DeAnna McLeary-Sherman is the co-founder and executive director of True Star Media,

a non profit media company and digital agency led by youth.

McLeary-Sherman is a purpose driven leader whose business acumen has had a

significant impact on True Star and its ability to transform the lives of Chicago youth.

Since the program’s inception in 2004, True Star has provided on-the-job training to

nearly 20,000 youth ages 14-24 living primarily in underserved communities on the

south and west sides of Chicago.

True Star empowers underserved youth to forge their own paths by providing training

and real-world work experience that teaches them how to develop, create, and market

digital content on a platform that celebrates their identities and perspectives.

Her vision led to the organization’s transformation from a print publication to a digital

platform. But not only do young people produce for True Star, students also create

digital content and provide digital marketing for external clients, some include:

McDonalds, University of Chicago, City of Chicago, and State Farm, to name a few.

McLeary-Sherman is a 2024 Chicago Innovation Award Winner, 2019 Google Impact

Grant Challenge Winner, 2017 Social Venture Partners (SVP) pitch competition winner,

and 2016 Vanguard Award Honoree recipient of the State of Illinois, Office of

Comptroller. McLeary-Sherman a native Chicagoan, holds a Bachelor of Science in

Business Administration, and an MBA with a concentration in marketing and finance

from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). McLeary-Sherman is a wife

and mother of three girls, ages 6, 7, and 10.