my sauce.
Sometimes, when I sit and reflect on my life, I am amazed. It isn’t solely because of who I have worked for, where I’ve been, or awards I’ve won. I’m proud of those things, don’t get me wrong but what I am amazed by, is how this little girl from Philly - wide eyed and full of determination - carved out a path all her own and wasn’t afraid to walk it alone. Trust that I’m clear about the help I’ve had along the way and I’m also grateful…
But when you click around this website and learn more about me and my work, you’ll see evidence of what it means to drown out the noise and stick close to what you know is true - what your intuition and gut are telling you and where they are leading your life. I’ve done that, time and time again. Truth be told - it is scary. Especially in a world that isn’t kind to people that look and act like me. People who come from around the way and wear that proudly on their sleeve. I’ve had every odd stacked against me to fail, but I leapt right over those obstacles - sometimes stumbling, sometimes laughing but always into something beautiful and something that matters. And I like to believe the world is a little better because of it.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a champion for justice, a lover of my people, and someone who genuinely cares about doing the right thing for humanity. I’m also a hip hop aficionado, avid writer, author, dancer, wife, auntie and savvy shopper (we love a good thrift store around here!).
This website is my gathering place for all of those parts of me - the parts that I am comfortable sharing. It is an extension of my work, my offering, my gifts. I want this to be a place of exchange and conversation - joy and truth. Thank you for being here and being a part of the community that dwells here. Watch this space for updates about my speaking, my book, fun stuff with #TheUndiplomats, and so much more! There’s good stuff ahead but also much work to be done.