Deneen was born into a family of entrepreneurs and raised in Victoria . She has worked in the financial planning services industry for 38 years. In that time, she earned her Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Life Underwriter, Chartered Financial Consultant and Certified Health Specialist designations.

Deneen has been a member of Advocis, the Financial Planners Association, and volunteered on the Victoria Board from 1996 and was President in 2005. She is past President of the Victoria Estate Planning Council and is currently a Trustee on the Pacific Opera Victoria Foundation.

She has been a First Responder for the Piers Island Volunteer Fire Dept. since 2014, and a past member of the Highlands Fire Department.

Deneen is married and has two step-children and two grandchildren. She loves to spend time with family and friends at their family cottage on Piers Island.