Born in Brooklyn and brought up in Bermuda, she acquired her education in cultural anthropology, urban planning and religion at Harvard University, New York University, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Spertus College of Jewish Studies.  Her passion for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion was inspired by her father, a US military intelligence officer in World War II assigned to interrogate Nazi prisoners of war.

To foster inclusion and upend hate, Deborah’s neuro-communication strategies connect storytelling communication, emotional intelligence, and decision making in a sequential Matrix Model Management System.  The System is flexible and applicable to thought leadership and the management of unconscious bias.  Clients have been local and national: US National Parks Service Unum Life Insurance of America, First TN Bank, SunTrust Bank, Schneider Electric, Erlanger Health System, Colleges of Medicine, and Chambers of Commerce.

Deborah’s diversity work also includes international industries: Volkswagen, Nissan, International Paper, Kimberly Clark with executives from Germany, Poland, China, Holland, Mexico, South Africa, and England.  She trained international students through the Fulbright Scholars of Alabama and the College of Engineering and Computer Science / U. of TN at Chattanooga.

Deborah’s expertise in designing diversity programs is an extension of her extensive management experience.  She served as executive director for Jewish Federations, director of Interreligious Affairs for American Jewish Committee/Chicago (AJC) and as national consultant to AJC NYC headquarters and the Central Conf. of American Rabbis.  Deborah was a planner with Oklahoma’s Say No To Hate Coalition after the Oklahoma City bombing is currently the media chair of Chattanooga’s Council Against Hate.

An innovator, Deborah founded the DuPage Interfaith Resource Network, established the Southeast Women’s Council on Diversity and launched a community-wide Global Leadership Class.  Deborah is also a tech pioneer having served as an IT manager in the 1980s.  In 2005, Deborah founded the American Diversity Report e-zine (ADR) and is its Editor-in-Chief.

Deborah won the 2020 International Books for Peace Award, National Catholic Press Association Award and has been recognized by the TN Economic Task Force on Women, American Planning Association/Chicago, and Girls Inc. of Chattanooga.  She serves on the TN Advisory Committee of the US Global Leadership Coalition and Volkswagen’s Diversity Advisory Task Force.