Debby grew up in a household of strong women who instilled values such as personal responsibility, integrity, and compassion. She was the first in her family to attend college and attended the Community College of Philadelphia before transferring to New York University. At NYU, Debby worked tirelessly to achieve the American Dream, attending classes during the day and working as a security guard and dispatcher at night. She earned a dual-degree in Psychology and Political Science and returned to Philadelphia to study public policy and politics at the University of Pennsylvania. As a student at Penn, she discovered communications and development as an avenue towards helping others, which she later translated into meaningful work in the non-profit sector.

For the last five years, Debby has served as the Director of Development for the Veterans Multiservice Center (VMC), where she was a community organizer in the movement to end veteran homelessness in the City of Philadelphia by managing communication efforts on behalf of federal, local and non-profit agencies. In her role with VMC, she also helped expand efforts to serve veterans throughout the region. Her work includes projects to support our most vulnerable populations, many impacted by the ongoing opioid epidemic and lack of viable low-income housing.

Today, Debby is an active and well-known connector in Philadelphia. She pursues every opportunity to engage with the community. In 2014, Debby attended Leadership Philadelphia’s Keepers and Connectors program, where she collaborated with other community leaders to help local nonprofits achieve their missions. She serves as a Board Member for Philly SHRM, which focuses on initiatives to bridge the hiring gap and prepare our future workforce. She also has invested her energy to mentor young professionals who have an interest in community engagement and public service.

Debby currently resides in Old City and can often be seen walking her lovable Pitbull, Kennedy, in the neighborhood.