Debbie Phelps Speaker Biography
Retired Educator, Children’s Activist, and Mother and #1 Supporter of the Greatest Olympian of All Time, Michael Phelps
As swimmer Michael Phelps won his 22nd Olympic medal (his 18th Gold) he lovingly tossed his Olympic bouquet to his mother in the stands. Debbie Phelps watched like the rest of the world as her son broke records in his fourth and final Olympics in London. As the mother of the Greatest Olympian of All Time, Debbie Phelps has been by her son Michael Phelps side from the beginning. Watching Debbie live through the excitement of Michael’s eight gold medal races in the 2008 Beijing Olympics quickly became “must-see TV.” She exemplified what every American was feeling as Michael captured a piece of Olympic history. JOHNSON’S ® Baby recognized Debbie’s devotion to her children by naming her “Mom of the Olympic Game.”
Professional Career
Debbie is also widely recognized as an innovative, energetic and talented teacher and principal with more than three decades of teaching and administrative experience. Recently retired, Debbie was the Principal of Windsor Middle School in the Baltimore County Public Schools system. Her dedication and commitment to excellence in the field of education has earned Deborah many honors, including Baltimore County Public School’s Teacher of the Year Finalist, two-time Maryland Family & Consumer Science Teacher of the Year and Baltimore County’s Baby Boomer of the Year (2004).
Executive Director
Ms. Phelps is the Executive Director of The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, Inc., which provides funds for innovative programs, and resources for students and teachers. The Education Foundation is a private, non-profit charitable organization under IRS section 501(c)(3), accepting contributions that are designated by philanthropic donors for specific purposes, such as scholarships for post-secondary opportunities to 2-year/4-year colleges and universities, HBCU book scholarships and trade and technical school scholarships to purchase “tools for the trade.” The Foundation also provide opportunities for schools to establish school-based innovative projects and a variety of 21st Century themed grants as well as unrestricted funds that are then granted by the Education Foundation in response to requests for support and to fulfill school system goals.
Motivational Speaker
Debbie Phelps is a highly sought after keynote speaker and has done a wide variety of education conferences, mental health programs, business seminars, charity events, etc. She addresses topics related to education, child development, parenting and life lessons & mental health. She usually focuses on motivational speeches that encourage people to support their children at every stage and focus on their individual needs. She is often asked to share her experiences with her famous son, Michael Phelps, as it relates to ADHD and mental health. As a celebrated public speaker, Deborah has addressed various education conferences and business seminars including Every Child Matters Education Fund, POWERED by ME!, Strategic Air & Space Museum’s Brain Educators Conference, and Children’s Mental Health Institute.
Author
Beyond the school halls, Ms. Phelps is also affectionately known as a “swim mom” to three accomplished swimmers. She recently added “author” to her resume with the release of her first book, A Mother for All Seasons, in which she reveals the universal themes of her life story that is rich with struggle, humor, hope, advice and passion and rallies readers to cheer for all of our children at every stage of their growth and in every endeavor.
Children’s Activist
Debbie serves on multiple business and community-advisory boards including the Board of Directors of the Maryland Center for Character Education and American Students’ Fund, the Kids Helping Hopkins Board of Directors, as well as a board member for Northwest Hospital. She has been actively involved with a variety of charity organizations, such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County, Make-A-Wish Foundation Mid-Atlantic region, Pathfinders for Autism, and John’s Hopkins Shock Trauma Medical Center among others. Deborah is also a spokeswoman for Chico’s.
Education
The proud mother of three children (including Olympic swimming record holder Michael Phelps) and grandmother of six received her master’s in education management and supervision from Loyola College (MD) and her bachelor’s in education from Fairmont State College, from which she received the Outstanding Alumnae honor in 2010 and was the Commencement Speaker in 2009.
Debbie Phelps Speaking Topics
Debbie Phelps Books
A Mother for All Seasons: A Memoir
Purchase BookDebbie Phelps Videos
Debbie Phelps Articles
Debbie Phelps Speaker Testimonials
Debbie was amazing!!! She was a smashing success at our event and I couldn't be more pleased! The dinner last evening was also a huge success and one woman told me there was "so much love" shared among the group.... And, the interview today went extremely well....Ann Taylor, the writer told me they were both laughing and crying and it was the best interview she has done! Lastly, the book signing was terrific! Debbie took time with each guest and asked about their life in order to write a lovely personal note in each book. She was so warm and kind!
- | Indian River Medical Center Foundation
Deborah was an amazingly engaged speaker and interacted with the crowd before, during and after her presentation. We were truly delighted with her presentation as was our audience. A big thank you to Deborah and the entire team who helped to make this a reality for Harford County Public Library’s first ever Women’s Summit.
- | Harford County Public Library
Please pass along our deepest thanks to Debbie. She was absolutely wonderful. Her fireside chat was engaging, inspiring, and so authentic. Her story truly resonated with everyone in the room, our moms, donors, and community partners alike. Each person could see a piece of themselves in her journey, which made the conversation more powerful. Debbie’s openness and insight helped ground the audience in the importance of our work in supporting single moms as they pursue higher education and build brighter futures for their families. We greatly appreciate her taking the time to be a part of our Voices Rising event.
- | Jeremiah Program Baltimore
