Deborah DePaoli started her career in public education and community development at the age of seventeen, working with migrant farmworkers and their children in Southern California. She served for years as a public school teacher and administrator working with marginalized students: second language learners, at-risk preschoolers, and the children of low-wage earners. Having now lived in South Carolina for 19 years, Deborah’s passion for collaboration with her community has brought her to a place where she is now working full-time as a community organizer, engaging with families, agencies, and elected officials to advocate for children. Equity in education, access to political power, and real opportunities for establishing generational wealth are some of the issues that Deborah is most passionate about.