Debra Prewitt, Director

Debra Prewitt has twenty years of experience in public policy analysis and application. During that time she served in an elected capacity as a mayor and Florida State Representative.  As an elected member of the City Council of New Port Richey, Ms. Prewitt represented the City on numerous boards and committees including Pasco Committee of 100, Metropolitan Planning Organization, West Coast Regional Water Supply Authority (now Tampa Bay Water).  In 1992, she became the city's first woman Mayor.  In 1994 after serving three terms on the City Council, term limits prohibited her from seeking re-election. In 1994 Ms. Prewitt was elected to the Florida House of Representatives serving two terms.

In 1990, simultaneous to her elected service, Ms. Prewitt was appointed as the Interim Executive Director of the Deaf Service Center of Pasco County.  In 1991, the Board of Directors unanimously appointed her as Executive Director.  During her decade of service she elevated the agency's public image and enhanced the professionalism of the staff drastically improving client services. During her tenure, Ms. Prewitt was responsible for acquiring $1.6 million dollars in grants and contracts for the agency.  The agency expanded and added programs to benefit individuals who were deaf, hard-of-hearing, and late-deafened. 

For the past eight years she has been employed with the JWB Children’s Services Council as The Special Assistant to the Executive Director (2001-07), and the Director of Children’s Policy (2007-Present). Her areas of expertise include state and federal legislative policy and budgets.  She has systems knowledge in the provision of services to children and adults with disabilities.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Eckerd College, and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of South Florida.

Email Debra: dprewitt@jwbpinellas.org

Call Debra:  727-547-5683