Debra Campbell

Debra Campbell is originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee and the youngest of 5 children. She is an accomplished executive with 47 years of experience in City Management, Planning, Economic Development and Neighborhood Revitalization. Most recently, Debra served seven years as City Manager of Asheville, North Carolina, where she implemented policies, oversaw 17 departments, and led 1200 employees, focusing on community sustainability, economic vitality and employee growth and development.

Debra’s tenure in Asheville has been marked by her steadfast and effective leadership during high-pressure situations. She is particularly proud of her ability to support both staff and the community through various emergencies, including Tropical Storm Helene, a city-wide water outage, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the defund the police movement and its related social unrest.

Before Asheville, she was Assistant City Manager in Charlotte, North Carolina, providing support to various departments including planning, economic development, housing and neighborhood development, aviation, and transit. She also spent over a decade as Planning Director for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Department, shaping the physical and economic landscape of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County region. This extensive background provides a unique perspective on building resilient communities. Her contributions to Charlotte were recently recognized by her “Power 100” designation, highlighting her impact on the city’s development over the past 25 years.

She holds both a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Middle Tennessee State University. Debra is actively involved in numerous professional organizations and has served on various nonprofit boards. As noted her contributions have been recognized with several awards, including being named Governing Magazine’s Public Official of the Year in 2007.

Her formal education and leadership roles have honed her experience and skills as an effective facilitator, collaborator and communicator.