Deborah had been an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hill University for 4 years prior to becoming full time faculty in June 2018. She also had taught many classes at WCCC and both Pitt of Greensburg and IUP.

Prior to her current position she was employed with the Westmoreland County Courts as a Juvenile Probation Officer for over 30 years.

As a probation officer, she served in several different positions within the department. Positions that involved caseload management of coed clients and the responsibility of appearing and testifying in court on all type of misdemeanor and felony cases. As a promotion she was appointed as a diagnostic officer working closely with the child psychiatrist and clinic psychologist, which included completing intensive pre-sentence investigations and testifying in court. She also had the opportunity to work as a liaison between the juvenile detention center and probation which enabled her to receive training specific to detention regulations.

However, probably the most rewarding was the opportunity to develop the first demonstration site in Pennsylvania for the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Project. After extensive training on trauma in the adolescent population and being certified nationwide on the topic she became the Pennsylvania PTSD coordinator. This opportunity enabled her to train and develop curriculum on the treatment of PTSD in adolescents. She trained nationwide at conferences and served on numerous national, state and local committees. Her work was acknowledged through many awards.

Deborah also has had the opportunity to be employed by Drug/Alcohol agencies to complete DUI evaluations on adolescents and to facilitate underage drinking classes ordered by the courts.

During a ten year period she also taught at the Westmoreland Municipal Police Officer Training Academy, training potential officers in the various areas of the curriculum.

Education

• Indiana University of Pennsylvania, MA Criminology
• Mansfield State University, Mansfield Pennsylvania, BA Criminal Justice Administration

Publications

• Editor of the Pennsylvania State Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Post 1999-2013, monthly publication

Awards

• Mental Health Association of Westmoreland County Innovation Award
• Trainer of the Year, 2006 National Trainers' Association
• Trainer of the Year 2006, International Trainers' Association
• Program of the Year 2012 PTSD National Court Administrators Association
• Probation Officer of the Year, 2008 Pennsylvania Association on Probation Parole and Corrections
• Program of the Year 2004 Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges' Commission
• Juvenile Probation Officer of the Year, 2004 Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges' Commission

Organizations

• Juvenile Detention Centers of Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges' Commission Pennsylvania Association on Probation, Parole and Corrections National Institute on Corrections

Presentations

• As the Project Coordinator of the Pennsylvania Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Project from 1999-2013, I presented on several topics as one and two day trainings to professionals within the state and nationally.

Certifications

• Certified as an Emergency Response team member, American Red Cross
• Certified as a Child Trauma Response team member, Church of the Brethren
• Certified as a Disaster Response team member by the United Methodist Church
• Certified as a Lay Speaker in the United Methodist Church
• Certified as a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Residential Treatment Curriculum Facilitator
• Certified as a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Trainer, Pennsylvania
• Certified as an Instructor with the Municipal Police Officers Training Academy, Pennsylvania
• Certified as a trainer with the FBI, community policing program

Achievements

• Served on a Mission Trip to Oaxaca Mexico
• Co-founder of THRIVE, a program to assist individuals in getting out of poverty
• Facilitated the first demonstration site within Pennsylvania for the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency
• Held numerous offices within the Pennsylvania Association on Probation Parole and Corrections
• Appointed to the Child Death Review Committee, Westmoreland County
• Appointed as a Regional representative on the NE Division of the National Institute on Corrections
• Pennsylvania Female Sub-Committee