PW Classmates: What do you do now for work?
Debbie Venus: I have been with Atlantic Health System for 16 years. AHS is a non-profit healthcare network of six hospitals and over 400 practices in northern and central New Jersey. Mine is a nonclinical role in Physician Compensation and Contracting, working with our doctors to prepare and amend their employment agreements. Together, my team promotes the growth and retention of our network, which includes more than 4,800 affiliated physicians.
PW Classmates: Where did you go to college, grad school, trade school, etc.?
Debbie: I attended Wesley College and I have a BA from Villanova.
PW Classmates: What advice would you give your high school self?
Debbie: I would tell myself to pay attention to my parents; their wisdom goes deeper than I ever realized.
PW Classmates: What advice do you have for others about creating your best life?
Debbie: My advice is that it’s never too late to find your purpose. I’m working on a memoir, and right now this project feels overwhelming. I have scraps of notes everywhere. It’s been years in the making, and as a relatively new writer, the process can feel daunting.
But I know my story and I need to stay motivated (this is my self-pep talk). I’d bet that not one of us takes anything for granted: I consider myself lucky because I remember a happy childhood. I try to stay healthy, my kids are mostly launched, my family is tight, and I have a strong community of friends.
Debbie Venus with her children, Sophie (23) and Jake (21).
Yet, there’s a part of my past that brought me trauma. Writing about it has been a therapeutic way to process it—without shame. Simply put, a memoir is a collection of moments and a transformation. I’m examining my identity as a woman who ended an abusive marriage and pursued a divorce over a course of time that nearly broke me.
Through this writing journey, I’ve come to realize that what happened to me doesn’t define me or make me less of a person. By sharing my story, I hope my loved ones will gain a deeper understanding, and that at least one person—someone I may never meet—will find hope and strength through my experience.
PW Classmates: What would you like to say to all of your classmates today?
Debbie: I cherish each and every one of you, and I’m so thankful for social media as a way to stay connected. I have two children. Sophie (23) lives in Arlington VA and works in DC. Jake (21) is working toward his degree in Aviation Management at Florida Institute of Technology.
Contact: Please find me on Instagram, Debbeevee