Deborah Ralston is a founding board member of OCPA and treasurer of the organization. She has lived on Ocracoke for seven years and visited for many years while a resident of Indiana. Deborah has a masters in education and a masters in leadership and ministry . She has taught high school, owned a natural foods store, prepared tax returns, and been director/counselor of a Christian lay counseling center. Because she always felt learning to swim was so important, she taught infant/toddler swimming when her daughters were young and that passion has carried over to her work with OCPA. In her down time she enjoys reading, building design, sewing, gardening, cooking, visiting family and beach walking with her husband.