Deb Thomas is a corporate lawyer by training and has had various volunteer roles at CWE since 2008, including volunteer coordinator and WBENC committee member. For the past 5 years she has chaired the Resource Development Committee and the annual Auction & Gala. Previously she served on the Board of Trustees of Harborlight Montessori School in Beverly, Massachusetts. As Chair, she helped guide the school through a merger, sale of one campus and a head of school search.

Deb was formerly Staff Counsel at IBM Lotus, where she specialized in strategic agreements, mergers and acquisitions, technology licensing and competitive marketing. Prior to IBM, Deb was an associate at Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP, where she focused on private and public equity financings, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital fund formation and SEC reporting. She is a graduate of Dartmouth College and New York University School of Law.

Why CWE?

I was first introduced to CWE in 2002 when my law firm created an externship with CWE. For five months I met with CWE clients every day, and I was amazed by their energy, creativity and determination. They had innovative ideas for products and services, but desperately needed business skills and advice in a supportive atmosphere. Each one was sincerely appreciative of the help she received from CWE. I grew to care deeply about those clients and CWE’s mission. By helping these women achieve their potential, we are helping them create better lives for themselves and their families, we are supporting their neighborhoods and neighbors with local businesses and jobs, and we are creating role models to inspire the next generation.