Trent Deckard

Trent Deckard is an at-large representative on the Monroe County Council, an elected position he has held since 2019. In 2024 he served as council president. In early 2025 he changed his council campaign committee to become an exploratory committee for Monroe County Commissioner District 1.

He is a lecturer at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business and is a two-time recipient of the Trustees' Teaching Award as well as Mumford Excellence in Extraordinary Teaching Award. He teaches business communication classes to undergraduate students, members of the Kelley MBA Core, and participants of the Kelley Executive Education Partners program. He is a member of Toastmasters, Rotary International, and the Kiwanis Club of South Central Indiana.

He is married to Kyla Cox Deckard, director of strategy and communications for the Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement. The couple has two daughters.

Timeline: Trent Deckard

• 2026-01-08 Politics: Commissioner candidacy announced. Trent Deckard announces he will file to seek election as Monroe County Commissioner, District 1, in the Democratic primary on May 5, 2026. [press release]
• 2025-01-00 Professional: Lake Monroe board joined. Trent Deckard starts serving as a board member of Friends of Lake Monroe. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2025-01-00 Professional: Consulting firm launched. Trent Deckard starts serving as president of Deckard Communication and Consulting, LLC. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2025-01-00 Politics: Exploratory committee launched. Trent Deckard changes his county council campaign committee to an exploratory committee for Monroe County Commissioner District 1, a position held by Lee Jones. [press release]
• 2025-00-00 IU Faculty council. Deckard is elected to the Indiana University Bloomington Faculty Council. [press release]
• 2024-11-05 Politics: County council general election. Democrats Cheryl Munson, Trent Deckard, and David Henry win election to the Monroe County council unopposed on the ballot. [copy of cumulative results]
• 2024-05-07 Politics: Primary election. Cheryl Muson, Trent Deckard, and David Henry are elected as nominees of the Democratic Party for the three county council seats, in a four-way race that also included Matt Caldie. [BSB coverage]
• 2024-00-00 Politics: Council president. Trent Deckard starts service as president of the Monroe County Council. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2023-00-00 Politics: Council president pro tem. Trent Deckard serves as president pro tempore of the Monroe County Council. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2022-00-00 Politics: Council pro tem. Trent Deckard starts service as president pro tempore of the Monroe County Council. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2021-07-00 Education: PhD program. Trent Deckard starts a PhD program in Global Leadership at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, with a focus on organizational behavior and change. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2020-11-03 Trent Deckard wins one of three at-large seats on the Monroe County Council in a six-way race in the general election.
• 2020-06-02 Trent Deckard wins one of three at-large seats on the Monroe County Council in a five-way race in the Democratic Party primary. The primary was originally slated for May 5 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 2019-01-13 Trent Deckard a Democratic Party caucus to replace Lee Jones for an at-large seat on the Monroe County Council.
• 2019-01-00 Politics: County council term starts. Trent Deckard starts serving as a Monroe County Council member at-large. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2018-08-00 Professional: United Way. Trent Deckard’s work as director of development at United Way of South Central Indiana ends. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2018-01-00 Professional: United Way. Trent Deckard starts serving as director of development at United Way of South Central Indiana. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2018-01-00 Professional: IU Kelley faculty. Trent Deckard starts serving as business communication faculty at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2017 Earns a master's degree in applied communication from Indiana University Indianapolis.
• 2017-12-00 Professional: Legislative chief of staff. Trent Deckard’s service as chief of staff at the Indiana House of Representatives ends. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2017-00-00 Education: Master’s degree. Trent Deckard’s M.A. program in applied communication at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis concluded in 2017. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2015 Works as chief of staff for the Indiana House of Representatives Democratic Caucus.
• 2015-07-00 Professional: Legislative chief of staff. Trent Deckard starts serving as chief of staff at the Indiana House of Representatives. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2015-07-00 Professional: Election division. Trent Deckard’s service as co-director of the Indiana Election Division ends. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2015-05-00 Professional: IUPUI adjunct. Trent Deckard’s work as adjunct faculty at IUPUI ends. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2013 Serves as chair of the Monroe County Democratic Party until 2015.
• 2013-08-00 Professional: IUPUI adjunct. Trent Deckard starts serving as adjunct faculty at IUPUI. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2012-00-00 Education: Master’s degree. Trent Deckard starts an M.A. program in applied communication at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2011-01-00 Professional: Election division. Trent Deckard starts serving as co-director of the Indiana Election Division. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2011-01-00 Professional: Congressional district. Trent Deckard’s work as district director for U.S. Congressman Baron P. Hill ends. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2009-01-00 Professional: Congressional field. Trent Deckard’s work as a field representative for U.S. Congressman Baron P. Hill ends. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2009-01-00 Professional: Congressional district. Trent Deckard starts serving as district director for U.S. Congressman Baron P. Hill. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2007-01-00 Professional: Congressional field. Trent Deckard starts serving as a field representative for U.S. Congressman Baron P. Hill. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2006-12-00 Professional: Statehouse field director. Trent Deckard’s work as field director at the Indiana House of Representatives ends. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2005-11-00 Professional: Kroger management. Trent Deckard’s work as a manager at Kroger ends. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2005-10-00 Professional: Statehouse field director. Trent Deckard starts serving as field director at the Indiana House of Representatives. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2004-11-00 Professional: Statehouse intern. Trent Deckard’s service at the Indiana House of Representatives as intern, student services coordinator, and campaign manager ends. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2004-11-00 Professional: Kroger management. Trent Deckard starts working as a manager at Kroger. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2003-01-00 Professional: Statehouse intern. Trent Deckard starts service at the Indiana House of Representatives as intern, student services coordinator, and campaign manager. [LinkedIn profile]
• 2001-00-00 Education: Bachelor’s degree. Trent Deckard earns a bachelor’s degree period at Ball State University. [LinkedIn profile]
• 1996-00-00 Education: Bachelor’s degree. Trent Deckard starts a bachelor’s degree program at Ball State University. [LinkedIn profile]