With a lifelong commitment to community service and advocacy, Debbie has played a prominent role in supporting vulnerable communities across Western Australia and beyond.

From 2004 to 2010, Debbie served as a Board Member of the Association for the Blind of Western Australia and Guide Dogs of Western Australia (ABWA), before taking on the role of President of the organization—later renamed VisAbility—from 2010 to 2020. Under her leadership, VisAbility continued to support individuals living with vision impairment and other disabilities, championing greater access, dignity, and independence.

Her dedication to humanitarian causes extended to her position on the Advisory Board of OzHarvest from 2010 to 2015, where she contributed to the food rescue mission redistributing meals to shelters and community kitchens supporting the homeless.
From 1994 to 2014, she also gave two decades of service to the Chevra Kadisha, demonstrating a deep sense of spiritual and communal responsibility. In 2016, She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to the Association for the Blind and Guide Dogs, and for services to the Jewish and wider communities.

Since 2015, she has led as President of the United Israel Appeal (UIA) Women’s Division of Western Australia and, in 2018, was appointed Federal President of the UIA Women’s Division. Her leadership has significantly enhanced outreach, advocacy, and fundraising efforts across Australia.

Educated at Mt. Scopus College in Melbourne, Australia and holding a Bachelor of Arts with a major in European Studies at the University of Western Australia, Debbie has brought academic rigour and thoughtful insight to her roles in both professional and voluntary capacities.

Married to John since 1977, they share a strong family legacy grounded in values of service, compassion, and Jewish continuity. They are proud parents to four children: Ashley (z”l), Grant, Todd (married to Julia Klein, parents to Ashley, Theodore “Teddy,” and Luella “Lulu”), and Brooke (married to Nathan Hennessy). John’s involvement with Israel began with the 3rd Australian UIA Mission to Israel in 1976–77, and together, they have been active in UIA ever since. For over 30 years, their home has warmly welcomed many distinguished guests and speakers from UIA events, including Boogy and Michal Herzog, ex Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Amir Echel, Danny Gold, Alan Dershowitz, Ehud Barak, Benny and Revital Gantz, and Doron and Didi Almog, among many others.