Deborah Dushku Gardner is originally from Sacramento, California and currently lives in Providence, Utah with her husband and five children. She received her Bachelors of Science in Human Development at Brigham Young University in 1996. This degree provided education in the areas of physical, social, psychological and emotional developmental stages of children and adolescents ages 0-18 years. Upon graduation, Deborah immediately began work at Wasatch Mental Health where she assisted in the social-emotional developmental growth of mentally ill and disturbed children.  Deborah is also a member of American Mothers, an organization that focuses on strengthening the moral and spiritual foundations of families as well as preventing abuse.

Prior to completing her education, Deborah served an 19-month LDS mission in Sofia, Bulgaria where she learned to speak Bulgarian fluently and developed a love of the country, its culture, and the Bulgarian people. Her experiences there motivated her to join humanitarian efforts with Heidi Glyn Barker in 2002 and in 2003 she helped co-found One Heart Bulgaria. During the next 18 months, she made three trips to Bulgaria where she assisted in setting up the organization, met with orphanage directors, helped train Bulgarian staff, and delivered hundreds of pounds of humanitarian supplies to many orphanages. Deborah served as Sponsorship Director, Programs Director, and currently as President of One Heart Bulgaria.

		In September 2007, Brigham Young University gave Deborah an Honored Alumni Award for her humanitarian work in Bulgarian orphanages. Read more about her award here. Deborah’s personal interests and hobbies include: Motivational speaking, piano, the outdoors,  Latin and ballroom dancing, clogging, basketball, health/nutrition and fitness, photography, writing, gardening and spending time with her family. Of her involvement with One Heart Bulgaria, Deborah comments: “It has been a life-changing privilege to help alleviate the suffering of these dear Bulgarian children. They have taught me about courage, perseverance, gratitude, and life. I have so much…they have so little, and I am glad to serve them!” Deborah is available as a youth motivational speaker and for other public speaking engagements. To schedule a speaking arrangement, please contact Deborah at deborah.gardner@oneheart-bg.org.
Deborah holds 2 month old Boshidara right after her shunt implant for hydrocephalus. Photo taken at Pirogov hospital surgery room in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Photograph taken and donated by Sunkist Photography.