Biography

Debbie received her undergraduate training in Deaf-Blind Education from Michigan State University (MSU). Her Master’s Degree was in elementary classroom teaching with additional hours in early childhood, educational administration and deaf education. She received her Ph.D. in Special Education with a cognate in Educational Administration from MSU, December 2002.  Before going to SVSU, Debbie spent 29 years in public education.  Previous positions included, developing and coordinating a Birth through Three general education program with the Saginaw Public Schools, providing direct services to families who had an infant/toddler with special needs, providing consultation services for 13 school districts for students who had a hearing loss in K-12 mainstreamed placements, and providing services in a self-contained classroom for students who were deaf and/or hard of hearing.   In addition to responsibilities as a public educator, Debbie was a founding member for the American Association of Home-based Early Interventionists (AAHBEI), and for the State Chapter in Michigan (MAHBEI).  She is the Past President and current Board member for Michigan’s Division of Early Childhood and the current President for the national Division of Communicative Disabilities and Deafness.   Additional activities have included being a national trainer for SKI-HI; state facilitator for Teaching Strategies, Project AHEAD, INSITE, Touchpoints, Healthy Families America Pre-natal Training, and co-author and recipient of a 13 million dollar grant through the State of Michigan for Birth to Five initiatives.  Debbie was the host for the Ready Set Grow TV show where each episode explored the developmental stages of an infant, toddler, or preschooler using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires. Research interests have included character education in early childhood, teacher and parent/caregiver reflection and using technology to support reflection. She is committed to the philosophy that “early intervention” does make a difference and it is the responsibility of educators as a community to provide the best resources possible for families who have young children with special needs.