As a seasoned marketing director, Debbie has a strong client side focus in experiential, entertainment and sports marketing that drive for results.
In her first year at Tunheim, she played a pivotal role as a member of the successful 2018 Super Bowl and the 2017-2020 NCAA Final Four bid committee teams. The teams developed the strategy, messaging, communications and creative for the formal bid presentations.
Before joining Tunheim, Debbie was the senior director of experiential/event marketing for Best Buy, where she developed programs that supported the brand. For example, her team led the event strategy for entertainment exclusives with acts including U2, The Rolling Stones, Usher, Elton John and Justin Timberlake. Debbie also managed more than 50 Best Buy sponsorships including NASCAR teams, the National Hockey League and multiple MLB, NBA and NHL teams. She is also adept at product integration, having worked with “The Apprentice,” “The Ellen Show” and “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”
Prior to Best Buy, Debbie worked at Target as director of event marketing and publicity. While there, she led the events and publicity strategy for the Michael Graves Design Collection product launch, Target House at St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the restoration of the Washington Monument and the branding of Target Center.
Debbie started her career in the Minnesota Office of the Governor and moved on to the White House Press Advance staff during the Carter administration. She is also very active in the community, having served on numerous arts, education and social action boards. Debbie and her husband have a daughter and have hosted six AFS exchange students who attended Wayzata High School.