Deborah Burton

Deborah Burton began her career with UMFS in 1995 as a Social Worker in the UMFS Tidewater office. She previously worked for the Department of Social Services (DSS) and residential programs. In Tidewater, Deborah worked in a unique program designed to provide permanency options for children who lived with family members who had AIDS. The “My Sister’s Children” program resulted in a standby guardianship law for parents, which allowed them the opportunity to plan for the care of their children if they became incapacitated or passed away.

Deborah would go on to be named Adoption Supervisor at the UMFS Richmond office and was later promoted to Associate Program Director for the South Hill office. After leaving the agency for a year, Deborah returned as Program Director for the South Hill office. Since her return to the agency in 2003, Deborah was promoted to a Regional Director’s position for the South and West Region. Under Deborah’s leadership, that program grew to include offices in Lynchburg, South Hill, and Farmville.