President's Page

Deborah McHamm
President and Chief Executive Officer

In 1991, Deborah McHamm led a group of African-American women to establish A Cultural Exchange, the largest literacy based non-profit multicultural arts organization for children in Northeast Ohio. A nationally renowned expert in children's literacy, Deborah has propelled A Cultural Exchange to the forefront of the multicultural literature movement. The organization's innovative educational programs, events and exhibits support her commitment to building a nation of readers who celebrate themselves and each other through reading.

Deborah's extensive experience as a consultant and community activist began while she served as Cleveland Director of 9 to 5, a national women's advocacy organization. Currently, as President and Chief Executive Officer of A Cultural Exchange, she advises educational, corporate and arts organizations across the country on methods and materials which help children develop a lifelong passion for learning.

Complementing her busy schedule, Deborah serves on several boards, national committees and associations. She currently sits on the board of the Cleveland Orchestra Community Advisory Committee. She is a 1995 graduate of Leadership Cleveland and a member of its Curriculum Committee, as well as a member of the Cleveland Chapter of LINKS, Inc. Deborah is a consultant to the United States Department of Education, the President's Committee on Arts and The Humanities, as well as the National Arts Education Task Force. She formerly served as a board member of the Cleveland Public Radio, Rainbow Babies and Children Hospital, the Virginia Hamilton Conference, Community Advisory Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art, Beechbrook Child Care, Inc., and as a national delegate to Cleveland's Promise.

The recipient of numerous awards, she is currently the only individual to receive the YWCA Eleanor M. Sutler Equality Award, which celebrates the empowerment of women and the elimination of racism, the Black MBA Association Business Achievement Award and many others. She is recognized as a leader in Building Communities Where Children Read.

Deborah holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cleveland State University and is certified in secondary school reading and history. Deborah lives in Cleveland, Ohio, in the Glenville community, with her husband Lloyd. She is a mother of two children, Ingrid and Joshua, and the proud grandmother of Toussaint Joshua, Fanon Malcolm Miller and London Olivia.