Deb Downing

B.A., Social Work, 1981

After receiving her BASW from WSU, Deb Downing completed her MS in Education Social Agency Counseling from the University of Dayton in 1989 and her MSW from the University of Cincinnati in 2000. Deb has over 28 years experience in social services, primarily working with children, adolescents, and their families. She has worked for Shelby County Children’s Services; Specialized Alternatives for Youth in Delphos, Ohio; Montgomery County Children’s Services; and currently for Montgomery County Jobs and Family Services.

Deb is the assistant director of Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services. In this capacity she manages the Social Services and Income Support Division which includes a staff of over 300 employees who provide the following services: Ohio Works First which is time limited cash assistance to needy families and work activities to promote self sufficiency, food assistance, Medicaid health care, senior services, and child care services.

Deb’s devotion to the WSU social work department includes serving on the professional advisory board for over six years, serving on the University Partnership Program Advisory Board, and teaching one of the required child welfare classes for six years. Deb helped found the social work alumni society with help from the WSU alumni association. She is the society’s first president. She was also an active member of the social work alumni committee and has helped coordinate alumni activities with the social work club. The social work alumni society is organizing a fund raiser for social work scholarships. The Social Work Department is indebted to the energy, time, and support Deb has given back to her alma mater.