Athletes often carry with them a mindset that transcends the field or the track; a discipline, drive, and mental toughness that translates seamlessly into business leadership. For Debra McGuire, President and CEO of the Private Directors Association® (PDA), those lessons from the track became the foundation for an extraordinary career leading associations and shaping the future of private company governance worldwide.
Debra’s story begins on the south side of Chicago, where a high school decision to join the track team with friends unexpectedly uncovered both her talent and her tenacity. “At first, it was something social,” she laughed. “We’d run, stop for tacos, and I didn’t even own proper track shoes.” But as Debra began winning (and winning big) her competitive fire was lit. Under the guidance of her coach, Dolores Todd, and Olympian mentor, the late Willie White, she became a state champion in the 400 meters, defeating none other than Jackie Joyner — who would later become one of the world’s greatest athletes and a household name in the world of track and field.
That defining moment taught Debra one of life’s most enduring lessons: anything can be attained when you have a clear vision, a plan to execute, and the perseverance to follow through. But the greater lesson came later. As a college athlete training for the Olympics, Debra suffered a devastating double Achilles tendon injury that halted her athletic dreams. “I went from the epitome of success to the bottom,” she shared. “I had to learn everything again — how to walk, how to run, how to rebuild.”
It was through that fall and recovery that Debra learned that all that glitters is not gold. “Success isn’t always what we think it is,” she reflected. “Sometimes success means redefining your goals, pivoting, and finding the next version of yourself.”
That perspective of resilience, adaptability, and reinvention has defined her leadership journey ever since. Over more than three decades, Debra has led multiple national associations, including the International Association of Assessing Officers, the American Fire Sprinkler Association, and the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians. Today, she leads the Private Directors Association, a national organization with more than 3,500 members dedicated exclusively to serving private company boards and directors to improve growth, value, and sustainability.
“The Private Directors Association is still in its early stages — about ten years old,” Debra explained. “But our mission is critical. Private companies are the backbone of our economies. They create jobs, drive innovation, and fuel our communities. Helping them succeed through strong governance isn’t just important; it’s essential.”
For Debra, success has evolved into something larger than personal achievement. It’s about service. “When I talk about moving goals forward, it’s not just about ambition,” she said. “It’s about being of service to others. I’ve spent my entire career in the nonprofit sector because I believe in that mission. It’s not about me; it’s about what we build together and how we help others grow.”
Her approach to leadership and governance comes at a time when business is evolving faster than ever. “We’re in an age of rapid transformation — AI, digital innovation, global shifts,” she said. “We have to be willing to look at things with new perspectives, to pivot, to evolve. That’s how we keep our organizations and ourselves moving forward.”
Debra also offered a nuanced perspective on disruption, a concept often celebrated but rarely understood in its full context. “There’s positive and negative disruption,” she explained. “It depends on how you look at it. At PDA, we view disruption as evolution. It’s about educating private companies on the value of having strong governance structures, boards that bring expertise and outside perspectives to help companies grow and sustain themselves long-term.”
That evolution, she said, is critical for private companies, which make up the vast majority of businesses worldwide. In the U.S., 99.9 percent of businesses are privately held. In the European Union, micro and small businesses make up at least 99 percent of the private sector, according to USA Facts.
“Most private companies don’t have formal boards,” Debra said. “Unlike public companies, they’re not required to. But the reality is, governance isn’t just about compliance; it’s about enrichment. It’s about having people at the table who challenge your thinking, bring diverse expertise, and help you scale in ways you might never have imagined on your own.”
And that belief ties back to a principle that has guided her since her days on the track: you can’t achieve greatness alone. “The secret to success,” Debra shared, “is having an extensive network. It’s about making connections, learning from others, and giving back. Everyone brings something of value — knowledge, experience, perspective. When we share that openly, we all grow.”
In many ways, Debra’s story is one of continual reinvention, of seeing the possibilities in setbacks, the lessons in disruption, and the purpose in service. Her mission with the Private Directors Association is both professional and deeply personal: to empower private companies to build stronger boards, stronger governance, and stronger futures.
As I reflected on our conversation, one line Debra said stayed with me: “It’s not about me.” In a world where leadership is too often equated with titles or achievements, Debra reminds us that real leadership is about stewardship; about building something that lasts beyond you.
She exemplifies what we highlight at C-Suite Success: the ability to translate vision into action, turn adversity into fuel, and use influence not for recognition, but for impact. Her story challenges us to ask: Are we leading for ourselves or for something greater?
Because in the end, as Debra so beautifully put it, success is about giving back, growing together, and serving for the greater good of all.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Debra on C-Suite Radio or watch the full interview on C-Suite TV.
