Deborah joined Acadia Divinity College in April 2026 as Director of Educational Innovation. In this role, Deborah provides leadership for the Lilly Endowment grant at ADC, supporting experimentation with new approaches to teaching and learning that prepare Christian leaders for contemporary and emerging ministry contexts. In particular, she leads the work of the Sandbox for Theological Education and the Church, working collaboratively with faculty to develop experimental courses, learning pathways, and ministry formation models, while ensuring integration with ADC’s Hub of Trend Research and Analysis so that insights from research inform innovation in teaching and learning. As part of this work, she also serves as ADC’s Educationalist within the Canadian Learning Community for Decolonization and Innovation in Theological Education (CLC) and participates in other initiatives related to the strategic vision of the college.

Deborah comes to ADC from the Association of Theological Schools, where she served as Director of Leadership Development, leading major initiatives to support theological educators across North America. Her prior work with the Nida Institute for Biblical Scholarship included directing global translation training programs and advancing hybrid and online learning models for Bible translation education in international contexts.

Deborah holds a Master of Applied Linguistics and Exegesis from Trinity Western University, Northwest Baptist Seminary, and a PhD in Translation with a specialization in Canadian Studies from the University of Ottawa. Her research has focused on the intersection of language and education policies as they impact the formation of identity among linguistic minority groups, as well as on Bible translation in postcolonial contexts, and the retranslation and revision of Biblical texts.