Debra obtained her degree in English Literature from the University of Sussex and her MA from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.

Prior to becoming a teacher, she had a varied career in the media and creative industries in London, working in the public and private sector.  In addition to the UK, she has lived and worked in North America and Southeast Asia.  She resettled with her family in East Anglia and retrained as a teacher.  She worked in the state sector in schools in Essex, Suffolk and Cambridge.  She taught English through to ‘A’ Level, developed creative writing programmes and managed a project for economically disadvantaged students, focused on giving opportunities outside of the classroom.

She continues to be curious about the world and all things creative, but more than anything, likes the company of her own family.