Debra Schweiger Berg

Debra J. Berg is an author, inspirational speaker, businesswoman and nonprofit professional whose life took a dramatic turn after she stumbled across some everyday people sacrificing their personal lives, 401Ks, and even personal safety. Why were they doing it? Debra found out they were motivated to come up with answers to help rescue those less fortunate in their communities since no one else was doing it. Her life was never the same after an 8-year nationwide journey uncovering dozens of these individuals whose successful social solutions are now confounding the experts.

The ideas of everyday citizens have transformed even the Top 10 worst neighborhoods in America, reversed homelessness, and saved thousands from living on the streets. And they've done it on budgets totaling just a fraction of government social programs. That's great news for the country! Debra chronicles these true-to-life stories in her book, The Power of One: The Unsung Everyday Heroes Rescuing America’s Cities, which has received endorsements from the Pew Foundation and the Chicago Sun-Times.

After 18 years of connecting with more citizen innovators across the nation, Debra confidently points to an inspiring trend she boldly titles "The New Civic America". She'll even convince the biggest skeptic that she's right. When she speaks, she challenges her audiences to take action and tap their ingenuity to identify unmet opportunities and needs right around them. And it isn’t unusual for Debra to receive feedback from attendees or those who've read her book. Many have gone on to launch new causes, volunteer for the first time, or even enter the national political arena. Her keynote topic, "The Power of One", is adaptable to any venue or audience. Arrange for Debra to speak to your group.

Learn more about the initiative Debra has founded, the National Institute for Civic Enterprise and NICE Change Productions at www.NICENetwork.org. NICE is a virtual nonprofit incubator that connects nonprofit founders with mentors. It also fosters the replication of highly effective, low-cost solutions to the nation’s "budget-busting" social challenges.

Prior to Her Journey:

Debra is a native of East Central Illinois. She holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the University of Illinois and three certifications in nonprofit administration from the Rollins Crummer Graduate School of Business. She served for a decade as a legislative finance analyst for three state legislatures and for a congressional representative. She has also worked for three corporations and two international nonprofits in finance, marketing, and software. After building a successful marketing company in the nineties, Debra pursued her life-changing journey. Today she speaks, writes, and connects with nonprofit founders around the world to bring visibility to great causes. All of her book and speaking proceeds go toward NICE and its programs. Debra resides in Florida with her husband Paul, the city manager of Eustis. They have two grown daughters.