University of Denver, 1993
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Inducted February 2023
Debra was commissioned through the GBB ROTC program as a Military Intelligence Second Lieutenant in 1993 after graduating from the University of Denver as a Distinguished Honor Graduate. She served four years in the Army including time as a CMISE Platoon Leader and GSM Platoon Leader, deploying in support of Operation Joint Endeavor to Bosnia in 1995. Upon returning from deployment, Debra worked in the G3 plans section of III Corps at Fort Hood, Texas. Debra left the Army after earning the rank of Captain.
Debra began her business career after the Army at Kraft Foods in 1997. Over the next two decades, Debra rose to several high-level management positions within Nestlé, Mars, and PepsiCo. This earned her recognition on Fortune Magazine’s 50 Most Powerful Women in Business list four times as well featured on the CNBC NEXT list in 2014. In 2017, Debra was named President and CEO of Reynolds America after previously serving as CCO and COO. In 2020, Debra was named President – North America for Diageo, a multinational alcoholic beverage company based in London. Today, she serves as the COO for Diageo, which sits as a top five largest London based company by market capitalization. Debra has served on many boards of directors, including as Chairman for Sparton Defense Contracting. She has also been a sitting board member for Stanley Black & Decker since 2013. In 2021, she was named to the Forbes NEXT list which highlighted fifty “up-and-coming leaders set to revolutionize American business.”
Debra and her husband, Brian (also a GBB Hall of Fame Inductee) started a fund in the fall of 2020 to provide support to Charlie Company and our Cadets. To date, this fund has provided seven financial grants to Cadets as well as money to upgrade our ROTC facilities. Also, Debra and Brian recently committed continued support for the next five years, including two yearly Cadet grants and increased financial support for training.
Debra and Brian recently moved to London, England.