Debbie E. deSousa
Ms. DeSousa brings over 15 years of demonstrated success in the identification, development, and successful penetration of big ticket markets in diverse applied technology, publishing and information management sectors. Utilizing an uncommon blend of program management and technical expertise together with highly developed interpersonal, facilitation and communication skills, Ms DeSousa has made multi-million dollar revenue contributions in environments ranging from startup to Fortune 25 in size.
Equally comfortable in turnaround of high growth settings (working within both mature and leading edge sectors) Debra is at her best when challenged to create win‑win agreements between strategic partners that result in products and services which will enjoy and maintain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Most recently, Deb as Vice President of the Corporate Licensing and Development at Proquest Company in Ann Arbor, negotiated through many difficult situations with the largest Information Providers in North America as well as several DotCom companies providing both sides with equally innovative solutions.
Building on a solid educational foundation in information management and retrieval (M.S. Library Science, Case Western Reserve), Debra served as a regional account manager to Data Research Associates, a St. Louis, Missouri based software development firm offering leading‑edge information system solutions to the nation's major library systems. Having developed the firm's largest regional profit center, ($4 million in annual revenues) she took on the role of Strategic Account Sales Executive winning a $13 million Florida Community College account. Debra pioneered the company's entree into Academic Research market with a seven‑figure agreement among Duke University, North Carolina University and North Carolina State.
Subsequently, Debra laid the groundwork and established the strategic relationships to enable Data Research Associates to serve as the primary software provider for Maryland State Department of Education's multi‑year, multi-million dollar Sailor project to build the nation's "first-ever" online information highway, networking over 425 public, private and academic libraries statewide. In the early 1990's she developed the firms Western Region while winning a $4 million contract with the visionary Director of the San Francisco Public Library and it's $100+ million new facility opposite City Hall.
Debra has taken on several major projects. First, as a key member of a strategic, planning and consulting team, she made significant contributions to the product planning and development effort for a Fortune 25, industry leading manufacture of PC's printers and character recognition product to better define the firm's product development commitments well into the 21st century. Most recently she's undertaken product, market development and strategic partnership negotiation projects for divisions of the worlds two largest providers of print media. These new information products, and the technology necessary to deliver them, represent new business opportunities in excess of millions of dollars of revenues for the year 2000 and beyond.
Currently, Ms. DeSousa is expanding her consulting practice through the research and exploration of companies, new products and emerging technologies in the K12 market to help them bootstap through this difficult funding process that all schools are facing. Deb plays the role of “Rainmaker”.
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