Dearna graduated from NASDA in 2016 with a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Music Theatre), she now works assisting operations at the school.

She has had the privilege of attending master classes from musical theatre greats such as Sutton Foster, Andrea Burns and Carmel Dean as part of the 2016 Christchurch International Musical Theatre Summer School.

Her performance highlight was the opportunity to play Bess in NASDA's production of The Collective directed by Mel Luckman.

An Evening of Rodgers and Hammerstein Classics is her first onstage performance in a Showbiz production which she is delighted to share it with her friend and former fellow classmate, Greta Casey-Solly.

Dearna is an advocate for New Zealand performing arts. Inspired by the 2016 Wellington Hui on Women in Theatre, she is spearheading the first Christchurch Hui for Women in Theatre scheduled for June 2017.