About Debbie
Debbie is passionate about supporting families, local businesses, students and teachers. Before becoming a mom, she spent twelve years in the tourism and hospitality industry. After moving to Sonoma County in 2006, she spent several years working with a local cooperative supporting the preservation of locally-owned independent businesses. In 2010, with Kelley Rajala, she co-founded the ShareExchange and the Made Local Marketplace in Santa Rosa.
With a hospitality and tourism background and a commitment to the preservation of local charm, Debbie was thrilled to learn about the Cittaslow initiative of Sebastopol City Council. Cittaslow Sebastopol operates as an ad hoc committee of council and is committed to working with local residents to keep the town green, local, friendly and artistic. Jitterbug became a Founding Donor of Cittaslow Sebastopol in 2013.
In the fall of 2014, Debbie, with Maggie Fleming, pitched the concept of a time bank as a Cittaslow Sebastopol project. The project was met with enthusiasm from city council and a pilot was funded to evaluate the community desire for and the feasibility of a time bank. The Sebastopol Area Time Bank officially launched to the public in October 2016.
Debbie has also spent the past decade supporting students and teachers in elementary and middle school classrooms in several area schools. She has been a weekly volunteer in her children’s classrooms and a classroom assistant at a waldorf-inspired school. More recently, Debbie has worked as a special education instructional assistant in a Southwest Santa Rosa school.
Debbie served as a trustee on the Sebastopol Union School District board for nine years. In October 2018, in partnership with the Sebastopol Educational Foundation and several local businesses and organizations, Debbie , along with Ruth Richards, helped to produce a free Repair Café in Sebastopol.
Debbie has been a Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator for over 10 years and is a solo parent raising two boys.
With a hospitality and tourism background and a commitment to the preservation of local charm, Debbie was thrilled to learn about the Cittaslow initiative of Sebastopol City Council. Cittaslow Sebastopol operates as an ad hoc committee of council and is committed to working with local residents to keep the town green, local, friendly and artistic. Jitterbug became a Founding Donor of Cittaslow Sebastopol in 2013.
In the fall of 2014, Debbie, with Maggie Fleming, pitched the concept of a time bank as a Cittaslow Sebastopol project. The project was met with enthusiasm from city council and a pilot was funded to evaluate the community desire for and the feasibility of a time bank. The Sebastopol Area Time Bank officially launched to the public in October 2016.
Debbie has also spent the past decade supporting students and teachers in elementary and middle school classrooms in several area schools. She has been a weekly volunteer in her children’s classrooms and a classroom assistant at a waldorf-inspired school. More recently, Debbie has worked as a special education instructional assistant in a Southwest Santa Rosa school.
Debbie served as a trustee on the Sebastopol Union School District board for nine years. In October 2018, in partnership with the Sebastopol Educational Foundation and several local businesses and organizations, Debbie , along with Ruth Richards, helped to produce a free Repair Café in Sebastopol.
Debbie has been a Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator for over 10 years and is a solo parent raising two boys.
