Debra L Runbeck

DEBRA RUNBECK, originally from Chicago, Illinois, has been living in Arizona since 1976 (almost a native!). She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Her extracurricular activities included playing piano with a jazz combo and singing with a Renaissance choir. She worked as a Deputy Sheriff before deciding to attend law school. Her Juris Doctor was earned with honors at Arizona State University in 1988. During and after law school, she continued working as a reserve game ranger for many years with Arizona Game and Fish Department. Debra began her legal career with Fennemore Craig in 1988 where she practiced in numerous areas of the law including medical malpractice defense, personal injury, product liability defense, landlord/tenant, workers’ compensation and collections. She is a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation and has been practicing in that area since approximately 1990. Although she has represented carriers, self-insureds and applicants, her practice has been focused on representing applicants since 1994. She is a past chair and current member of the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Commission, a past co-chair of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar, an active member of the Continuing Legal Education Committee of the Workers’ Compensation Section and a member and past president of the Arizona Association of Lawyers for Injured Workers. Governor Hull appointed Debra as a member of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Board in December 1999 and Governor Napolitano appointed her to the Structural Pest Control Commission in 2003. Debra has served as a Judge Pro Tempore with the Maricopa County Superior Court for the purpose of conducting settlement conferences. Her leisure time is spent mostly with her husband, Craig, and her two beautiful daughters. They enjoy music, horseback riding and traveling.