Debra (Deb) Shinder was born and raised in the DFW area and has made her home in Rowlett since 2004. She was elected to the city council in May 2022. Deb previously served the City of Rowlett as a member of a bond committee, two charter commissions, the Board of Adjustment, and the Planning and Zoning Commission. She is active in the Rowlett Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Rowlett Professional Women’s Group.
Municipal government runs in Deb’s family. Her father retired from the City of Dallas after thirty-two years of service. Her own passion for “city life” began in her 20s when she was appointed city secretary for the City of Balch Springs. She has also held the positions of city secretary, police officer, and city councilmember in the City of Seagoville. She worked as an instructor at NCTCOG Regional Police Academy and as lead instructor and training coordinator for Eastfield College’s Criminal Justice Training program, then served on Eastfield’s CJ Training advisory board for almost ten years.
When she moved to the private sector, Deb built a business and a reputation as an established expert and author in the cybercrime and IT security and compliance fields and has written or contributed to over twenty books. Microsoft awarded her the status of MVP (Most Valuable Professional) for fourteen years in a row.
Deb is involved and interested in all aspects of city government, with a special focus on public safety, strategic planning and economic development, information technology and IT security, and animal services. As a councilmember, Deb’s priorities include making local government processes more business-friendly and more people-friendly, repairing or replacing aging infrastructure and facilities, and helping to guide Rowlett’s growth and future development in a way that preserves the hometown ambiance and quality of life while providing new amenities and opportunities that citizens want and need.
Deb has a daughter who is a 20-year Navy veteran and lives in Japan, and a son who works in the international chess field and lives in Colorado. Deb and her husband, Tom, love their home here on the lake and enjoy long walks in our city parks.
