“[My parents] lived by the simple fact that we are all humans and part of God’s family. We were poor financially but never knew it because of the richness of our American experience. I was more than lucky because I grew up experiencing the benefits of diversity.”

Perhaps one of Deborah’s most unique experiences was after high school when she went on to spend 13 years as a nun living in a majority White European religious community. “This experience really shaped my belief that in order to truly advance diversity principles one must have multicultural experiences in their lives and friends that cross racial lines.”

Deborah is a successful author of Racing Across the Lines: Changing Race Relations through Friendships (The Pilgrim Press), which received the Mayflower Award for best publication in the category of Church and Society, and she is the Editor of the Handbook of Diversity Management: Beyond Awareness to Competency Based Learning(University Press of America). In addition, she is an avid blogger who has written numerous book chapters and journal articles. Active in her civic and faith communities, Deborah serves on several boards and is a member of a host of professional and service organizations.

As a noted national speaker to professional organizations, civic communities, colleges and faith-based groups, she is regularly featured as a guest psychologist and diversity expert for many television, print and radio outlets locally, regionally and nationally.

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