Deya's political aspirations were cultivated and nurtured as a legislative staffer in the U.S. Senate, after which she went on to work as a lobbyist for the National Minority AIDS Council advocating for increased federal funding for programs assisting people of color in the U.S. and Africa.   
 
In 1994, Deya won the national title of Miss Black USA and in 1993 she was Miss Black Connecticut. During her national reign , Deya served as a spokeswoman for the American Red Cross' Minority HIV/AIDS program.  She has been featured in numerous magazines and news publications for her community and professional work.

Deya received her B. F. A. from Howard University, majoring in theater arts, with a concentration in film and stage and a minor in communications.   Deya resides between Los Angeles, CA and Dallas, TX.  She is a native of New Haven, Connecticut.