Portrait by ChiChi Ubiña

YWCA Greenwich will be holding its 6th Annual Women Who Inspire Awards to recognize exceptional women in our community. YWCA Greenwich’s Women Who Inspire Awards was established to recognize and celebrate outstanding women who have excelled in philanthropic, professional, and volunteer pursuits. Importantly, these honorees have enriched the lives of many in our community. This event acknowledges the changes in society that have led to the fluidity of work/life pursuits for women of today.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Deb is one of the founders of Coffee for Good, which was started to address the high unemployment rate among adults with developmental disabilities. Deb was inspired to start Coffee for Good by her nephew Harry; who lives in a group home too far away from Greenwich to participate in the training platform Her hope is that Coffee for Good is only the beginning of employment training platforms for people with differing abilities. Trainees at Coffee For Good are taught how to operate a high end coffee shop with tasks such as making specialty lattes and inputting orders into a Point of Sale system. Trainees are paid minimum wage while working and Coffee for Good. Volunteers help them find competitive integrated employment upon graduation. She is inspired by the young adults who have trained at Coffee for Good and is incredibly grateful to the many amazing volunteers who have given their time and talents to make Coffee for Good a reality. She is also grateful to the community of Coffee for Good customers who are integral to the training and success of this new nonprofit.

Deb worked with the League of Women Voters of Greenwich on their Get Out The Vote project and made Coffee For Good the home of a postcard writing campaign related to the election. Sessions were held at Coffee for Good for this campaign whose goal was to get the citizens of Greenwich to vote in elections. The project reached over 5,000 unaffiliated voters between the ages of 25 and 55 in Greenwich. In addition, the movement attracted 200 volunteers, many of whom were students, to contribute by writing personalized messages. The Get Out The Vote influenced many to vote in an off year election.

Deb began her career in banking and consulting before leaving the workforce to raise her three sons, Jack, Pete and Tommy. Deb and her husband, John, live in Greenwich. Deb has volunteered in various capacities at her son’s schools, both Greenwich Public Schools and Brunswick School.