With over 26 years of experience in clinical social work, Professor Deborah Kemp is passionate about empowering and supporting others in achieving their goals. As the founder and benefactor of the Tracy Wheeler and Precious Leshay Johnson Nursing Scholarship, Deborah is committed to helping unconventional college students, especially mothers, pursue their dreams of higher education in various service fields nursing and social work or whatever field aligns with their think outside the box-Passion!

Deborah’s journey began when she earned her BSW degree from Western Kentucky University in 1998, followed by her MSSW from the Kent School of Social Work in 2001. Her extensive career has included roles such as working in Child Welfare for the Cabinet for Family and Children and serving as a regional program director for The Institute for Family Centered Services, where she focused on family preservation and reunification.

Her dedication to helping underserved populations continued through in her work as a dual diagnosis therapist at Lifespring in Jeffersonville, IN, where she led treatment groups for co-occurring disorders of mental health and substance abuse. Additionally, Deborah played a pivotal role in the early creation of a community Drug Court partnership, using a strengths-based approach to guide individuals back to recovery, housing, and employment.

Currently, Deborah is the program manager for the Post 9/11 Military to Veteran Case Management Program, where she has worked for over 17 years on a multidisciplinary team. She has also served as co-lead on the National leadership team for strategic communications with the VAMC National Program Office and is proud to be an adjunct professor in Social Work at Kentucky State University for her eighth semester. Deborah continues to uplift her peers through conducting LCSW supervision for those advanced level social workers who are working toward independent licensure. Lastly, she is the co-owner of Anti-Racism4U where she along with her business partner do workshops and presentations to businesses, universities and other organizations to promote a justice oriented mind-set. She is a wife, mother and active member in her church ministry.

Through the Precious Leshay Johnson Nursing Scholarship and the Tracy Wheeler scholarship, Deborah aims to honor her commitment to education and community service by providing opportunities for scholars in higher education and those ambitious and motivated enough to achieve their goals and make a meaningful impact on the world even when the road gets ROUGH!

“I think every individual has his or her own power, and it’s a matter of working, taking time and defining what that power is.” -Jill Scott