Deborah Simon was raised in Guatemala. She came to the United States and joined Rotary in 1992.  She is a Rotary past president and a member of the Rotary club of Santa Fe. In 1996, while participating on medical teams in Uspantan, Guatemala, her assistance was requested in eliminating cholera in the region. She obtained a grant from the Rotary Foundation for a clean water project.  The project was very successful she has been coordinating Rotary global grants ever since. In 2004 Deborah founded a non-profit called United by Friendship, to better respond to international needs that Rotary does not fund, such as the construction of schools and clinics. The result has been that, between Rotary and United by Friendship, 22 Guatemalan communities now have clean water systems, and many others now have adequate schools and medical care.
Deborah and her husband Tom are active in Rotary.  She was also named “One of 10 That Made a Difference” by the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper.  In 2015 and 2016, she was honored by Rotary Zone 27 as one of 15 persons worldwide to receive the Rotary Alumni Global Service Award.