Founder/Author

Author/Founder

Debra Schweiger Berg is an authority on the topic of America's new civic heroes, civic and social entrepreneurs. Her background as an entrepreneur, respected researcher, and former public servant equips her with a unique perspective of these citizens who are pitching in to transform lives and communities. Berg launched an eight-year groundbreaking research effort in the mid-nineties to unearth over 150 successful social cures across 30 cities. Motivated by the success of these thriving initiatives, she was inspired to chronicle them in The Power of One: The Unsung Everyday Heroes Rescuing America's Cities.

A thirty-year history of hands-on entrepreneurial experience and public service shaped the author's appreciation and enthusiasm for the subject. A native of East Central Illinois, Berg holds degrees in political science and public administration (MPA) from the University of Illinois. While there, she received the Charles E. Merriam Scholarship for excellence in research on Illinois local government. She expanded on her educational experience working in Washington, D.C. for a congressional representative during the Watergate hearings and for the IRS.

From the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, as one of the few women on legislative staffs, Berg held positions in three states. She served as a finance analyst for the Illinois Senate Appropriations and Local Government Committees and as a budget and program analyst for the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission and the Minnesota Legislative Audit Commission. In those positions, she authored studies in the areas of welfare, education, and chemical dependency.

Berg left the public policy arena when the largest HMO in Minnesota recruited her as a senior finance analyst. Later, she capitalized on her financial skills to establish a successful marketing and training company spanning the U.S., Mexico, and the Netherlands that reached into the top two percent of sales volumes for all U.S. micro-enterprise businesses.

For the past decade, the author has reinvested her public policy and business experience in her new passion, the civic and social entrepreneurs of America. She devotes her time learning from nonprofit leaders about every aspect of their compassionate social quests and initiatives. Then, she passes along their tried and tested methods to others. In addition, Debra has become a student of publicity and promotion, an area in which she feels nonprofits can greatly improve to make their solutions thrive in the increasingly competitive donor and volunteer marketplace.

Debra's research has received growing attention by the media including The Chicago Sun-Times. She has held books signings in a dozen cities, been a guest on over 75 radio and TV talk shows, and hosted a radio talk show in 2007, The Power of One: What's Your Mission? on VoiceAmerica.com. In addition, Debra regularly speaks before business and nonprofit audiences on the topics of "The New Civic America", "Creating Heroes of All Ages", and "The Power of One." She is listed in "Who's Who in America 2006" and "Who's Who of American Women 2007.

For speaking and book signing engagements, please contact Debra's email at debra@powerone.org or write P.O. Box 35011, Grand Island, Florida 32735.