Deborah is a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma and currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia where she raised two daughters and now enjoys three precious grandchildren. Having grown up in an underserved community, Deborah is familiar with its challenges and has committed her life to serving and empowering these populations. Over the years she launched various in-reach and outreach ministries in churches and civic organizations. Her professional life was also devoted to working with nonprofit organizations that impact these communities through education, economic development and empowerment programs. The passion to empower underserved populations included foreign missions. She began serving abroad in her early 20’s in Curacao, Greece and India. Other opportunities included South Africa and Brazil. After becoming an empty-nester, she was invited to serve in Lusaka, Zambia and host an empowerment team to Kampala, Uganda.
Deborah founded Catalyst Empowerment Group, LLC in 2014, and responded to a divine summons to steward a new assignment in 2018, which became Catapult Global, Inc. The mandate of these two organizations is to develop servant-leaders of all ages and impact nations through various empowerment strategies. In 2012 she was recipient of The Esther Award presented by the National Coalition of Women in Ministry, and will be conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Humanitarianism and an International Chaplain Certification from the U.N. Embassy Consulate General Assembly in 2020. Deborah received undergrad degrees in Organization Leadership and Practical Ministries, and was previously ordained as a minister, elder, and authorized teacher of Christian Education. She is a certified John Maxwell Team leadership trainer and coach, and also facilitates Habitudes (leadership habits and attitudes) training for next-generation leaders.