Professor Young became enamored of acting, performing in Carbondale, Collinsville, and Chicago, Illinois, at a variety of venues including Second City, MoMing, and Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, where she majored in Radio and Television.

Performing, directing, and writing for numerous radio and TV gigs, including the Emmy Award Winning HBO Series: Letters Home from Vietnam, she was an active-duty broadcast journalist, covering events such as the Mount St. Helen’s eruption, Baader Meinhof, and the Beirut Bombing during the 1980s.

Winning numerous DoD, national, and international awards, Deb hosted live radio and television interview shows, created European travel features, and produced promotional, training, and documentary features with her own video production business in San Diego, California, for 18 years.

With more than 30 years of broadcast industry experience and more than 15 years’ experience teaching traditional and online courses, she earned her Ph.D. in 1995 from Walden University, specializing in Multimedia.

"My strong background in writing, research, and broadcasting provides WWU students with both the theoretical and applied skills required of modern communication students. Teamwork is critical, but students today are able to gain experience in many individual roles and media outlets, determining their strengths and enacting their dreams.”