Deborah D. Tucker, MPA, President, NCDSV Board of Directors
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E-mail Debby at [email protected].
Debby served as Executive Director of the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence (NCDSV), a position she held from the organization's beginning in 1998, until February 2015. After accepting the position of Domestic Violence Specialist at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, NCDSV's Board of Directors elected her to the Board and the office of President. |
Debby has been dedicated to ending violence against women since becoming a volunteer with the first rape crisis center in Texas in 1974. She was Assistant Director of the Austin Rape Crisis Center, then co-founded and served as Executive Director of the Austin Center for Battered Women from 1977 until 1982. (In 1997, ARCC and ACBW combined, and Debby assisted with their merger into SafePlace.)
In 1982, Debby became the first Executive Director of the Texas Council on Family Violence, a position she held until 1996. She assisted communities in Texas to establish shelters, other services for battered women and initiate battering intervention programs. She represented adult and child victims/survivors and member agencies to the Texas Legislature. In this role, she promoted laws and policies to improve the criminal justice and health and human service systems’ responses to domestic violence. Under her leadership, the Texas Council grew to be one of the largest coalitions in the country with over 50 staff providing training and technical assistance, public education, and advocacy. In February 1996, the Texas Council opened the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-SAFE and 1-800-787-3224 TTY), a 24/7 service for the U.S. and territories that later separated as planned to become its own organization.
In August 1996, Debby joined Sarah M. Buel, JD, in opening Tucker, Buel and Associates, a consulting firm offering customized consultation and training to end violence against women. In May 1998, Sarah and Debby co-founded the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence to sponsor conferences and provide customized training and consultation nationwide. The National Center received funding from the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice to collaborate on the development of curriculum and trainings with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, the National Sheriffs' Association and the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement.
The National Center has an award-winning website, initially funded by Altria, that provides direct access to information for local, state and national professionals and volunteers. The National Center collaborated with the Avon Foundation for Women to produce educational materials for the Speak Out Against Domestic Violence Campaign and works with many individuals and organizations to address violence in the military community. The National Center consulted with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on DELTA (Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancements and Leadership Through Alliances), a program involving 14 state coalitions to advance the prevention of domestic violence. NCDSV consulted from 2007-2011 with the CDC Foundation on the Robert Wood Johnson-funded DELTA PREP program preparing 19 additional state coalitions to initiate the strategies of DELTA and initiate including evidence-based prevention strategies in their states.
Debby has extensive experience on the national level. She served as Co-Chair of the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force on Domestic Violence from 2000-2003. She served as founding Chair of the National Network to End Domestic Violence during its leadership in the passage of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 and worked on the next four reauthorizations, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) 1994 and 2000 and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) 2005 and 2013.
She was a member of the Advisory Committee for the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence. As a member of the Board of Advisors for WomensLaw.org she encouraged its merger with the National Network to End Domestic Violence. She co-chairs with Toby Myers, NCDSV's Vice President, the National Alliance to End Domestic Abuse, an educational program of Jewish Women International. Together they established two historical collections at The University of Houston the Patricia R. Cole, Nancy J. Flanakin and Christina L. Walsh National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence Records, 1977-2007, Carey C. Shuart Women's Archive & Research Collection and the Toby M. Myers, Deborah D. Tucker, and Maria José Angelelli, Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) Records, 1974-2016, Carey C. Shuart Women's Archive & Research Collection.
In 1982, Debby became the first Executive Director of the Texas Council on Family Violence, a position she held until 1996. She assisted communities in Texas to establish shelters, other services for battered women and initiate battering intervention programs. She represented adult and child victims/survivors and member agencies to the Texas Legislature. In this role, she promoted laws and policies to improve the criminal justice and health and human service systems’ responses to domestic violence. Under her leadership, the Texas Council grew to be one of the largest coalitions in the country with over 50 staff providing training and technical assistance, public education, and advocacy. In February 1996, the Texas Council opened the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-SAFE and 1-800-787-3224 TTY), a 24/7 service for the U.S. and territories that later separated as planned to become its own organization.
In August 1996, Debby joined Sarah M. Buel, JD, in opening Tucker, Buel and Associates, a consulting firm offering customized consultation and training to end violence against women. In May 1998, Sarah and Debby co-founded the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence to sponsor conferences and provide customized training and consultation nationwide. The National Center received funding from the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice to collaborate on the development of curriculum and trainings with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, the National Sheriffs' Association and the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement.
The National Center has an award-winning website, initially funded by Altria, that provides direct access to information for local, state and national professionals and volunteers. The National Center collaborated with the Avon Foundation for Women to produce educational materials for the Speak Out Against Domestic Violence Campaign and works with many individuals and organizations to address violence in the military community. The National Center consulted with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on DELTA (Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancements and Leadership Through Alliances), a program involving 14 state coalitions to advance the prevention of domestic violence. NCDSV consulted from 2007-2011 with the CDC Foundation on the Robert Wood Johnson-funded DELTA PREP program preparing 19 additional state coalitions to initiate the strategies of DELTA and initiate including evidence-based prevention strategies in their states.
Debby has extensive experience on the national level. She served as Co-Chair of the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force on Domestic Violence from 2000-2003. She served as founding Chair of the National Network to End Domestic Violence during its leadership in the passage of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 and worked on the next four reauthorizations, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) 1994 and 2000 and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) 2005 and 2013.
She was a member of the Advisory Committee for the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence. As a member of the Board of Advisors for WomensLaw.org she encouraged its merger with the National Network to End Domestic Violence. She co-chairs with Toby Myers, NCDSV's Vice President, the National Alliance to End Domestic Abuse, an educational program of Jewish Women International. Together they established two historical collections at The University of Houston the Patricia R. Cole, Nancy J. Flanakin and Christina L. Walsh National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence Records, 1977-2007, Carey C. Shuart Women's Archive & Research Collection and the Toby M. Myers, Deborah D. Tucker, and Maria José Angelelli, Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) Records, 1974-2016, Carey C. Shuart Women's Archive & Research Collection.
In Texas, she served as Treasurer for Texans Against Gun Violence, and she chaired the Master of Public Administration Advisory Committee for 10 years at Texas State University. In 2012, the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration presented Debby with the Alfred M. Zuck Public Courage Award. In April 2014, the College of Liberal Arts at Texas State University presented her with a Distinguished Alumna Award (video). In May 2014, Debby was inducted (video) into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame.
Doris Buffet awarded Debby with The Sunshine Lady Award in 2008. She received the National Network to End Domestic Violence’s Standing in the Light of Justice Award in 2005 and as well as the Marshall's and Futures Without Violence's Domestic Violence Peace Prize in recognition of her national leadership. She has also been honored by the National Association of Social Workers. In July 2003, along with Fernando Laguarda, Debby was recognized on the NASDAQ sign in Times Square by Lifetime TV. She also received the YWCA's Outstanding Achievement Award, and the National District Attorneys Association honored her with their Stephen L. Von Riesen Lecturer of Merit Award.
- Read the Legacy Snapshots feature, "Leading advocates reflect or recalled: Debby Tucker."
- Debby is included in TCFV's Women Inspiring Innovation through Imagination.
- Read the profile in the Victim's Informer (scroll down to page 4),"Deborah D. Tucker 2019 National Women's History Alliance Honoree."
Debby Tucker Inducted, "Gov. Perry Celebrates Texas Women's Hall of Fame 2014 Inductees", Office of the Governor, May 6, 2014. See program, watch video and visit Texas Women's Hall of Fame.
The Texas Women's Hall of Fame Inductees, gather with Texas Governor Rick Perry on May 6, 2014. Standing (from left to right): Col. (Ret.) Kim Olson, Mineral Wells; Texas First Lady Anita Perry, Haskell; Lillie Biggins, Fort Worth; Hon. Nandita Berry, Houston; and Hon. Carolyn Wright, Dallas. Sitting (from left to right): Dr. Ann Stuart, Denton; Joanne Herring, Houston; Deborah D. Tucker, Austin; and Hon. Senfronia Thompson, Houston.