For some leaders, service is a chapter. For others, it is a lifelong calling.
Lieutenant‑Colonel Deanna Manson (Ret’d) exemplifies the latter. With a career that spans military command, international service, and senior leadership in Canada’s public service, Deanna’s journey is a powerful reminder of how the values instilled through education, discipline, and purpose can shape decades of meaningful impact.
A graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada, Class of 1993, Deanna began her professional life with a clear commitment to serve. Over the course of 28 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, she built an extraordinary career as a Royal Canadian Air Force Logistics Officer, leading with precision, resilience, and integrity. Her service took her across Canada and around the world, including operational deployments to Kuwait, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic, as well as senior command appointments supporting complex, high‑stakes missions.
Her academic achievements mirror her operational excellence. In addition to her Honours Bachelor of Arts in History from RMC, Deanna earned a Master’s degree in Defence Management and Policy and the Professional Logistician (P.Log.) designation, credentials that underscore both her strategic insight and her deep commitment to professional mastery.
When Deanna retired from the CAF in 2017, it did not mark an end to service, but rather a transition to new arenas. She next brought her leadership and logistics expertise to the United Nations, serving in New York and Uganda, where she contributed to international efforts that demanded cultural intelligence, adaptability, and collaboration on a global scale.
Today, Deanna continues to serve Canada in a critical civilian leadership role as Assistant Director, Intelligence and Enforcement Operations with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). In this capacity, she leads teams that support Canada’s immigration and enforcement systems, work that requires sound judgment, operational clarity, and principled leadership in an increasingly complex global environment.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Deanna remains deeply connected to the defence and veteran community. She serves as Secretary and Board Member of the Royal Alberta United Service Institute (RAUSI), where she contributes her experience and perspective to advance informed dialogue on national security, defence policy, and public service.
Across every chapter of her career -military, international, civilian, and governance-Deanna Manson embodies the enduring values of leadership, service, and excellence. Her story is not only one of professional accomplishment, but of sustained dedication to Canada and to the ideals she first embraced as a student.
For fellow alumni, Deanna’s journey is both inspiring and affirming: proof that leadership forged early, and guided by purpose, can leave a lasting legacy long after the uniform is retired.