Editor’s note: CAP employees have unique backgrounds and experiences, shaping us as an organization and reflecting the diverse communities we serve. Deanna Ikeya, senior policy analyst, joined CAP in April 2016, bringing more than 25 years of water-related experience.
Deanna Ikeya is guided by a deep sense of connection … to family, creativity and community. That foundation has stayed with her throughout her life, informing her career, nurturing her artistry and deepening her ties with family, friends, community and colleagues.
Ikeya was raised in a tight-knit family in Colorado Springs, spending much of her youth camping and hiking with her parents and younger sister. That time not only fueled her love of family, but it gave her a strong connection to the American West.
“I loved growing up in Colorado Springs because it felt like a small town, yet there were always things to do,” said Ikeya.
After high school, she stayed in her beloved Colorado to attend Colorado School of Mines.
“I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew I needed to go to school and get an education, so I could get a good job,” said Ikeya. “My parents definitely instilled that in me.”
By her second year, Ikeya decided to follow in her father’s footsteps and majored in engineering, with a focus on electrical engineering and a minor in geophysics.
“I thought that after graduation, I would live in Denver and get a job in the oil industry because I loved Colorado, and what else do you do with an electrical engineering and geophysics degree?” said Ikeya.
However, when she graduated, the oil industry had tanked and Ikeya had to expand her job search. When she was offered a job at Honeywell Aerospace in Phoenix, she jumped at the chance to start her career without being too far from family.
“My parents moved me to Arizona and helped me find an apartment,” said Ikeya. “I didn’t know anyone. At the time, it didn’t feel brave. But looking back, I guess it was.”
From the beginning, Ikeya was working 50 hours a week but still found time to connect. At the end of each week, she would have dinner with Randy, a co-worker whose wife Carol was finishing her graduate degree out of state.
“I became good friends with Randy and Carol. I was the third wheel for many years and we’re still close friends today,” she said.
That relationship turned out to be an important connection – one that shaped Ikeya’s career. Carol worked in environmental consulting and the work she was doing interested Ikeya.
“She was the impetus that got me thinking about working in water resources instead of aerospace,” said Ikeya. “Applying my technical skills to help our environment had so much more meaning to me than staring at oscilloscopes.”
Ikeya left her job and headed to Arizona State University, earning her master’s in civil engineering, which gave her more of a focus on water and the environment. Her first job was at a consulting firm working on soil remediation at the same one where her friend Carol worked. Although she appreciated working outdoors, she was missing passion for her work.
When she found a job posting for the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR), she jumped at it. It was her first job in Arizona water, but definitely not her last. Over the next dozen years, Ikeya had the opportunity to build a diverse set of skills and developed a well-rounded perspective of water in Arizona.
And, although she loved water, when she saw an opportunity to take a stab at her dream job – to own her own yarn store – she took it!
Her love for yarn had been brewing since her grandmother taught her how to knit when she was a child. She had expanded to not only being an avid knitter but also embracing other hobbies that involve yarn like spinning and weaving yarn.
“When one of my favorite yarn stores was looking for part-time weekend help, I jumped at it,” said Ikeya. “When she offered me a position as store manager, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to see if I could own my own store.”
For a few years, she worked at the store and worked on her business plan. Ikeya learned what it meant to be a store owner, experiencing both the enthusiastic – and the eclectic (or eccentric) customers. She scoped store locations, researched rent prices and projected the numbers.
“I’m an engineer, so I created a spreadsheet and ran the numbers a couple different ways. I remember sitting there, looking at it and knowing it wasn’t going to work,” said Ikeya. “I had ‘mathed’ myself out of my dream.”
She regrouped and returned to water. It felt like home and during the next few years, she continued to gain experience, working for cities and agencies, in conservation, planning and policy.
“I saw great opportunities and took them,” said Ikeya. “I ended up with a broad professional perspective and am grateful for all those experiences.”
By 2011, she was back with ADWR, the place her connection with water had begun. And, she was working on the Colorado River, which she had decided was the perfect focus.
“The Colorado River is definitely my thing,” said Ikeya. “It’s so important to the West. It touches so many people and is so vital for our economy.”
When a position for a Colorado River policy analyst opened at CAP, Ikeya didn’t hesitate. In her role, she’s worked on the pilot system conversation program and intentionally created surplus and collaborated with professionals from the other basin states and the Bureau of Reclamation.
“I’ve stayed at CAP not just because the work is interesting, but also because of the people I work with and the connections I’ve made,” said Ikeya. “The caliber of people I get to work with is incredible. They are all extremely talented.”
And, although her days are focused on the Colorado River, Ikeya spends her nights and weekends connected to good friends and all things crafty. Over the years, she has done a little bit of everything – knitting, crocheting, sewing, weaving, quilting, cross stitching, and baking (often for her grateful co-workers!). She played the flute, piano and xylophone in her youth and recently started playing the banjo.
“I like to dabble so much that I have to intentionally cut myself off from trying something new,” said Ikeya. “My love language is definitely baked goods.”
Her connection to family is as strong as ever. She and her husband, a retired electrical engineer and music lover, share a quiet and creative life. Their perfect vacation includes visiting national parks, quiet moments to knit and reading in peaceful outdoor spaces. And, although her parents have passed away, Ikeya spends much of her vacation time traveling to Wisconsin to visit her sister, brother-in-law and nieces.
For Deanna, being connected isn’t just a value, it’s the foundation of her life.
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