Diane Dechief is a faculty lecturer at McGill University where she designs and teaches science communication and academic writing courses. She received a student-nominated Distinguished Teaching Award in 2019. At McGill she participates in the Social Justice Community of Practice. Her research focuses on equity, belonging, and names.

In 2014, Dechief completed her doctorate at the University of Toronto. Her dissertation explored name-related challenges faced by many people who immigrate. She is also co-author of a 2012 resume audit conducted in Canada (with Philip Oreopolous) that demonstrated significant discrimination based on name ethnicity.