Deborah is a community activist, experienced professional, breast cancer survivor, and candidate for the State House in LD27.
Growing up, my parents instilled in me a strong sense of public service. Both served in WWII. Dad left college immediately when the war began and was a fighter pilot. Mom joined the war immediately after completing her nurse’s training. They met on Okinawa near the end of the war and married once both were stateside.
I graduated from U.C. Berkeley and I began my advocacy career thereafter starting in Washington D.C. as, believe it or not, a Republican. I worked in many organizations – large and small – in government, non-profits, the private sector, and as an independent consultant. On the federal, state, and local levels my work focused on healthcare policy, defense and trade, real estate policy, tort reform, and electoral politics – to name a few. While my career was building, I married Dave Howard in 1992 – and 20 short years later I was widowed – losing my best friend and what felt like my center of gravity.
In 2017, I moved to Arizona. In August 2018 I was invited to serve as a Peace Corps community volunteer in Madagascar. Just months later in October while securing my health clearances, I was diagnosed with cancer. My life changed once again and the next five months were filled with surgery, radiation, and chemo. My last chemo treatment was in February 2019.
Since my recovery – I have been deeply immersed in Democratic activism to quite literally protect our freedoms and the democracy we enjoy. In 2021 I led the Indivisible Statewide Redistricting Team with nearly 100 volunteers to advocate for fair maps.
As your Representative, I will draw upon the expertise and experiences I have garnered in my professional and personal life. I will work to find commonalities, foster collaboration, and identify solutions that work, not for some of us, but for all us, for all Arizonans.