Deb Girard
Executive Director
Deb Girard is the Executive Director of IMPACT Melanoma. Since 2002, she has grown the organization from a start up to a nationally recognized non-profit dedicated to increasing awareness of the risk of the sun’s harmful UV rays, developing and managing prevention education programs to promote early detection and, as a result, saving lives.
Under Deb’s leadership, IMPACT Melanoma established Partners in Prevention, working with communities and corporations to customize and integrate award-winning programs across the United States. Partners range from leading hospitals to city parks and recreation departments to community leaders.
From infants to adults, IMPACT Melanoma’s programs reach new parents and caregivers, teenagers and college students, community developers, outdoor workers and clients of hair stylists, barbers, estheticians, and tattoo artists. Deb is passionate about the role that grass roots programs can have in increasing use of sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses as important prevention actions that are proven to prevent skin cancer.
Deb recently led the effort to launch IMPACT Shade which offers corporate sponsors and community leaders the short-term opportunity to provide portable shade in communities, particularly in urban areas. Her long-term vision is partnerships with architects, urban planners, and community leaders to incorporate shade into urban development projects and to link the impact of UV, heat, and climate change to the rising risk of skin cancer in our country.
Prior to IMPACT Melanoma, Deb was Vice President of Health Care Administration Harvard Pilgrim Health Care MA and Brockton Hospital, MA and active in Fundraising for a $5M Capital Campaign in Concord, MA.
Deb earned a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Assumption College and an MBA from Simmons College.
