WEST VALLEY WOMEN WOMAN OF THE YEAR

Debbie Esparza

Governance Committee Chair, CEO, YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix

Debbie Esparza serves as CEO of YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix. Her commitment to YWCA’s mission to eliminate racism and empower women began more than 25 years ago as a donor, volunteer, and national board member. She is thrilled to come full circle as she has been appointed to the YWCA USA Board, again.

Debbie brings a diverse leadership perspective to her work with experiences in banking, consulting, entrepreneurship, academia, and 20 years in non-profit executive leadership.  By centering her work on the advancement of marginalized communities and empowerment of women and girls, her viewpoint has always been focused through a lens of race and gender.

Blending her intersections and lived experience, Debbie is on a mission to disrupt and dismantle the systemic barriers that perpetuate social and racial inequities. Debbie is compelled to get up and do this work until injustice is rooted out, institutions are transformed, and the world sees women, girls, and people of color the way she does: Equal. Powerful. Unstoppable.

Her personal philanthropy supports LGBTQ+ issues, women & girl’s empowerment and leadership endeavors. She is active in Latina Giving Circle and is on the board of NASSPDA.

In her spare time, Debbie enjoys competitive ballroom dancing. She and her female dance partner are trailblazers in gender-neutral dancing and lead switching. In 2018, she crossed a major item off her bucket list when she competed at the Gay Games in Paris, France.