Debbie grew up in Massachusetts, moved to the west coast of Florida with her husband and two-year-old daughter in 1984, and in 2002 moved back to Massachusetts.
Debbie received a BFA in Art Education from the Massachusetts College of Art and taught middle and high school until her daughter was born. During her daughter's elementary school years, Debbie served on the PTA as co-president, secretary, and artist-in-residence. She was a Pinellas County Schools Volunteer of the Year and recognized as an "Outstanding Citizen of Pinellas County" by the county's Points of Light Committee. After Debbie and her husband divorced, Debbie apprenticed and began a new career as a piano tuner/technician. She specializes in restoring player pianos, reed organs, and nickelodeons. She has been a member of the Piano Technician's Guild for over seventeen years and served as secretary/treasurer for her local chapter. She has been actively involved as a state seminar committee member and has co-instructed and taught classes on player piano servicing at local and national Guild institutes.
Debbie collects Statue of Liberty memorabilia, and enjoys reading and antiquing. Her taste in music ranges from ragtime, swing, and big band to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Enya.
