Deja McDaniel, Chief of Staff

Deja McDaniel, Deputy Chief Administrator, oversees the full spectrum of COPA’s operations to include personnel, information systems, training/professional development, fiscal, procurement, and administrative functions. A seasoned and versatile human resources professional with over 15 years of experience, Deja has held various roles in both the private and public sectors.

She began her career in hospitality in the ‘Heart of Chicago’ on the Magnificent Mile with the Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG), gaining experience in accounting, purchasing, and payroll before discovering that her passion was in human resources. During her tenure with IHG, Deja led employee engagement, talent management and employee relations efforts. Here she developed a love and an appreciation for diversity of thought and professional development. Prior to joining COPA, Deja served under the Office of the Chief Judge with the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center where she was responsible for leave administration, training/onboarding and timekeeping.

Deja joined COPA in 2017, prior to its launch, as an Administrative Services Officer II and under the direction of the Chief of Staff, filled over 75% of vacancies in 11 months. In addition to coordinating interviewing and hiring, she was responsible for HR administrative transactions, accounts payable and voucher processing, and monitoring the agency’s corporate expenditures. In 2022, she was promoted to Director of Administrative Services. In this role, Deja oversaw a team engaged in budget preparations, procurement, recording keeping, fleet management, facilities, payroll and approved requisitions and authorized invoices for payment to vendors. Her strategic oversight ensures alignment with COPA’s mission while effectively managing operations within budgetary constraints.

Deja received her undergraduate degree in criminal justice from Chicago State University, and her graduate degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.