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“To be able to help other immigrants here in Janesville get citizenship is very near and dear to my heart since my parents were immigrants,” Deininger said. “But also, because I’m from Hawaii, the most multicultural state.”

Deininger’s Filipino father was a physician. Her German mother was an associate professor. While living in Hawaii, Deininger worked for the YMCA in health and fitness after studying organizational communication and exercise physiology.

For International Women’s Day, which was celebrated Friday, March 8, Deininger reflected on her greatest role model, her mother.

“She empowered me to be who I am today,” Deininger said.

Deininger remembers her mother as working full time and still having time to be with her children and those important in her life. She also remembers her as kind, loving and opening their home to everyone.

“She enjoyed taking her students to Oktoberfest each year,” Deininger said. But “I think she loved spending time with her children and our friends the most.”

Deininger is proud of how her mother made everyone feel comfortable. “She was strong, courageous and resilient.”

Deininger moved to Rock County with her husband and two young children in 2001. Still with the YMCA, in northern Rock County, Deininger decided to make a change and went to work for five years as the chief operating officer for Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast.

While in that role, she worked with the Alverno College research department for a “Status of Girls in Wisconsin” report. Issued every two years, its aim is to raise awareness about the challenges and issues that impact girls in Wisconsin.

“I loved working with the Girls Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast as their COO,” Deininger said. “I was exposed to a lot of research in regard to girls and women. It was an amazing experience.”

Deininger then took a chief operating officer position with the Goodman Community Center in Madison.

“It was just this journey of helping people,” she said. “I love to help people and guide and support the staff.”

Passionate about the organization’s mission, Deininger said she knew from the moment she heard about it, that her current position at the YWCA Rock County would be a good fit.

The YWCA provides childcare, child advocacy, racial justice, immigrant outreach, and has a transitional housing program and alternatives to violence program.

“I’ve needed support growing from a girl to a woman,” Deininger said. “It feels great to lead an organization that cares about supporting the empowerment of others. I consider myself very fortunate to be in Rock County.”

“As I think about women and empowerment and the mission of the YWCA, I hope I can live a life like my mother did,” Deininger said. “If I do, our potential is unlimited.”