Deborah Lehmann is a strategic and responsive leader, professional coach and grief educator with a proven track record of reacting quickly and creatively to new challenges and circumstances. Deborah joined the Parent Resource Centre (PRC) in 2015 with a passion for the organization’s vital mission and a strong understanding of the community’s need for the services it provides. With a focus on child development, mental health and parenting support, the PRC helps build confident, resilient families in Ottawa. Deborah’s vision for the organization is to create communities where all children discover and develop skills to live the best life possible. In her role as Executive Director, she encourages a culture of creativity and innovation and ensures PRC continues to provide best practices to support each child’s unique processes and circumstances.
Prior to her arrival at PRC, Deborah spent 10 years focused on end-of-life services in British Columbia. In 2009, Deborah had the vision for a leading-edge campus of care and large scale partnership in Abbotsford. She was one of the founding members of an integrated health-care development; a single location with a range of services and support networks for children, youth, adults and families. During her career, she worked diligently to change the paradigm that hospice care is only for seniors and advocate for more funds to be allocated to children and families for grief and loss support services. Deborah is an exceptionally engaging public speaker on topics including; family dynamics at end of life, children and grief, grief in the workplace and adjusting to life after loss.
In British Columbia, Deborah was a Rotarian and her other community contributions included membership on the Abbotsford Police Board and the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Of particular interest to Deborah was her involvement with the Social Development Advisory Committee that provided advice to City Council on social issues, to help guide the City’s social planning, including its most vulnerable and marginalized citizens.
In Ottawa, her many volunteer roles have included service as a member of the Adoption Council of Canada’s Board of Directors, Habitat for Humanity’s Family Partnering Committee, the Ottawa Association of Fundraising Professionals Board of Directors and Bruyere Continuing Care Board of Directors. More recently, she has joined an advisory committee of Hospice Care Ottawa and the Laurentian Chapter of the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire (IODE), a grass roots organization that supports charities who work with women and children.
The value she brings to clients, staff, donors and community partners flows from the experience, insight and life lessons she has gained throughout her career spanning over 16 years in the social service sector.