Deborah joined the Foundation in November of 2001 to promote the University's research parks, helping to foster collaborative relationships between North Fork tenants and the University of Virginia and support regional economic development activities. Since then, her role at the Foundation has evolved to include other important aspects of the Foundation's operations, including oversight of all corporate human resources and information technology functions, strategic planning, and Foundation marketing and communications programs.

Deborah has been an active contributor to the community, serving on numerous volunteer boards over the past 30 years. Her service includes the Chamber of Commerce (she served as chair of the Defense Affairs Committee for 9 years), United Way of Greater Charlottesville (she held various volunteer roles for nearly 20 years), Albemarle Housing Improvement Project, Urban Land Institute Virginia, and Albemarle County's Places 29 Community Advisory Council, to name a few. 

Prior to joining the Foundation, Deborah served as chief executive officer of the Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS®. During her tenure, she helped establish the Real Estate Weekly and the Charlottesville Albemarle Legislative Action Coalition, which is now known as the Free Enterprise Forum.

Deborah graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, studied French at the Sorbonne in Paris, and later earned a CAE (Certified Association Executive) designation from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). She is married to her husband, Michel van Eersel, a professional meeting planner who also serves as clerkship coordinator under the Office of Judicial Clerks at the University of Virginia's School of Law. Their daughter, Katherine, is a proud graduate of the University of Virginia (Class of 2016).