Deborah Lipsky, M.Ed.
Deborah Lipsky has a Master’s degree in Education and Counseling and travels the country and Canada doing seminars and workshops on autism. She is the 2006 recipient of a Temple Grandin award and the 2005 Autism Society of Maine’s outstanding volunteer award. She is a former board member for the Autism Society of Maine and writes a regular column for their newsletter. Diagnosed only three years ago with high functioning autism, she has found her own unique solutions and strategies for coping with autism as an adult. Deborah has a way of letting attendees “feel” what it is like to be autistic and her interactive style of presenting keeps audiences always riveted. Her delightful sense of humor makes her a highly sought after inspirational and motivational speaker and keynote speaker.
Deb was born August 25, 1961 in Frankfort, Germany, an only child daughter of Rose and Richard Bakula. Her mother was not fluent in English and her father did not speak German. However by age three Deb was fluent in both German and English and acted as their translator. They moved to the United States when Deb was very young. Her early childhood and school years were traumatic. She was the bullied unmercifully and the frequent victim of hate crimes. On one occasion was stoned resulting in head trauma.
She found solace in the company of animals. She was gifted in her ability to communicate and socialize with animals. In spite of tremendous obstacles she managed to finish high school and go on to college where she obtained her Master’s Degree in Counseling and Education in 1988. In 1986 and 1987 she did an internship at a shelter for homeless people. Many of the clients were deinstitutionalized and several of them in hindsight were clearly autistic. She was hired by the shelter after her internship and continued to work there until 1988. In 1988 she worked at a group home for severely cognitively impaired adults in Rhode Island. Again in hindsight she now realizes that many of them were autistic as well. Intuitively she was able to recognize difficulties these clients had with transitions, disruption in routine, sensory overload, and novel situations. Although Deb did not identify herself as autistic she immediately felt a strong bond with her clients. Deb was married in 1987 and with her husband moved to rural northern Aroostook County where they bought an 1853 farm which they restored. For eighteen years Deb devoted her life to raising animals and wildlife rehabilitation.
Deb was diagnosed as autistic in 2005. After being diagnosed she decided to return to the work force. She asked herself what sort of job would be suitable for an autistic woman in her forties. The only autistic person she was familiar with was Temple Grandin so she decided that she would become a national speaker. Although she had a Masters degree in counseling and education she lacked the social skills required to interact with an audience.
She took Bard training to learn the art of verbal communication. Based on that, she offered herself to a nation-wide seminar company and was given a try. She was an instant success. She also was involved as a board member and educator for the Autism Society of Maine.
She has done numerous television and newspaper interviews all over the United States and Canada. In addition to doing presentations Deborah also does consulting for various agencies and schools.
Deb, in her spare time devotes a lot of energy to her special interests which are collecting WWII memorabilia and Civil War re-enactment. She is a member of the 20th Maine, Company B Regiment (Union) and also a member of the 15th Alabama, Company G (Confederate). Her interests include many outdoor activities such as kayaking, bottle hunting, and riding her horses. She is a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, registered Maine Guide, and Captain with the USAF-AUX.
She lives on her 130 acre farm in Northern Maine and raises horses. Deb also spends her free time working on and using her antique tractor collection around the farm.