A career committed to health and education EDUCATION • BS, Physical Education. California State University, Chico, 1987 • MS, Athletic Training. University of Arizona, 1990 • PhD, Higher Education Leadership. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, 2002 EXPERIENCE University of Alaska, Anchorage, 2022-2025 • Dean, College of Health Northern Arizona University, 2003-2022 • Assistant professor, athletic training; clinical coordinator; program director • Associate dean of the College of Health and Human Services Colorado State University, 2001-2003 • Adjunct professor Clinical Athletic Trainer, 1984-2001 • NCAA college division 1, community college, high school RESEARCH • Brain physiology of how we learn, knee injuries, concussions “So many people were appreciative of that, and being kind is one thing I hope people feel from me.” In Debbie’s world, strength doesn’t equal force, actions speak louder than words, and respect is earned, including her own. “Respect shouldn’t come from my title. It’s something you earn. I hope people feel that there is a sense of respect flowing in both directions in every conversation.” LOOK, LISTEN, FEEL If you’ve ever been through CPR training, you know that when you first get to a scene you look, listen and feel to assess the situation. “I'm kind of doing that right now,” Debbie says. “I'm on a really steep learning curve in terms of cultures and programs. It's easy to come in and see the structure of the college you're going to lead. It's a different thing to understand the culture of each nuanced program.” In addition, she’s focusing on efficiency, challenging historical ways of doing things, and working to implement the strategic plan and identify ways to measure its success. “We have a great plan that’s been approved and published. And now the leadership team is rolling up its sleeves to get it organized in an actionable way. The plan is well thought out, and I think it’s really in lockstep with Prosperity Widely Shared, so I'm excited about that cohesion.” Also making her job easier is the people who surround her, who make her optimistic for the future. “The quality of the faculty and staff here is amazing, and our leadership team has been incredibly helpful in getting me oriented and engaged in some decision-making conversations. They're really talented, and they bring different talents to the team, so I'm very excited. I think with this leadership team and the level of understanding of where our challenges are we're getting off to a running start already with being able to make some positive changes.” Change is one thing the college is well-versed in managing, and Debbie acknowledges that leadership and structural changes, in addition to financial challenges and curriculum and program changes, create a need for long-term stability. “I really hope to be here in a calming, kind sense while helping the college get to a stable, fiscally sustainable, modern place. I think it's completely doable, and I think we've got the right people to do it — people who are ready to do it. It's hard to do, but I’m absolutely convinced we'll get there.” Synergies Winter 2025-26 ▴ 5
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