About Jenn
Jenn has lived in Virginia Waters-Pleasantville for over 25 years with her husband, MacDonald Drive Junior High School teacher Dave Walsh; their son, Holy Heart student John; her mother-in-law, retired teacher, Rita Walsh; and their three dogs, Bucky, Muffin and Dobby. Jenn is blessed to also have her parents, super-senior Fran Deon and WWII veteran Rod Deon, as a part of her bubble.
Jenn Deon works full time in leadership of a local charitable arts organization, part-time as a marketing and communications consultant, and part-time as a facilitator of Respectful Workplace training for non-profits and small business. An accredited business communicator, she has worked with clients such as Memorial University, the RCMP, CBC NL, and the Muskrat Falls Concerned Citizens Coalition. In addition to her administration work in the arts, Jenn is also an occasional professional artist and theatre director. Jenn has a long history with the long-term care system, from working as a former Director of Communications for the St. John's Nursing Home Board to currently helping her three disabled senior parents with their care needs. At various times, she and her family have dealt with the challenges of navigating the public and private long-term care systems, as well as the Home Care Support program. She is passionately committed to helping our province improve its current long-term care models. Jenn is committed to honouring and serving the needs of our veterans and is currently serving as the Secretary of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 56 Pleasantville. She is also currently the President of the Virginia Waters-Pleasantville District Association of the NL NDP. Jenn is a former Treasurer of both the NL NDP and the YWCA-St. John’s, and served a term as Vice-Chair of the Resource Centre for the Arts. For 20 years Jenn was the volunteer artistic director of the annual Shakespeare by the Sea Festival from 1995-2015. She is a founding member of online parent groups for Bishop Field Elementary, Brother Rice Junior High and Holy Heart of Mary High Schools; she also founded the province’s Bariatric Surgery Patient Support Group in 2011. During Snowmaggedon 2020, Jenn organized a neighbour shoveling team to dig out fire hydrants and neighbours in need. She went on to recruit over 300 of her Glenvilla Court neighbours to connect online via NextDoor for the ongoing support and benefit of their area and each other, which continues to be especially valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2013, Jenn received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal to “honour significant contributions and achievements by Canadians,” and in 2018 was named a Woman of Distinction by YWCA St. John’s. Jenn was also nominated for the 2020 Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Award for her work in founding PerSIStence Theatre as a feminist organization committed to advancing economic, political, personal and social equality who the underserved. Jenn is proud to stand as the nominee for the NL NDP for Virginia Waters-Pleasantville once again. |
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