Alumni Profile: Debra Prette

Debbie graduated from St. Norbert College in 1988 with a personal degree in Public Relations.  While at St. Norbert, Debbie served on the College Activities Board as the Winter Carnival Chairperson, a Freshman Orientation Guide, Secretary for Theta Phi Sorority, a Little Sister to Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity, and Senior Graduation Committee.  Her involvement in so many wonderful activities and a strong educational background from St. Norbert provided Debbie with the building blocks for what has become an amazing 20 years since graduation.

Prior to her current position, Debbie pursued a career utilizing her strong background in Sales and Technology.  She gained experience in both the private and public sectors during her tenure as a Business Systems Analyst at the Village of Hoffman Estates. She took on the responsibility of administering the SunGard Public Sector Financial and Community software applications utilized village-wide.  She served as the chairperson for the SunGard Public Sector Midwest User Group for 3 years and doubled the size of membership to close to 125 local government and K-12 representatives from 5 states.

In 2004, Debbie returned to the classroom and pursued an Executive Masters Degree in Business from Northern Illinois University.  After her 10 years in the Public Sector and receiving her EMBA she was offered a position at SunGard Public Sector as a Product Consultant and moved across country to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to pursue a new career opportunity.  

Professionally, Debbie was promoted to Senior Product Consultant and now presents software to both Local Government Municipalities and K-12 School Districts all over the country.  Most recently she was asked to initiate and chair a Green Team Committee with the goal of educating her co-workers on becoming more energy efficient and conscious of the environment through recycling programs and sustainability plans.

Personally, Debbie has spent the past 20 years volunteering in the community as the Schaumburg Septemberfest Volunteer Chairperson, an American Heart Association coordinator and Relay For Life Event Chair for American Cancer Society in both Illinois and Pennsylvania.  In 2007, as chair of the Relay For Life of Bethlehem she doubled the amount raised to $135,000 in the second year of the event.  Most recently, Debbie was offered a volunteer position on the East Central Pennsylvania Division Task Force for Relay For Life.

Debbie has learned much and experienced more but most importantly she has always remembered that “ Fear of failure must never be a reason not to try something.”  -Frederick Smith