Debra L. Joseph is a teacher by trade and an artist by heart. She was born, raised, and educated in rural Appalachia. Leaving her small hometown and earning B.A. and M.A.T. degrees, Debra set out on the lifelong journey of finding the ways and places that she could best put her work and energy into the world. The aim of her work is to create expression and experiences that move individuals, organizations, and communities toward a better way – toward more authentic, equitable, inspired, and healthy ways of living, working, and relating. Her work has taken many forms and placed her in various industries and organizations, including nearly a decade serving and leading an LGBTQ+ founded nonprofit organization in metro Atlanta. In this season, the work has brought Debra back to the change-making force that is Education and allowed her to stretch her time and effort across regions in North Carolina. She works within the Appalachian GEAR UP ecosystem, collaborating with educational leaders in Western North Carolina, while living, volunteering, and advocating in Harnett County on the eastern end of the state. Debra joined EPFP in 2023 as a fellow, an experience which reframed the way she views her work in the world and continues to shape her approach to changemaking. She is grateful to now serve as a mentor and looks forward to journeying with this year’s fellows. If you’re looking for Debra, you’ll likely find her playing in the dirt, picking a guitar, paddling, piddlin’, or front porch sittin’ somewhere between Carolina Beach and Murphy.