DeDe DeRose is a prominent advocate for Indigenous student success and a respected leader in Canadian education. Born in Williams Lake to a Secwepemc family and a member of the Esketemc First Nation, DeDe has dedicated her life to advancing Indigenous education, leadership, and opportunity.
She earned a Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia’s Indigenous Teacher Education Program (NITEP) in 1981, followed by a Diploma in Education in 1990. She went on to complete the Ts’kel Master’s Program at UBC in 1993, an Indigenous-centred graduate education program grounded in decolonizing scholarship.
DeDe taught for nine years in the Cariboo Chilcotin School District before becoming a principal in the Kamloops/Thompson School District, where she served for nearly two decades. In 2012, she was appointed British Columbia’s first Superintendent of Aboriginal Achievement within the Ministry of Education—a role created to address and close the graduation gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.
In 2024, DeDe was formally installed as Chancellor of Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC. Her appointment marks a historic milestone and reflects her lifelong dedication to reconciliation, excellence in education, and Indigenous empowerment. As Chancellor, she brings both vision and lived experience to one of Canada’s most diverse and inclusive universities.
DeDe continues to lead with the values instilled by her mentors and community—especially those championed by Dr. Verna J. Kirkness: Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, and Responsibility. Through her work with the Verna J. Kirkness Education Foundation, she remains deeply committed to expanding opportunities for Indigenous youth to thrive in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and beyond.
Email : dede@vjkf.org