Advisory Council

Debra A. Carr  - Debra founded and directed the first Miss Black Iowa U.S.A. Pageant in 1987 and served in a leadership role at the first Miss Black U.S.A. Pageant held in Washington, DC in 1987.  She served as Executive Director for the Miss Black U.S.A. Pageant from 1988 – 1993 and currently serves on the National Advisory Council.  She has provided consultant work for a number of pageants throughout the country. 

Debra is an accomplished executive with broad expertise in managing administrative operations in public, private and corporate sectors.  She currently serves as Director of Economic Development for the ISED Ventures, a national non-profit organization that serves to strengthen the social and economic well being of individuals and families. 

She is active in several volunteer and civic activities, including serving on a number of Boards throughout the nation.  She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and chairs the Physical and Mental Health Committee of the Des Moines Alumnae Chapter.

Debra has received a number of outstanding community and civic awards for her work with impacting change for disadvantaged groups, most notably: Directors Award – University of Iowa School of Social Work, Outstanding Women of America Award, Honorary Doctorate of Letters Degree from Aspen Theological Seminary.  One of her favorite mottos is: “Next to God we are indebted to women, first for life itself, and then for making it worth living.” Debra has 11 year old twin sons and currently resides in Des Moines, Iowa.