Debra is passionate about food self-reliance. She is thrilled that people are becoming more aware of the food supply. Debra has spent much of her 35 year career helping food processors build their businesses and loves helping people and communities build their own capacity to make good food.

In 2016 she founded PRESERVESafe recognizing an ongoing need for safe food preservation training after the BC Produce Preservation Program ended. Through PRESERVESafe she is building an "army" of community food preservation trainers.

Debra is a Food Scientist with a Masters degree in Communications. She has extensive food production, training and facilitation experience. In 2018 she received the Outstanding Regional Partnership Award from Diabetes Canada for her work with Indigenous communities and 2017 she was awarded the BC Food Processors Association Food Industry Leadership Award.

Also an avid food gardener, Debra lives in Victoria with her teen-aged son and their dog Mate.