As an out and proud lesbian, Deirdre’s personal identity combined with her professional expertise and education, has made her a popular facilitator of Creating 2SLGBTQI+ Positive Space Training and other equity-related issues for nearly 20 years. Deirdre has assisted organizations of all sizes, across a variety of sectors – justice, education, health, government, social services, sports, and faith communities – establish and meet their EDI goals.

Along with leading Queer Positive Power, Deirdre is the Justice and Outreach Program Consultant with the Anglican Diocese of Niagara. She is well known for her bi-weekly presence on the op-ed pages of The Hamilton Spectator from 2010-2022, and from her 21 years as a Senior Social Planner at the Social Planning and Research Council of Hamilton, where she championed income and food security, inclusion of voices with lived experience in community planning, and equity and diversity.

Deirdre has received awards for her work from the City of Hamilton’s Mayoral Committee Against Racism and Discrimination (1996), the Hamilton-Wentworth Elementary Teachers’ Local Justice Award (2010), the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), the YMCA Burlington-Hamilton Peace Medal (nominee 2011), as well as being recognized twice as Hamilton Pride’s Citizen of the Year (2006 and 2008).

Deirdre’s volunteer work includes sitting as a director on two boards: Pallium Canada, and the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton. She also volunteers with the Rainbow Kings and Queens, a community support group for 2SLGBTQI+ African asylum seekers. She is an avid tennis player who sat on Hamiton’s Rosedale Tennis Club board (2017-2023), the 2SLGBTQ+ National Sports Task Force (2021-22), and was an Inclusion Ambassador for the Pan Am Games in 2015.

Deirdre lives in downtown Hamilton, on land situated upon the traditional territories of the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas, and covered by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant. She lives with her partner of nearly two decades, Renée Wetselaar, and their feline family members, Shazoo, Ella, and Hector.