LOCUS Team
Deborah Markley
Deb Markley is Senior Vice President at LOCUS, where she leads the philanthropic consulting team that partners with place-focused philanthropy to educate stakeholders, develop and implement strategies that redefine their role as capital providers, and unlock endowments for community investment. As Co-Founder and Co-Director of LOCUS’ predecessor, the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, Deb worked across rural America supporting entrepreneur-focused economic development while encouraging community philanthropy’s participation as an active partner in the work. Those years of experience inform Deb’s continued passion for seeing communities build on their assets and create new pathways to more equitable and inclusive prosperity. It’s this focus and energy that fuels her leadership at LOCUS and the work she does on behalf of our partners nationwide.
Deb holds a PhD from Virginia Tech. She lives with her husband and dog, Scout, in Chatham County NC. She’s most happy working in the yard, cooking in the kitchen, and spending quality time with her children and grandchildren.
