Debbie says she has picked up many new skills from her involvement with the association, making her a better property owner.
"It has helped me provide a better standard of housing for the people I rent to and I can operate in a more professional manner."
Another key goal for her presidency is to lift the presentation standards of rental properties in Rotorua.
"Many properties are rented out in Rotorua and many landlords do not seem to care what their rentals look like and it makes the city look tatty.
"I hope to at least encourage our members to keep their rentals looking great, with a little bit of garden maintenance, so Rotorua stops looking like Taupo and Tauranga's poor sister."
Debbie is now a full-time property manager for her investment properties, but she started her working life as a chemistry technician at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) in Lower Hutt.
After trying various sales jobs in Wellington, she moved to Auckland to sell pharmaceuticals.
"My work at DSIR taught me how to be methodical and my sales role sent me on many great courses, which helped me overcome my shyness and helped me deal with all kinds of people."
It was in Auckland that she started investing in property and Debbie turned it into a full-time job when she married her husband Ed and moved to Rotorua.
"I decided property investing in Rotorua would not only provide an income, while I stayed home and raised the children, but I could also spend my spare time doing volunteer work."
This has included her involvement with the SPCA and the Rotorua Property Investors' Association, which she has been a member of for nearly 14 years, including about five years as secretary.
"The position of president became vacant and I felt, with my juggling skills, I could prove valuable to members and offer benefits to tenants in Rotorua."
Housing New Zealand recognised what she has to offer when it named her Landlord of the Year in 2009 - an accolade she describes as "absolutely the greatest".
"It changed me from a shy stay-at-home mum, who had a few rentals, into realising that I wasn't so bad at this lark.
"It gave me heaps of confidence."
Debbie is also an award-winning B&B; host, with Broekhaven cottage listed as a finalist in AA Supreme Host Award in 2006, 2010 and 2011 and taking out the bed and breakfast category in 2009.
"The tourism awards came after we decided to help the small, unusual, furry creatures from the SPCA on our lifestyle block.
"The guests love it, our income has quadrupled and it has turned into a very viable tourist attraction."
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Contact business editor Julie Taylor on (07) 348 6199 ext 57015 or at business@dailypost.co.nz
