Deanna Van Buren

Deanna Van Buren

Keynote Speaker: Design Director, Anti-Incarceration Advocate, Architect

Deanna Van Buren Biography

Deanna Van Buren is the Design Director and co-founder of Designing Justice + Designing Spaces (DJDS) and FOURM Design Studio, specializing in architecture and real estate development with the goal of addressing and ending mass incarceration. Her work focuses on combating the root causes of mass incarceration, such as poverty, racism, and unequal access to resources, through innovative infrastructure development.

Van Buren’s work includes designing spaces that support restorative justice and community building rather than perpetuating the traditional punitive justice system. Notable projects under her leadership include the Syracuse Peacemaking Center in New York and Restore, a multi-use hub in East Oakland for restorative justice and workforce development. DJDS also creates mobile resource centers that provide essential services to underserved communities and re-entry housing to support individuals transitioning out of incarceration.

A recognized leader in her field, Van Buren was awarded the Rauschenberg Artist as Activist fellowship to develop a prototype mobile resource village. Her educational background includes a BS in Architecture from the University of Virginia and a Master of Architecture from Columbia University. She is also an alumnus of the Loeb Fellowship at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. Her insights have been shared internationally, including a 2017 TEDWomen talk viewed over a million times, where she explored the potential for a world without prisons.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Deanna Van Buren and other top speakers and celebrities.

Deanna Van Buren Videos

Keynote Highlight: Shaka Senghor and Deanna Van Buren
What a world without prisons could look like | Deanna Van Buren
Using social innovation to end mass incarceration

How do I book Deanna Van Buren to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Deanna Van Buren for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Deanna Van Buren, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Deanna Van Buren or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Deanna Van Buren for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Deanna Van Buren, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a virtual event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Deanna Van Buren, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Deanna Van Buren speak about?

Deanna Van Buren is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Design, Architecture, Social Activism, Social Justice, Creativity, Diversity & Inclusion, Black Heritage, Black History Month, Culture, Workshop, Government, Civil Rights and TED.

Where does Deanna Van Buren travel from?

Deanna Van Buren generally travels from San Francisco, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Deanna Van Buren?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Deanna Van Buren for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Deanna Van Buren for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Deanna Van Buren or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Deanna Van Buren is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Design, Architecture and Social Activism. The estimated speaking fee range to book Deanna Van Buren for virtual events is $10,000 - $20,000. Please contact us for live event fees. Deanna Van Buren generally travels from San Francisco, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Dorothy Roberts, Yoruba Richen and Charlene Carruthers. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Deanna Van Buren for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 04/11/2024.

Deanna Van Buren Videos

Keynote Highlight: Shaka Senghor and Deanna Van Buren
What a world without prisons could look like | Deanna Van Buren
Using social innovation to end mass incarceration
Design Talk: Designing a Better America with Deanna Van Buren
Artist as Activist Fellow- Deanna Van Buren

Deanna Van Buren Reviews

  • Themis Solutions Inc. d/b/a Clio - Dec 18 2019

  • How do I book Deanna Van Buren to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Deanna Van Buren for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Deanna Van Buren, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Deanna Van Buren or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Deanna Van Buren for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Deanna Van Buren, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a virtual event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Deanna Van Buren, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Deanna Van Buren speak about?

    Deanna Van Buren is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Design, Architecture, Social Activism, Social Justice, Creativity, Diversity & Inclusion, Black Heritage, Black History Month, Culture, Workshop, Government, Civil Rights and TED.
  • Where does Deanna Van Buren travel from?

    Deanna Van Buren generally travels from San Francisco, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Deanna Van Buren?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Deanna Van Buren for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Deanna Van Buren for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Deanna Van Buren or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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