2024 Women of Distinction – Deborah DeBoutez

Councilmember
City of Greeley

What’s your proudest moment either personally or professionally?

I’ve had several moments:  watching my adult daughters become advocates and concerned citizens; getting my college degree; running for an elected office; quitting smoking; and being a part of a community that holds a Guinness World Record for the Longest, Continuous Chalk Art – Greeley!

How do you like to unwind?

I enjoy unwinding by sitting on my deck, under one-hundred-year old trees, watching the bats eat mosquitoes with a glass of wine. I like to walk, bike, hike, snowshoe and meet with people, and start my day in a quiet morning of reading, yoga and coffee.

Who is your mentor or role model?

I stand on the shoulders of determined, intelligent women – my Grandmas, one a professional musician the other a genuine homesteader, my Mom who became a psychologist in the 1950s, a mother-in-law, who was a social worker and raised an amazing son, and Becky Safarik, former Assistant City Manager in Greeley, a true civil servant with decades of dedication to the City.

What’s ahead for you personally or professionally?

I’d like to continue to represent the residents of Greeley on City Council, especially those living in the older, beloved part of town. I’d like to see several projects get off the ground – pedestrian/bike tunnels under Highway 34, regenerating the urban forest, expanding access to parks/trails and open space and increasing the number of employment opportunities in our city.