In 2010 he continued the tradition of uplifting others by founding TEDxDirigo, Maine’s first TEDx event. TEDxDirigo went on to be a must attend event for inspiration and deep thinking in Maine for 10 years. Many speakers' careers were boosted onto the international stage, or were highlighted on the TED Radio Hour on NPR. At the same time he focused attention on cinematography to lens a number of award winning short and feature films. Of these projects some have been featured in Filmmaker, Indiewire, MovieMaker magazines. Others would be highlighted in The New York Times, and National Public Radio (NPR). 

In 2019 during the height of the pandemic, in the absence of state leadership for safety guidelines for video production he led the creation of a COVID Safety Document for Maine production. This document was used across the state, most notably during the first season of The Lost Kitchen on the Magnolia Network.

In 2023 Dean began a major photographic project addressing climate change through photographic contemplation, starting in Svalbard, Norway and is now moving to photographing landscapes across North America in 2024.

In 2024 Dean became Executive Director of Storm Warriors International, a  501c3 dedicated to helping those in need by helping tell stories that focus ideas, mobilize resources, elevate discussions, inspire planning. They support organizations and companies with missions in the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities.