Deborah Blanch, DBA

I attribute my success to my parents and my faith in God. My father, First Sergeant Wilbur Jones, was a meritorious chaplain who taught me discipline, organization, and the importance of service. My mother, Ruth Elizabeth Jones, was both a teacher and a nurse who instilled in me a deep respect for education and lifelong learning. Both were deeply spiritual and committed to helping others, and the values they modeled shaped the person I am today.

Caring for my parents has also been a defining part of my journey. My father lived with Alzheimer’s, and my mother has dementia. I promised to care for them at home unless medical care required otherwise. After my father passed away, I continued caring for my mother, a role I have embraced since 2010 as she approaches her 95th birthday. As the oldest of five children, I have always believed in doing my best and persevering through challenges, and everything I accomplish is part of the legacy I hope to honor for my parents.

The best career advice I have ever received came from the lessons my parents instilled in me growing up. They taught me the importance of practicing strong time management, maintaining structure and discipline in everything I do, and staying focused on my responsibilities.

Most importantly, they encouraged me to always do the best I can when faced with challenges. That mindset has guided me throughout my career, reminding me that perseverance, effort, and consistency are key to overcoming obstacles and achieving meaningful success.

My advice to young women entering the field of education is to recognize that you already bring valuable life experience with you. Many women develop teaching skills naturally through guiding family members and learning from those around them. What matters most is having a genuine passion for education and a strong desire to help others succeed.

Pursuing higher education can further strengthen those abilities by expanding your knowledge of leadership, communication, and professional growth. It is also important to communicate effectively in many ways—whether through phone calls, emails, or messages—because strong communication helps build meaningful connections and supports success in education.

One of the biggest challenges in my field today is the decline in personal communication since the COVID-19 pandemic. While technology allows us to stay connected, it has reduced the level of direct interaction that helps build stronger relationships.

Another challenge is balancing multiple roles while managing the emotional demands that come with them. However, this also creates an opportunity to lead with empathy, strengthen communication, and better support those we serve.

The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are time management, organization, faith, and helping others. These principles were instilled in me by my parents, who taught me to plan my time carefully, stay structured, and approach responsibilities with discipline and purpose. I believe in being someone others can turn to for guidance and support, while also staying aware of the needs of those around me. My faith, along with maintaining balance through nature and exercise, helps keep me grounded. Ultimately, I strive to live in a way that supports and uplifts others, because improving the quality of life for people around me is always a win-win.