"AWL was blessed by Debra's expertise, knowledge and desire to see more doors opened to the next generation of women in leadership," says Celeste Ryan Blyden, AWL's founding director, who now serves as executive secretary of the Columbia Union Conference. "Her enthusiastic support, counsel and advocacy helped to launch this initiative, moving it from a good idea to a reality."
As an administrator and a ministry leader, Brill understood how leading as a woman could be an isolating experience. That's why she didn't hesitate to invite others to join the new community in its early days.
“Overall, my experience has been blessed,” Brill wrote in her invitation to women leaders in the first issue of the AWL newsletter. “There were times, however, I felt that mine was a lone voice, and wished for other women to share my feelings and unique challenges.”
That's why she was thrilled to see the number of women leaders grow across the NAD and beyond.
“In the 21st century Church, there are more women — especially young, professional women — who represent the faces of Adventists in leadership than ever [before] in our history,” she said.
She hoped that as women partnered together to share their experiences and affirmed, encouraged and celebrated each other, that feeling of isolation would lessen and women would be empowered.
“When we focus on ministry that transforms leadership from power over others to empowerment of others, everyone prospers, most especially, ourselves,” Brill said.
