Present Profession

"Find out what you like doing best,
and then get someone to pay you for doing it!"
~Katherine Whitehorn

After high school, Deb spent little time in college before deciding it was not the right place for her: "I jumped right into the workforce and have gotten a lot of work-life experience." These experiences have taken her to places around the country and the world, such as Cleveland, Ohio; Orlando, Florida; Toronto, Ontario; Geelong, Australia; and Yamaguchi, Japan.

After spending seven years working for a Health Management Organization, Deb moved on to her current position with Johnson & Whales University in Providence, Rhode Island. According to Deb, her position there "really just started out as Faculty Support. Typing up exams, designing PowerPoint presentations, and stuff like that. It didn't take long before the Administration realized that I was pretty computer savvy, and they created this position for me." The new position worked out well for everyone involved.

This position refers to Deb's current job title as the Special Projects Coordinator at the College of Culinary Arts. Deb describes her job as "pretty rewarding. All my title really means is that if something out of the ordinary is going on in the College, I am part of it. On any given day, ten to thirty people will come into my office for help with something. Usually I can help them; if not, I'll direct them to someone who can. It's not a glamorous job. If you boiled it all down, I'm probably nothing more than an overpaid administrative assistant, but I like dealing with people. That's the best part of it."

The special projects in which Deb has been involved over the years include organizing the Distinguished Visiting Chefs day and assisting with faculty design PowerPoint presentations.

Deb also organizes the annual College of the Culinary Art's Faculty Awards Day. When asked what this involves, Deb laughs: "Prior to my arrival here I guess it was pretty boring. Since I've been on board they keep coming up with themes that I swear are designed to test my creativity! One year we did a cruise theme. I designed about a dozen port holes that were used as props, and I still have one in my office. Another year it was a casino theme, and one of the biggest hits was the 1950s theme." This creative outlet provides Deb with a fun and flexible workday that compliments her busy baseball schedule and productive personality.

Her advice to young girls starting out? Deb says that her advice would be "never to be afraid to ask for help and to treat others the way you want to be treated. Don't take life for granted, and make the best out of your time here."