Deborah retired as a Partner from Ernst & Young LLP (EY) in July 2022 after a distinguished 36-year career in public accounting, during which she held numerous senior leadership roles at the global firm. Most recently, she served as EY’s Americas Industry Leader (2018–2022), overseeing market strategy and growth across a broad portfolio of sectors including energy, industrials, consumer, technology, healthcare, real estate, private equity, and government. Prior to that, she was EY’s Houston Office Managing Partner and U.S. Energy Leader (2013–2018), as well as Managing Partner of the Southwest Region Strategy & Transactions practice (2008–2013), where she advised corporations and investment funds on complex energy investments, with particular focus on U.S. shale and global LNG markets. Deborah currently serves on the boards of Excelerate Energy, Inc. and Kinetik Inc., where she chairs the Audit Committee, and DTE Energy, where she serves on the Finance, Nuclear, and Audit Committees; she will conclude her service on the Civitas Resources Board following its merger with SM Energy in January 2026. She is also a Senior Advisor to Conquer AI and Veriten, bringing insight into the intersection of energy transformation and emerging AI-driven technologies. Deeply committed to mentorship and advancing women in energy, Deborah is active in public dialogue on energy transition and serves on the advisory board of Switch Alliance and as a nonresident Fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies. In her community, she supports the Memorial Hermann Foundation and DePelchin Children’s Center. Deborah holds a BBA from Baylor University, is a retired CPA, and resides in Houston with her spouse, Wayne; they have three adult children, three grandchildren, and enjoy golf, travel, and time in West Virginia.
