Her Story
About Deb
My calling has always been to help adults with developmental disabilities live their best life in the least restrictive environment. I had a family member, an uncle, who was developmentally disabled and grew up with him - he was one of my favorite people, so working in this field just felt natural. I'm most proud of helping to downsize the institutions in the state of Ohio and getting people into a least restrictive home-like environment, really creating vibrant homes for adults with disabilities. I've worked on numerous state committees to look at what is most beneficial and best for individuals with disabilities and how they can be most productive. I'm also a member of Lutheran Services of America, which is a fantastic group that has a disability network where we've done a lot of advocacy work at both the state and federal levels to help protect funding, which a lot of it is Medicaid funding for adults with developmental disabilities. I survey for CARF across the United States, which is an accreditation for rehab facilities. These individuals have so much to offer to the rest of the world.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Deb
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think my desire to help individuals has been the driving force behind my success. My family has always been very service-driven - we serve where we can. My husband was in the Air Force for 30 years, and he served our country, so as a family, we try to give back in a way where we see it's needed. I had a passion for helping adults with developmental disabilities, especially because I had an uncle that I grew up with who was developmentally disabled. My family really is about helping others, and I just found my passion in this field. I would attribute my success to my family and my faith.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say find your passion, find something that is important to you, because then it doesn't become work. It's really about what are you passionate about, and where do you get joy? Yes, I receive a paycheck, but I also receive a lot of joy from providing the services that we provide. So it's really about finding your passion.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge right now is helping to protect Medicaid funding. Our individuals receive almost 100% Medicaid funding, so we're really working with the federal government to help them understand what it means for our individuals if there are cuts to Medicaid. Protecting the funding is so needed for the people we serve.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think serving and giving back are the most important values to me. We have been fortunate and blessed in many, many ways, and I would like to give back in any way that I can. My faith is also very important to me.
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