Meet Deborah Watkins (Buffalo, NY)

Deborah Watkins is a Retired Deputy Superintendent for the New York State department of Corrections and Community Supervision. She currently resides in Buffalo, New York. A single parent, she is the proud mother of twin sons. One is a graduate from the University of Pittsburg with a degree in Finance with a minor in Economics. He is currently in a Commercial Banking training program for a major Bank. The other son is currently enrolled at Buffalo State College majoring in Industrial Technology and will be graduating in the Fall of2017. He is also presently employed with a Real estate development Company in Buffalo, NY. Deborah is a graduate of Medaille College of Buffalo, NY with a Master’s in Organizational Leadership. She holds a bachelor degree from Canisius College of Buffalo, NY in Business Management. 

Deborah’s love for reading was the catalyst for her writing career. An avid reader, at one point in time she would read a book a week. Deborah started a newsletter for her family leading to their first family reunion. The family especially the elders loved the newsletter and encouraged her to keep it up. While attending a workshop Deborah had an epiphany she should write a book. She attended workshops and discovered her purpose. While in graduate school, Deborah became proficient at writing papers and just about all of her professors marveled at the quality and effectiveness of her writing. She self-published her first book in 2014, From Mediocre to Marvelous. She has a new book due to be released in 2017 entitled, “Some Will be King Makers - A Single Mother’s Journey Raising African American Males.” She is presently working on a fiction piece.

Deborah loves to of course read, go to the gym, and travel. She is a member of Toastmasters international and active in her club. She is involved with her graduate college alumni groups. She volunteers at a soup kitchen once a month, and is an active member of her church.