ABOUT DEBRA

I grew up in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and lived as a young adult in Northern California and later in New Mexico. I was fortunate to enjoy rich experiences and adventures, which continued when I moved to Asheville in 2002. I was drawn to Asheville’s natural beauty and vibrant arts scene and value the fact that our community is so oriented toward health and well-being.

Over the last 30 years I’ve worked with individuals and families in multiple community health settings on the West Coast. My entry into social work was as a crisis counselor and advocate for those affected by sexual and intimate-partner-related violence. Later I counseled individuals who had endured hate crimes as well as bereaved families. I became interested in medical social work and pursed my graduate degree as a result of my own experience with chronic illness and disability. I received my Masters of Social Work from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 2012.

 I’m grounded in a desire to help people change and grow. I love developing trusting connections with clients and assisting them with identifying their strengths, courage, and resilience to create positive change.

I enjoy gardening, yoga, biking, river-floating and am an avid swimmer. I am also a single parent of a bright and energetic 20 year-old daughter and a wonderful rescue dog named Hazel!