Deanna McNeal

About Deanna McNeal

Deanna McNeal arts marketer posing with a painting by Dale Chihuly

Based in Austin, Texas and working nationwide, Deanna McNeal is a senior marketing leader and creative strategist. With a career spanning enterprise tech giants, venture-backed startups, and major civic installations, she specializes in bridging high-level strategic vision with precise, hands-on execution.

Whether stepping in as a Fractional CMO, acting as a strategic Chief of Staff to drive organizational alignment, or directing large-scale public art and placemaking initiatives, Deanna swiftly identifies gaps, connects complex systems, and mobilizes teams to deliver high-impact results.

Areas of Expertise:

  • Marketing Leadership & Advisory, Fractional CMO Go-to-market strategy, product positioning, growth marketing, and cross-functional team direction for venture-backed startups, enterprise brands, and mission-driven organizations.

  • Public Art, Placemaking & Cultural Installations End-to-end direction for civic, municipal, and private legacy art installations—spanning infrastructure planning, environment and floodplain planning, compliance, city council approvals, artist contracting, and community engagement.

  • Complex Project & Program Management (Chief of Staff Capacity) Orchestrating multi-stakeholder operations, gap identification, resource allocation, and end-to-end campaign execution across technology, non-profit, and corporate environments.

Enterprise & Brand Experience:

Roles spanning internal full-time positions, strategic contracts, and agency engagements:

The Nature Conservancy • Chihuly Studio • Microsoft • Apple • Hyatt • SXSW • Starbucks  • Universal Music Group • Discovery Education • a16z

View Selected Work

Civic Leadership & Board Roles:

  • Public Arts & Culture Commission — Commissioner, City of Leander

  • Digital Wellness Lab, Boston Children’s & Harvard Medical School — Advisory Board Member

  • Austin Music Foundation — Founding Member, Austin Texas

  • Mayor’s Citizen Advisory Committee — Committee Member, City of Leander

  • Leander Foundation — Board Member

  • Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee — Committee Member, City of Leander