Title: Owner

Company: Down By The Creek, Companion Animal Sanctuary

Location: Long Grove, Iowa

Within her ninth year as owner of Down By The Creek, Companion Animal Sanctuary, Deborah Wallace feels her experiences of being a U.S. Air Force wife, adopting kids and working for the red cross has contributed to her success. These experiences and pain in life got her here to fix things and mentor kids that come to her door. The advice Ms. Wallace can share with the younger generation of women entering the workforce is “Never let anyone tell them they cannot do something. Be confidant and be what you want to be. Knock on every door for opportunities. They might not all open but to not be afraid.”

Ms. Wallace’s greatest accomplishments are having conducted more than 140 programs and touched the lives of more than 3,000 people in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. She uses programs of pet therapy to inspire, enrich and heal people of all ages. Ms. Wallace is inspired by the smiles on peoples, and believes she puts them there by drawing upon her education and sharing healing experienced with other animals lovers.

Initially, Ms. Wallace chose this career path because she loves animals and people, and began after earning a degree in animal behavior from ABC College. Since graduation, she keeps abreast of changes in her profession through her memberships with the Eldridge Chamber of Commerce and is a graduated member of the ABC Behavior College. During her free-time, Ms. Wallace enjoys spending time at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.