Meet the 2010 NLC Fellows: Deborah Spindelman

Deborah Spindelman
Community Inclusion Coordinator, Community Coaching Center

Deborah graduated magna cum laude from Cal State University, Long Beach in 2005, where she majored in Sociocultural Anthropology and minored in Women’s Studies. As an undergraduate, she performed ethnographic research with members of Costa Rica’s indigenous Cavecar and Bribri communities , and boosted CSULB’s surf team to win their first NSSA National Championships. Following graduation, Deborah returned to her native San Diego to mentor adolescent girls through youth mentorship startup Club Xcite. Promoted to Program Director, she launched a partnership with San Diego Youth Services to provide high-end private mentoring to low income youth at risk.

Now with Community Coaching Center, Deborah develops partnerships with state and local policymakers, autism researchers, area nonprofits, volunteer organizations, and civic clubs on behalf of community inclusion programming for youth with autism. In addition to Community Inclusion Coordinator responsibilities, she has served as a CCC Board Director since July 2008. Recently tackled projects include program expansion and replication, developmental disability policy and law, and participatory photography project Through the Lens of Autism. She currently serves in advisory positions to the International Girls Skateboarding Association and Outside The Lens.

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Note: This post is part of an ongoing series introducing San Diego's inaugural fellowship class.