DeAnn Albertson-Fontanella, a survivor of heart failure, melanoma, and vision challenges, was born and raised in Montana. DeAnn was influenced by serving her community at a young age as a long time member of 4-H, Rainbow Girls, DeMolay Sweetheart and Grand Love for the state of Montana. She attended Billings Senior High School singing in choir, playing the flute and bassoon in band, orchestra, pep band, and marching band. She was a competitive swimmer of 12 years and attended the Jr. Olympics and swam on her Varsity swim team. DeAnn started practicing mindfulness as a competitive swimmer of 12 years. The swim team had a coach come down from Alaska to teach a camp. This Native Alaskan coach gave her an introduction to meditation and visualization as a young swimmer.
DeAnn coached and taught private swim instruction to individuals from competitive swimmers, to grandparents, to swimmers with special needs. She co-Founded an international chapter of MOMS club. DeAnn has coached and proctored events for Destination Imagination, taking 3 teams to the Global competition.
A few years after a move to Ohio, DeAnn was finally able to return to get her Masters Degree to go into the teaching profession. This was a first choice originally, but as a single mother, she couldn’t afford to teach and support two children on that salary. She earned degrees in Early Childhood Intervention Specialist and Intervention Specialist Mild to moderate. DeAnn is very interested in Social Emotional well being especially after the impact of Covid 19. Yoga has helped ease anxieties and pains in the body. She completed her 200 hour Yoga Teacher training during the pandemic. DeAnn shares many social emotional and sensory strategies with her students. Other relevant training include TESOL, Teaching English to Students of Other Languages and Orton Gillingham. DeAnn has served Cincinnati Public Schools as a co-building representative, a steering committee member, and a co-facilitator of the Teacher Leadership Program for Cincinnati Federation Of Teachers.
