Deb is a native of the Kansas City, Missouri area but has also lived and worked in Texas and Oklahoma as well as Tanzania, East Africa.  While she has enjoyed rather diverse career paths through the years, (including medical field, natural gas transmission, software development, manufacturing and small business ownership) the majority of the past 25 years has been in community and economic development. She currently is employed by Okmulgee Area Development Corp (OADC) which is the economic development office.

No matter where she has lived, she has had a heart for and an interest in homelessness and has volunteered for related organizations in various capacities.  In the fall of 2021, she had a spark of an idea to mentor one of the women from the shelter, which led to a conversation with Executive Director Brenda Brewer.  That conversation ultimately led to her joining the OCHS Board of Directors in December 2021.  She has been co-developing the future Mentor Program that will hopefully be launched in 2023.