Debra is an accomplished and dedicated professional with a unique blend of expertise in public health, bioethics, and gender studies.  She is currently a Ph.D. student in bioethics at Case Western Reserve University.  

She holds an MA in bioethics from the Ohio State University (2021) and an MSc in Public Health from Sweden's Lund University (2017). She received her BAs, also from Ohio State, in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Communication Analysis (2015).

Debra’s diverse background enhances her interdisciplinary approach to complex bioethical issues related to gender and sexuality. Her research is committed to integrating comprehensive and informed perspectives into healthcare research and practice, aiming to promote understanding and equity within the healthcare system for marginalized voices. 

She explores topics on transgender mental health, reproductive ethics for transgender and intersex individuals, and sexual health disparities for LGBTQIA populations. Debra has shared her work both nationally and internationally, publishing and presenting on topics such as mental health inequities for transgender adults, reproductive preservation options for intersex children, analysis of the similarities and differences in clinical care between transgender and intersex persons, and healthcare access for transgender refugees in the EU. 

Passionate about advocacy, education, and ethics, Debra hopes her research will enable meaningful change in both healthcare and society for LGBTQIA individuals. She is driven by a vision of a world where all sexual and gender identities are treated with dignity, compassion, and respect, allowing us all to live full lives as our authentic selves.