Dede is the founder and Managing Partner of Pete's Diary LLC, a business she co-owns with her son, Peter Dankelson. She is the primary content creator, writer, and social media manager handling all publishing, distribution, booking, and sales for Peter's band and speaking engagements.

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Dede wrote, designed, and self-published How I Learned To Rock My Life: The Peter Dankelson Story. Her first picture book Peter's Rockin' Ear was released in October 2022 by BiblioKid Publishing.

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Dede serves on the Board of Directors for two national non-profits: Children's Craniofacial Association and Harmony 4 Hope.  She has a B.A. in Communication and worked in market research before becoming a Mom and entrepreneur. Dede resides in Lake County, Illinois with her husband and two sons. Contact her at Dede@PetesDiary.com