Dean received an undergraduate degree from Simon Fraser University where he earned a baccalaureate with a major in anthropology and a minor in archaeology. He has served 5 terms as an elected Councillor for T’it’q’et during the years 2000-2004 and 2006-2014. He has also served on the boards of the T’it’q’et Economic Development Authority and the St’át’imc Tribal Police.
Dean was hired as Land Code Coordinator in October 2017 to help the community develop its own Land Code. After T’it’q’et adopted its Land Code in 2019, Dean worked for the Interim Lands Committee and is now the Lands Coordinator for the T’it’q’et Lands and Natural Resources Department.