WHY DEBRA WORKS IN GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
“Every time I am in the halls of the Tennessee General Assembly, I am drawn to the late 19th-century portraits of my great-great-grandfather, Richard Hancock, and great-grandfather, Jacob Young, who served the people of Tennessee. What would they and their Democratic colleagues have thought about one of their granddaughters becoming Republican caucus chair? It’s an honor to continue to serve, now helping clients make sense of it all.” 

HOW DEBRA WINS

Elected to the Legislature in 2004, Debra quickly rose to prominence as one of the most influential leaders in Tennessee. Debra served in the 104th through 107th Tennessee General Assemblies and became one of the Republican Party’s leading voices on education reform and economic development. As Republican Whip and Caucus Chair, Debra oversaw the winning Republican legislative campaigns that took the historic House Majority.

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Debra was a substantive lawmaker—successfully passing all of the following legislation:

• Collaborative Conferencing Act: Gave teachers in the State of Tennessee a voice at the negotiating table, ending the teachers’ union’s stranglehold on local education control

• Voter ID Requirement: Ensured that only persons legally able to vote are permitted to cast a vote in Tennessee by passing constitutionally sound legislation

• Sex Offender and Child Abuse Crackdown: Her legislation brought Tennessee into compliance with the Adam Walsh Act and allowed video-taped evidence of a child testifying against his or her alleged offender to be admissible in a courtroom

• Tort Reform: Enabling businesses to operate on a level playing field throughout the State

• Tax Reform: Eliminated gift and estate taxes in Tennessee to attract jobs and investment

• Social Justice: Passed the resolution amending the Tennessee Constitution to restore the legislature’s power to regulate abortion in Tennessee and consistently championed pro-Second Amendment policies

 

HOW DEBRA MAKES CONNECTIONS

No one in Tennessee public service matches Debra in terms of the scope of her deep and lasting relationships, stretching across a network of family, personal, and professional ties to public service, business, politics, and her community.

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• Delegate to the 2012 Republican National Convention; Member, Tennessee Republican Party, Executive Committee, 2002-2004; Sumner County Republican Women vice-chair 2017-2019

• Republican campaign experience, including vice-chair of the Sumner County Republican Party from 1999-2003 with positions within several U.S. Senate and Gubernatorial campaigns, as well as local and state campaigns in every election cycle for three decades

• B.A., Advertising, Western Kentucky University

• Master of Arts, Conflict Management, Lipscomb University, Nashville

• Active member of Phi Mu Fraternity for Women and served on the board of Western Kentucky University’s Alumni Association

• Member, Sumner County Republican Women’s Club, Chamber of Commerce, current President of the Hendersonville Evening Rotary Club

• Vestry Member, St. Joseph Episcopal Church

• Current Secretary of the Tennessee Lobbyist Association

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Debra’s pride and joy are her daughter, Brittainy, and her 10-year old granddaughter and 7-year old grandson.