Our Story
Deanna Keller
Deanna Keller is a native Washingtonian and longtime Pierce County resident. Keller is a Marine Corps veteran who served for five years in the “President’s Own” United States Marine Band in Washington, D.C. She graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and worked toward a doctorate degree at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Keller was the co-owner of Kel-Tech Plastics Inc., a Tacoma-based custom plastics fabricator, and served as its CEO and president from 2008 to 2020. Prior to Kel-Tech, she held a variety of positions over her 24-year career with the Puyallup and Clover Park School Districts, including high school teacher, district program administrator and school principal.
Keller has been active as a business advisor for Tacoma School District’s middle school STEM program and worked with the Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County on its “Place for Jobs” initiative. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Harbor Hope Center in Gig Harbor and previously served on the board of trustees of the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts (now Tacoma Arts Live) for eight years. She participates as a member of the Transportation Club of Tacoma, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, Tacoma Propeller Club, Rotary Club of Gig Harbor and the Northwest Marine Trade Association.
Keller is focused on economic development and recovery, working to ensure that there is equal access and training for career, family-wage jobs in Pierce County. As a former business owner, she is committed to responsible environmental stewardship practices that exceed regulatory standards. A collaborative leader, she has been working closely with other local and state governmental agencies to maximize multiple agency resources.
Port of Tacoma Commissioner Position #3
Deanna is an engaged community member, where she has served as the Past President of the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts Board of Directors, was part of the planning process for the Metropolitan Parks’ Peninsula Project and served on the Governance Committee for the Foss Seaport Waterway Museum.
She has a bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University and a master’s from Northwestern University and pursued a Ph.D. program at Catholic University in Washington, D.C.
Deanna lives in Gig Harbor with her husband, Steve, and their two dogs. Together, they have four daughters, two granddaughters and one grandson. Both are avid boaters.
Steve on left, Deanna in the middle and engineer of one of the MARAD ships after a tour. These two vessels are also called "ready ships" and are moored along Ruston Way.