Deborah is a native Californian, raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.  She is a graduate of U.C. Davis in 1976 with a degree in Political Science and Public Service and received her law degree in 1981 from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon.  Deborah is a member of both the Oregon and California Bar and specializes in labor and employment law in the construction industry. She is recognized as a leading authority on Davis Bacon and prevailing wage law.

 Deborah is a 38 year member of Women Construction Owners and Executives and both a California and National Past President. She has spoken before the California Department of Transportation and at numerous SBA workshops in Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix and Seattle, before the American Bar Association, Associated Builders and Contractors, American Subcontractor Association and others governmental and trade associations on issues relating to prevailing wage issues.