Di’anna Thomas-Palmer grew up in Mt. Airy then moved to Northeast while in elementary school. Di’anna (known by “Dee” among her PYB colleague s) went went attend Fox Chase Elementary and Wilson Middle School before transferring to William Penn Charter in 8th grade through 12th grade. Dee graduated from Penn Charter in 2012 and went on to play collegiate basketball at Hofstra University.
After graduating from Hofstra in 2016 with a degree in Public Relations, Dee stayed at the University for two year as the Director of Operations for the Women’s Basketball Team. In the winter of 2018 she return home to Philadelphia to focus on a career in coaching and youth development.
“I’ve been around the game forever. Growing up I worked at camp counselor at my local YMCA under my mom’s supervision since I was 13 years old. Additionally, for my senior project in high school I coached AAU, which helped me understand my passion for the game. After playing 3 years for Hofstra Women’s basketball I was sidelined by knee injuries my senior year. Despite these injuries I was still a strong member of our team unit. I traveled to all games with the team, sat on the bench and cheered on my teammates and helped filled roles needed on the sidelines. This experience helped me land a job after graduation as the Director of Operations for Hofstra Women’s Basketball for two years. Since leaving that position and moving back to Philadelphia the team, I’ve acted as a coach for Philadelphia Triple Threat’s 6th grade girls team, worked for Philadelphia Youth Basketball as a coach, academic mentor, and coordinator of the “HoopHers League.”
Dee’s experience as a female student-athlete, understanding of the game, and dedication to serving young people has greatly advanced PYB’s mission and we are lucky to have her as a part of our Team. We look forward to her continued growth within this organization, and we cannot wait for our GIRLS ONLY camp week at Chestnut Hill College from June 25th – 29th.
For more information about registering for PYB’s Collegiate Summer Camp Series, please visit our CSCS Homepage.