09/05/2012
Early on, the family of seven moved to upstate New York where Debra spent her childhood summers with her family in Brooklyn while her father performed as a Borscht Belt comedian in upstate New York. For years, Debra would perform with her father onstage doing an Abbott and Costello-style bit. The family later moved to Newport Beach, California, where she attended Corona Del Mar High School (go Sea Kings!) After graduating, Debra started working for her brother Scott at Stone-Manners Agency.
After thirteen years there, she decided to spread her wings and went into casting for seven years. She was casting coordinator for Passions, Nash Bridges, and Marshall Law on NBC, worked with Sheila Manning in commercials, and collaborated with Michael Mann in talent management. She also worked in the world of feature films with Robert McGee, Cathy Henderson, and Dori Zuckerman, and cast for notable figures such as John Voight and Dorothy Koster. During this time Debra was also made center stage at a prominent charity event show that she helped produce for William Shatner and Patrick Duffy, where she coordinated all major celebrities, talent, and charities.
After John Voight took a short hiatus to the UK for a few months, Debra started working at DH Talent Agency. She quickly gained momentum in the company and started the youth, adult, voice-over, band, and stunt departments. By her third year, she had created an agency within an agency. After spending seven years there, Debra started her own management company, DMTA, where she represents talent for film, television, commercials, theatre, print, and voice overs.
Debra is a proud aunt to eight wonderful individuals and she had custody of two of her nephews for over a decade. Debra was baptized as a Christian 18 years ago and gives thanks to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit for blessing her life every single day.
Quote from Debra:
“God is the key to life. The energy and the life force of who I am is because of Him- His love, His direction, His protection, His guidance. He is my strength. He is the reason I’m able to do what I do and I’m so thankful and grateful for the Lord’s love.”
