Deborah Pickett and her husband, Neil have called Indiana home for almost four decades and are grateful for the friends who have embraced and treated them like family over the years.  Before moving to Indiana, Deborah grew up and lived in New York State on the Hudson River surrounded by a large, boisterous, and loving family.

Her passion for learning about and solving community problems comes from growing up listening to family discussions about cleaning up the chemicals and sewage in the Hudson River and preventing the construction of a Con Edison power plant in the woods where she lived. Military service to country and fellow Americans extends back generations to include her grandfathers, father, uncles, and brother-in-law. Many are graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point and Vietnam veterans. Her brother-in-law is a Medal of Honor recipient.

Love of Country also motivated Ms. Pickett to serve in the U.S. Army Reserve as a non-commissioned officer with the 51st Medical Detachment as a behavioral science specialist at Ft. Benjamin Harrison and then with the 21st Support Command as an intelligence analyst based in Indianapolis. Her daughter has also served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a civil affairs specialist and her son-in-law is currently deployed with the U.S. Armed Forces. Ms. Pickett believes that the United States is the greatest country in the world and that the principles of “liberty and justice for all” are forever inspiring and the source of the United States’ innovative spirit and prosperity.

After graduating from Skidmore College, Ms. Pickett worked for the Center for Integrative Development, an organization based in NY committed to helping developing countries build their expertise in and capacity for new and renewable sources of energy. In 1984, Ms. Pickett moved to Indianapolis to work for the Hudson Institute, a public policy research organization that advises legislators and government agencies on policy issues. She worked on Hudson’s education projects and then shifted to its trade policy and international economic studies. She is a staunch supporter of international trade alliances and organizations and points to not only improved living standards of many around the globe, but also reduced costs and lower prices for American manufacturers and consumers. Ms. Pickett has also advised and overseen financial portfolios and investments and says knowledge and vigilant oversight are critical for fighting financial abuse.

Important to understanding the struggles of Hoosiers is Ms. Pickett’s decades of volunteering and serving in leadership roles on several boards, including Hooverwood, a Jewish nursing home, and as a parent representative on numerous Carmel Clay school committees. Her advocacy for smart development and protection of natural resources and wetlands comes from representing her homeowners’ association and working with surrounding communities. She has also devoted her time and affection to Indiana’s youth struggling with the challenges of growing up in the foster care system. Ms. Pickett believes the spirit and soul of a community are seen in how family and neighbors care for each other, and that government should be efficient and effective in its support for its citizens. A fierce, persistent, and tenacious advocate for those too young or too frail, Ms. Pickett believes a caring heart, patience, long-term commitment, and collaboration with others build strong individuals, strong families, and strong communities.

Ms. Pickett is married to Neil Pickett and they have three children and four grandchildren. She cherishes the company of her beloved family and friends, feels rejuvenated by the serenity and beauty of the outdoors, and derives deep pleasure from the reading and discussion of books about human courage, resolve, and ingenuity.