About Us
Deborah Gould was diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease in 2014. She began writing a journal to chronicle her experience with the disease and to help remind her of the things she did each day, since she couldn’t remember. In 2017 she created a Facebook page called “Life With Alzheimer’s” where she shared her journey. Her goal was to help others affected by the disease.
Greg Gould, Debi’s husband and caregiver also wrote on her Facebook page to share his experiences and observations from the caregiver perspective. He transcribed her journal entries and downloaded their Facebook posts and added some present-day perspectives to create the book Random Acts of Weirdness, a moving story of what they felt and experienced, written down as it was happening.
Debi's entire career was devoted to teaching. First as a parent-education teacher and then as an advocate for early childhood education. She worked for 10 years as the Child Care Services Director for Jamul Dulzura School District where she developed three District programs to support children and their families: The State Preschool, and two Before-and After School Programs for elementary and middle school students. She developed curriculum and trained staff for those programs.
At the YMCA of San Diego County, Debi served as Child Care Specialist where she wrote the grant and acquired the 6 to 6 contract for 40 YMCA sites, doubling the number of children served. She trained over 1,000 staff in child development and opened YMCA training classes to the public child care community.
She was a Licensing Program Analyst, State of California Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing, overseeing licensed family based child care programs to ensure compliance with State regulations.
Debi was the 2017 winner of the Barbara Chernofsky Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the San Diego Childcare Planning and Development Council honoring her outstanding career achievement and exceptional leadership, passion and commitment to supporting early learning and education in San Diego County.
She also was awarded a Proclamation from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors for her 35 years ensuring a quality education for young children in San Diego County, outstanding service, leadership, and commitment to area residents.
One of Debi’s strengths was building collaborative relationships. She coordinated the first county-wide after-school program collaboration meeting with other childcare school district leaders in 1986. This meeting led to a combined effort with other community non-profit agencies to form CAROUSEL, advocating for training in best practices for child care providers.
Debi was a member of San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob’s Child Care Task Force and later helped create and launch the San Diego County Child Care Training Collaborative and chaired the organization for the first 3 years. She chaired the State Department of Education Child Development Division Program Quality Consortium for 4 years. When the Department of Education discontinued its funding, Debi wrote a proposal and received a grant from the California First Five Commission, allowing the consortium to continue and she chaired it for another 7 years.
Other service included the United Way of San Diego County Community Building Committee, member of the East County Board of Directors for the United Way, the Grossmont College Advisory Committee and the East County ROP Advisory Committee, and Girl Scout Leader.
Debi was also a Parent Education Teacher for Grossmont Union High School District, taught child development to pregnant teenagers at two San Diego High Schools, and was an adjunct professor teaching child development at National University and Southwestern Community College.
She graduated from San Diego State University, received a California Standard Teacher Credential, and earned a Master’s Degree in Human Services from Springfield College.
While she was accomplishing all this, she always made sure she had time to be an amazing wife and mother and friend.
After her Alzheimer's diagnosis she rededicated her efforts to teaching people about the disease, what it is like to have it and how to interact with those with it to ensure they are afforded the dignity they deserve.
Greg's career was in marketing, printing and advertising. After working as a production manager for a couple of printing companies, he founded Eye/Comm Focused Marketing Solutions in 1990, a company providing printing, marketing, direct mail advertising and fulfillment. He retired in 2013 and the next year his wife Debi was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. During his career, Greg served on the board of directors for Printing Industries of San Diego as well as the state-wide Printing Industries of California. He was also a founding member of the board of directors for SAFE, San Diego Fund for Emergencies, a nonprofit providing direct financial aid to individuals and families in San Diego facing severe life crises. Greg also served on the East San Diego County Regional Occupational Program advisory committee and the El Cajon Valley High School printing advisory committee, providing best-practices and career advice. He received the Margaret Seller's Leadership Award from the San Diego Direct Marketing Association in 2001. He is a graduate of San Diego State University. He is a decorated Army combat veteran who served in Vietnam in the 9th Infantry Division in 1969. Greg currently is facilitating a support group through Alzheimer's San Diego for people who have lost their spouse to Alzheimer's. .
Greg's career was in marketing, printing and advertising. After working as a production manager for a couple of printing companies, he founded Eye/Comm Focused Marketing Solutions in 1990, a company providing printing, marketing, direct mail advertising and fulfillment. He retired in 2013 and the next year his wife Debi was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. During his career, Greg served on the board of directors for Printing Industries of San Diego as well as the state-wide Printing Industries of California. He was also a founding member of the board of directors for SAFE, San Diego Fund for Emergencies, a nonprofit providing direct financial aid to individuals and families in San Diego facing severe life crises. Greg also served on the East San Diego County Regional Occupational Program advisory committee and the El Cajon Valley High School printing advisory committee, providing best-practices and career advice. He received the Margaret Seller's Leadership Award from the San Diego Direct Marketing Association in 2001. He is a graduate of San Diego State University. He is a decorated Army combat veteran who served in Vietnam in the 9th Infantry Division in 1969. Greg currently is facilitating a support group through Alzheimer's San Diego for people who have lost their spouse to Alzheimer's. .