Debi has guided the Greater Ozarks Chapter of the American Red Cross as Regional Chief Executive since 2005. Major accomplishments in this time include the move to a new Regional Headquarters facility in Springfield with vastly increased warehousing and disaster response capabilities and the creation of a regional network of 950+ volunteers across 29 counties in Southern Missouri.
While Debi has dedicated her professional career to the American Red Cross for more than 17 years, her commitment and dedication to the principles of the International Red Cross Movement began as a youth volunteer in seventh grade.
Debi's experiences as a Licensed Practical Nurse led her to become passionate about teaching families how to care for loved ones during emergencies and she became a National Red Cross Instructor.
In addition to her medical background, Debi has completed a graduate program in Business Administration at Missouri State University (a "mini" MBA).
Debi comes from a long family tradition of dedicated selfless service. Her parents were missionaries in Seoul, Korea when she was growing up. She and her husband Calvin spent 10 years in Korea as missionaries as well.
Debi and Calvin have two children; Rebekah, who works in the Springfield corporate travel office of a major national retailer, and Bryan who is an Artillery Officer in the US Army and recently completed his third tour of duty in Iraq.
Debi often speaks of her first-hand experience with the American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces program and what a comfort it is to her knowing that the Red Cross is there to help keep her family connected no matter where her son's military service should take him.
When she is not busy advancing the Mission of the Red Cross, Debi spends as much time as possible with her three grandsons, who are the "joy of her life."
Debi's door is open to all who would like to talk about how the Red Cross can continue to best serve the folks of Southern Missouri. You may find her contact information here.
