Debra has worked as a speech-language pathologist in Los Angeles since 2015. Prior to moving to the west coast, she completed a Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Columbia University, Teachers College in New York, NY in 2015. She also received a Master of Arts in Teaching from Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA in 2013. This was while completing her two-year commitment as both a general education teacher and special education teacher with Teach for America. In 2011, she graduated from University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor of Science in Hearing and Speech Sciences and a minor in Special Education.
In the field, Debra has been involved working with individuals from 18 months to 16 years of age with various communication needs, including those who have articulation and phonological disorders, language delay, expressive and receptive language difficulties, pragmatic deficits, and those who use Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC) devices.
Debra has an a Sensory Integration certificate through the Inside Out Sensory course. She has also received a myofunctional certification through the Simon Says Speech course. She has received the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) Award for Continuing Education (ACE) in 2021.
In her spare time, Debra enjoys spending time with her husband, three daughters, and cat (in addition to other family and friends), as well as reading, writing, cooking, photography, and being outdoors.