Deborah is a dedicated leader with over two decades of experience working in various capacities at Stanford Sierra Youth & Families. Since 2013, she has initiated and directed multiple programs at the agency, including community-based alternatives to incarceration for juvenile justice, substance use prevention and treatment programs, and individual and family-based outpatient and intensive outpatient mental health and behavioral health treatment programs. Deborah has worked in multiple systems, including juvenile justice, child welfare, behavioral health, healthcare, and education—always with a focus on wellness, empowering families, and supporting youth in meeting their goals.

Deborah holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from California State University, Long Beach, and a Bachelor’s Degree from California State University, Humboldt. She is trained in several evidence-based and promising practices, including TF-CBT, CCT, DBT, Universal Trauma Informed Care, Seeking Safety, The Seven Challenges, and IFS Therapy, and provides clinical supervision to student interns, trainees, and BBS Associates on the clinical track within the organization. 

In her current role, Deborah leverages her expertise to provide strategic leadership across program design, clinical standards, policy development, and program accreditation compliance to ensure that agency programs, scopes of service, and contracts align with best practices, regulatory standards, the agency’s Mission, Vision, and Values and Strategic Plan. Deborah supports program alignment with evolving federal, state, and local initiatives.

Outside of work, Deborah brings the same energy to life— she loves spending time with friends and family, live theater, going to the movies, watching indie films, traveling internationally, attending sporting events and concerts, exploring new restaurants, and hosting dance parties with her grandchildren. She starts each day with meditation and a workout and finds daily inspiration through motivational podcasts and audiobooks.