Deb Dunbar
Deb Nelson Dunbar is proud of the fact that she helped establish the Tri Kappa Flowers Committee.
“Heather Johnson, Allison Rink and I founded the flower fundraiser with Allison Hoeppner (who is now deceased),” Deb says. “Heather brought the idea from the Franklin chapter.
“We did it the first year with our cars and a U-Haul. It has grown each year to what it is today.”
Born and raised in Bloomington, Deb joined the Alpha chapter in 1985, following her senior year of high school. She attended DePauw University, where she studied psychology, sociology and communications and was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.
Two weeks before a final interview for a job in Indianapolis, Deb pivoted and accepted a job in human resources at Indiana University. She later completed her master’s degree in higher education/adult learning and training at IU.
In 2023, after 32 years at the university, Deb retired from her position as head of talent and organizational development, where she oversaw the consulting and training on all nine IU campuses.
“It was awesome to have a career at IU,” Deb says. “I am a born and bred Hoosier.”
Following her “retirement” from IU, Deb founded DND Consulting, LLC. Her company specializes in leadership development, strategic planning and coaching.
“I’m now six months in and busier than my wildest dreams,” Deb says. “But I still find time for the things I value most, which are family and friends.”
Deb and her husband, Kurt, have a daughter, Grace, who is also a member of Tri Kappa.
Deb initially said she became active in the Alpha chapter for the social life.
“I rejoined Tri Kappa to get mom friends,” Deb says. “I was working so much and had a child. I really wanted to build female friendships.”
Now her view of the philanthropic sorority has expanded somewhat.
“Tri Kappa is a way to meet a wide range of women across Bloomington who share a desire to build community inside the organization, to have an impact on the community through our fundraisers and our volunteer activities,” she says.
More about Deb
Ideal day is scuba diving the Blue Hole in Belize
As a kid, spent summers in Europe due to her dad’s work as an IU professor
Has been to 48 states and every European country
Bucket list item is to visit every national park
Served as Alpha chapter president in 2009-10