In 1981, she moved to Ottawa and became the executive director of the Canadian Federation of Students,[4][6] and then became a staffer on Parliament Hill,[7] working as a researcher and media advisor.

[9] The campaign featured a controversy when a would-be opponent registered their candidacy under the similarly-named "Dana Dean".

[10] On election day, Deans won her race, defeating her nearest rival, Gale McAuley by over 1,100 votes.

She ran for re-election in the 1997 Ottawa municipal election running on a platform of "streamlining local government", building a library in the south end, focusing of community safety issues, maintaining essential services, and the preservation of public green spaces.

[18] At a city council meeting, Deans was caught on CBC camera working on a campaign speech for the nomination.

[19] Long one of Deans' main concerns had been the creation of a new branch for the Ottawa Public Library in her rapidly growing ward.

[21] Deans was seen as a possible candidate to challenge Chiarelli for the mayoralty in the 2006 Ottawa election,[22] but chose to run for re-election in Gloucester-Southgate Ward.

On election day, Deans was easily re-elected, winning her fifth term as a city councillor, defeating social worker Douglas Besharah and Carleton University student David Alloggia by over 7,500 votes.

She indicated the most important issues in the election for her ward was community safety, keeping taxes as low as possible and providing necessary services.

[23] One of the main issues of the campaign was the extension of Ottawa's north-south light rail line, which Deans supported, but her opponents called a "folly".

[26] Deans won a sixth term of office in the 2010 election[27] She defeated former project manager Lilly Obina by nearly 2000 votes.

Deans had been criticized for "failing to properly interpret city zoning and site bylaws" in regards to its construction.

[28] After living there for 15 years, Deans had to move away from the ward due to "a family health situation" prior to the 2014 Ottawa municipal election.

[29] Deans was challenged again by Obina, but this time beat her by nearly 4,000 votes, and won her seventh consecutive term, as a result.