After earning her MBA at Stanford GSB, Debbie Hall launched her career in management consulting with Boston Consulting Group, going on to work in high-tech and startup marketing. Life led her to the West Coast, where, since 1991, she has provided marketing services to Bay Area companies through her consulting business, Hall Associates. “Over time, I’ve also developed a passion for serving the nonprofit arena, with a particular focus on the causes of extreme poverty,” Debbie says, “knowing what the key issues are and what organizations are doing great work in the field.”
Debbie embodies the GSB mission to “change lives, change organizations, change the world” by sharing her business skills with nonprofits working to help people rise out of poverty. “Since 1998, Debbie has served as an active and passionate board member for Village Enterprise, a top-rated international nonprofit that equips women, youth, and refugees living in extreme poverty in rural Africa with the resources to start and run sustainable small businesses,” says Grace Zales, ’82, MBA ’86. Debbie notes, “An investment in Village Enterprise transforms lives: every $1 invested generates $5.34 in income for families living in extreme poverty. Within just one year, 80% of the households they serve rise above the extreme poverty line- building brighter futures for themselves and their communities.” Since its inception, the organization has transformed over 2 million lives.
Debbie and her husband, Russ Hall, MBA ’81, share a deep commitment to making a positive impact beyond their successful business careers. Debbie is also chair of Edify, a Christian organization that works with independent schools in developing countries to improve education by providing expansion loans, training, and educational technology. Debbie has been active in GSB alumni chapter activities and has shared her experiences in the nonprofit world as a moderator at a Stanford poverty forum. In 2004, she received a John W. Gardner Volunteer Leadership Award, which honors alumni volunteers who have demonstrated a history of strong volunteer commitment. Debbie continues to demonstrate her commitment to making a difference around the world.
