Debora Kerr, Chief Operations Officer
In over twelve years work in the nonprofit sector Debora Kerr, M.A., has demonstrated her effectiveness in building cross-industry and multi-disciplinary collaborations, resource and economic development, research, and project management. Her activities in public health and healthcare, biotechnology, education, youth programs, and workforce development have resulted in financial assistance and operational support to foster and at-risk youth, low-income and disadvantaged individuals, displaced workers, and other vulnerable populations.
In addition to serving as staff of the Palm Beach County Workforce Alliance and the Palm Beach County Health Department, she has been involved in numerous leadership roles in community efforts locally and regionally, including serving on the steering committee for the 10-year Palm Beach County Economic Development Plan, Mobilizing for Planning and Partnership (MAPP), a county-wide strategic health services planning process, membership on the Advisory Committee for the Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Center for Bioterrorism and All-Hazards Preparedness (CBAP), and serving on the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation Advisory Board.
After being involved in planning and securing start-up funding ($1.25 million) for the Florida Public Health Institute through Quantum Foundation and the NNPHI/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Ms. Kerr brings her diverse knowledge and experience to the Institute as Assistant Director. She works closely with Claude Earl Fox, M.D., M.P.H., to oversee business/resource development and project expansion of its five centers of excellence and health policy bureau. The five centers include: workforce development; bio-preparedness and health system readiness; primary care and prevention; research, education and training; and a center for a sustainable environment and safe water.
She coordinated the Institute’s first annual summit, a business focused disaster preparedness meeting, that explored issues including pandemic influenza and bio-preparedness discussed by guest panelists from the public and private sector and is currently building a collaboration with local and state partners to focus on water science and technology as a public health topic.
Other active projects include FQHC expansion, oral health access, public health workforce, health policy, H1N1 preparedness public/private partnerships and a project with Florida Atlantic University's departments of environmental science and engineering to study climate change and public health in South Florida.
