Debra A. Brown-DeLone has over 45 years of management experience, managing programs and personnel requiring extensive public relations, office management, contract management and employee development. She has a strong record of accomplishments, including, effective interfacing with the private sector, federal and local governments. Mrs. Brown-DeLone has extensive experience in planning and implementing large programs and training personnel. More than 20 years of her work life was spent in the Virgin Islands government working with grants, capital improvement programs, (CDBG), special projects coordination and development of the government workforce.

She traveled and worked in the Eastern Caribbean, Central America and South America. As Chief of Staff to a Senator in the Virgin Islands, she was instrumental in co-organizing trade conferences for the Eastern Caribbean States Export Development Agency (ECEDA).

During the years,1991-2000, she trained and developed 11,000 employees of the government of the US Virgin Islands and, also worked as a contract facilitator for Johnson and Wales University in Miami. She has conducted staff development training on board Cruise ships for two years. She trained Cruise Line managers and staff in Business 101 and communication skills.

For more than 12 years Miss Brown-DeLone planned, coordinated and officiated over the Government Employees Recognition Ceremony and Luncheon held annually by the Governor of the Virgin Islands for Employees of the Year.

Additionally, she was appointed by the Governor to work for President Bill Clinton and Hilary Clinton during their two visits to St. Thomas. She worked with White House staff on Island to ensure a successful visit for the President and First Lady.

From 2000-2003, she served as Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands where she managed and administered programs and services for the homeless and potentially homeless. She has experience in Human Service organizational processes and non-profit fundraising and was successful in moving the organization from recurring deficits to successful financial management and stability. As Executive Director she had management supervision over a staff of more than 25 persons on the Islands of St. Thomas and St. Croix.

In 2003, after moving to the Washington, DC area, she became a facilitator for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for 10 years conducting Peer Diversity Training and developing peer trainers in the public schools of Washington DC, Montgomery County and Virginia. Her training and development background spans 30 years of work developing adult learners and high school students. The focus of the “World of Difference” program was diversity and anti-bullying, developing students to become allies and school trainers.

She has vast expertise with the mass media, including holding press conferences, developing press releases, managing advertising programs, and conducting interviews. She worked for a VI magazine as a freelance writer, interviewing and writing about local personalities and world renown designer Oscar de La Renta. From 1994-2000 she served as the Mistress of Ceremonies for two Beauty Pageants in the US Virgin Islands, the Miss Carnival Queen pageant and the Miss Senior America pageant, appearing before crowds of more than 10,000.

As President of the League of Women Voters she was the moderator for the 1998 Virgin Islands Governor debates. In addition, she is the Past President of the League of Women Voters-Virgin Islands, Past President of Rotary Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands and Past-President of the Rockville, MD Lions Club where she has been an active member for 15 years. She has received numerous Lions Club awards, including a Lions International President Award for her work and leadership in the Lions Club organization.

Debra has published an article on Women of the Virgin Islands in the Friends of Denmark’s 100th Anniversary issue celebrating the transfer of the Virgin Islands from Denmark to the United States in 1917. She also published a five-part series of her research for her book on “Women of the Virgin Islands: Their Impact on its Growth and Development,” in the online St. Thomas Source newspaper. See Part 5 with links to the other 4 parts of the series at: https://stthomassource.com/content/2021/03/30/part-5-virgin-islands-woman-renowned-women-of-distinction/

Mrs. Brown DeLone has a BA in Human Service Administration from Notre Dame of Maryland University and a Master’s in Public Administration from American University with an emphasis in non-profit management and international development. She is the Founder and President of AdeLITA, LLC., a Training and Development Company. She lectures and facilitates each year for the University of the Virgin Islands in their Certified Public Managers program.

She has served on the Board of Directors for several organizations and recently served as President of the Board of the Encore Creativity for Older Adults, the largest growing Chorale group for older adults in America. In retirement Miss Brown-DeLone’s focus is as a supporter of the Arts; namely, Encore Creativity, the Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia (SONOVA) and as an avid collector of Art.

In her spare time, she enjoys her grandchildren; Alonzo, August and Thayre, as well as playing tennis and golf, and traveling around the world with her husband, Dr. William H. DeLone. They both sing with the Capital Encore Chorale and Rock group. She has a daughter Andrea Brown-White and two Stepchildren, Tim and Niki DeLone.