20 Questions is a blog series where each month we will be interviewing Communities In Schools of Jacksonville staff members. This month's guest is Debra Talley, Data Manager.

1. What is your job here at CIS?
   • Debra is the data manager for CIS.
2. What is your favorite part of working at CIS?
   • Debra's favorite part of working at CIS is the personalities of her coworkers, the staff at the schools, how open, friendly, and helpful everyone is, and Dane of course, she"can't describe him" in words.
3.  What is your favorite thing about Jacksonville?
   • Debra's favorite thing about Jacksonville is the 7 bridges. She said, "what other city can claim that?".
4. What was your favorite subject in school?
   • Debra said her favorite classes were business classes. She loved learning how to type and using a 10- key.
5. How did you find out about CIS/ how were you hired?
   • Debra and Dane have a mutual friend who had heard that a spot was open. Debra was very excited when Dane called her, because she had been retired for 2 years and wanted to work somewhere fun, so it worked out very well for her.
6. Where were you born/ raised?
   • Debra was born in a small town called Noblesville in Indiana. She moved at 21 to Florida with her husband who was in the military, and she has been lucky enough to stay here for 29 years, and raise her 2 daughters. She also mentioned how much she doesn't miss the cold weather!
7. What is your favorite season and why?
   • Debra's favorite season is the fall. She said she loves the colors and the crispness, and when it is not too cold just yet. She also loves the food that goes with it.
8. Who is someone you view as a role model?
   • Debra's role model was a teacher she had for home economics in high school. She said she was always smiling, never stressed, and always had something positive to say.
9. If you could meet one person dead or alive, who would it be?
   • If Debra could meet one person, she would meet Einstein. She said she knew that he was quite intelligent, but is more interested in viewing his quirky side! She said he was known to not button his shirt or tie his shoes.
10. What's the weirdest job you've ever had?
    • The weirdest job Debra has ever had was peeling potatoes. This was the first job she ever had, and it was in a small cafe outside of her town. She said it was before she was able to drive so her dad used to take her a few days a week.
11. If you could learn anything, what would it be?
    • If Debra could learn anything, she would learn another language. She says that Slavic is something she thinks would be interesting and fun to learn. She said the only language she does know a little bit of is Spanish, and that's from when she was in high school.
12. What TV show are you watching at the moment?
    • Debra is watching a BBC series called Father Brown. It is about a Catholic priest that is a sleuth detective on the side, and a crime solver. She said it is set in the 1930's and 1940's, and she loves the setting.
13. What advice do you have for kids struggling in school?
    • Debra says, "never give up!" She wants kids to believe in themselves and to never accept the word "can't." She says to always keep trying.
14. What is one of your pet peeves?
    • Debra's biggest pet peeve is complaining. She says to just get done whatever it is you're doing and to be grateful for what you have.
15. What motivates you?
    • Debra is motivated by her family. She says she tries very hard to be a role model for her two daughters, and she says so far so good.
16. How long have you worked with CIS?
    • Debra has only worked with CIS for 6 months!
17. What's one thing you wish you could tell your 15-year-old self?
    • Debra says she wishes she could tell her 15-year-old-self her parents aren't as stupid as she thought they were!
18. What is one thing you dread doing?
    • One thing Debra dreads doing is cleaning the bathroom.
19. Have you ever traveled outside the US? If so, where?
    • Debra has traveled to London. She went there for 2 weeks, and said it was fascinating, and she loved the whole experience and the people. She said she really enjoyed that in the country there were no billboards on the side of the road.
20. What is your ideal day?
    • Debra's ideal day would be that she was on this side of the dirt! She says it would be sunny, but not too hot, and she would get some walking in!