In her previous roles at PNC Financial and Mellon Financial (now BNY Mellon) she worked closely with trust clients, high net worth investors, IRA clients, and estate executors to help them meet their financial goals and objectives. Deborah developed a deep understanding of small businesses and their challenges as the Executive Director of PowerLink, a regional nonprofit dedicated to advancing women-owned businesses. Deborah has also worked as a consultant for an internet-based investment software firm serving high net worth and institutional investors.

Deborah earned her B.A. in History from Penn State University and her M.S. in Public Policy Analysis from Carnegie Mellon University. She is the recipient of the CMU Alumni Service Award and the Federal SBA "Advocate for Women in Business" Award.

Previously, she has served as an adjunct professor at CMU's Heinz College and as a columnist for Olszak management Nonprofit Newsletter. Additionally, she has served as an advisor on many non-profit boards in the Pittsburgh region such as PROGRESS (Program for Research & Outreach for Gender Equity in Society at Carnegie Mellon University), The Kitchen Cabinet of the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, and The Pittsburgh Foundation Arts Scholarship Committee.