Deborah’s interest in orchids was sparked by a trip to Hawaii and has been under their spell for over 30 years. She started with a few plants and her mixed orchid collection expanded exponentially with the construction of a greenhouse in 2014. She joined the Windsor Orchid Society in 2013 to gain more orchid knowledge and found herself in the Presidents position six months later. She is very active member of the WOS, involved in fundraising and publicity and has recently taken on the role as Show Chair.

She is an Accredited judge in the AOS judging program at the Great Lakes Judging Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan and enjoys presenting and educating audiences about orchids. She was the recipient of the Orchid Digest Diamond Award in 2016 and invited speaker to the WOC Tainan in 2024.

Academically, Deborah has a degree in Chemistry and spent her first years of work as a researcher in medical microbiology and infectious diseases at both the University of Calgary and Foothills Hospital in Calgary, Alberta. She recently retired from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, where she taught chemistry for over 28 years. She now has time to enjoy her passion for orchids, gardening, photography and travel.