She was always drawn to public health. After graduating with a Masters degree in that discipline, Deborah jumped at the opportunity to join the American Lung Association in Delaware.  One of the immediate challenges was to develop programs for people suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and other lung diseases. The goal was to bring hope and breath to those who could not breathe.  

They also identified tobacco use as a major threat to lung health and started vigilantly educating people about its dangers.  Their efforts helped Delaware to become the second state to ban indoor smoking and establish one of the most comprehensive smoking ban laws in the country.

Paralleling her advancing career at the Lung Association, a more personal family war with lung disease was leaving its scars. From that point on, everything she would ever do with the Lung Association would take on added urgency and become much more vital.  

During her tenure at the Lung Association, she lost grandparents (COPD) and uncles (lung cancer) who smoked or were victims of second hand smoke.  In 1985, her 25-year-old sister was diagnosed with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), a rare lung disorder in which the blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries rises far above normal levels for no apparent reason, resulting in increased work for the heart. She died approximately three months later.  In 1996, after a brave 2-½ year struggle, her father died at 58 of the same lung disease.  This past September her 46-year-old sister also passed away from PPH after a valiant 5-year fight with the disease. Today, she has nieces and nephews suffering from asthma.

In many ways, her family history is a tale of the ravaging effects of lung disease, and a reminder of the work that still needs to be done. But it is also a testament to the life-prolonging advancements achieved through the incredible research conducted by the American Lung Association and other advocate groups.

As she celebrates her 28th year with the organization, Deborah feels fortunate to have chosen a career with the Lung Association. Yet, in looking back, it seems more like this career has chosen her.