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Dez Bertrand

Head of School Programs

Dot Headshot 2025

Dez (he/him) is a high-energy change-maker who leads with gratitude, compassion, curiosity and a whole lot of soul!

With tertiary education in youth work, counselling and social work, Dez didn’t commence his career in a ‘traditional way’. His journey started on radio, DJing and hosting his own show advocating for youth mental health.

Fast forward to a decade later and Dez has worked across schools, child protection, crime diversion and mental health. Wherever Dez has been, his mission has stayed the same: uplift, empower and create authentic connections with young people.

Dez is the hype coach for every young person who has been underestimated! He's proof that you can beat the statistics and uplift others to do the same when you lead with empathy, unconditional positive regard and heart!

When he's out of office, you’ll catch Dez chasing waterfalls with his toddler (literally!), deep-diving into mental health books, sipping caramel lattes like it’s a sport and unapologetically listening to covers over originals. Also, controversial opinion alert: pineapple definitely belongs on pizza.

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