Elected to Nebraska Legislature: 2004; re-elected 2008
Born Debra Strobel, March 1, 1951, in Lincoln.
Education: Graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (B.S. in education), 1988.
Family: Married Bruce Fischer, Feb. 5, 1972; three children: Adam Carl, Morgan Thomas and Luke Christopher.
Occupation: Rancher, Sunny Slope Ranch.
Member: Executive committee, National Conference of State Legislators; co-chairperson, energy committee, Midwestern Legislative Conference (MLC); executive committee, MLC; AgBuilders of Nebraska; Sandhills Cattle Association; Nebraska Cattlemen; Nebraska Cattlewomen; National Cattlemen’s Beef Association; Society for Range Management; Sandhills Area Foundation; Nebraska Farm Bureau; UNL Chancellor’s Club; life member, UNL Alumni Association; American Legion Auxiliary; PEO; Gamma Phi Beta; life member, Nebraska LEAD Alumni Association.
Former member: Valentine Rural High School Board of Education; commissioner, Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Post-Secondary Education; Valentine Rural High School Foundation (president); University of Nebraska President’s Advisory Council; UNL Chancellor’s Committee of Visitors; Nebraska Association of School Boards (president, board of directors); Nebraska School Finance Review Committee (two terms); Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council (board of directors); Governor’s Ag Advisory Council; Cherry County Visitor Promotion Committee; Cub Scouts and 4-H club leader.
Honors and awards: BILLD Fellow, Midwest Council of State Governments Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership, 2005; NRD Farm and Ranch Conservation Award, 1999; Nebraska Association of School Boards Lifetime Achievement Award, 1999; Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association Outstanding Board Member Award, 1998-99; Nebraska Cattlemen Environmental Stewardship Award, 1995; Rangeman’s Award, Nebraska Section Society for Range Management, 1994; NRD State Grasslands Conservation Award, 1993; Holism Action Award, Nebraska Branch Holistic Resource Management, 1991; Kellogg Fellow, National Center for Food and Policy Research, Resources for the Future, Washington, D.C., 1991; LEAD VIII Fellow, Nebraska Leadership Program, 1988-90.
Read the Unicameral Update’s feature article on Sen. Fischer.