Debbie Chatman Bryant was born in Moncks Corner, the Whitesville community. She is
the youngest of six siblings born to Lewis and Louise Chatman (both deceased). Debbie
completed her secondary education in the Berkeley County School system and
graduated from Berkeley High School. She went on to earn an Associate of Science
degree in Nursing from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Georgia.
Subsequently, she completed her Bachelor's and Master of Science in Nursing, as well
as her Doctorate in Nursing Practice, at the Medical University of South Carolina in
Charleston.
Debbie and her husband, retired Master Sergeant Jeff Bryant, who is also from Moncks
Corner, the Kitfield Community, were reintroduced at their 10-year high school class
reunion. They were soon married and have now been happily married for more than 35
years, and together they have two children (Logan and Dionah). Together, they have
served as a military family unit. Jeff was deployed in the Panama conflict and the Gulf
War, as well as on multiple overseas tours of duty. Debbie supported her husband, Jeff,
during his time in the military, as they raised their children. During these years, she was
able to pursue her passion for community service by working as a community health
nurse.
As she balanced her roles as a mother, spouse, and pursued her career goals in
nursing, she never forgot the teachings of her parents, in her large, tight-knit family and
community, about the importance of educational achievement and community
involvement for the greater good of all. Those early teachings led Debbie to pursue
higher education, a doctorate in nursing practice, DNP, and to serve as the Director of
Community Outreach and Engagement, Hollings Cancer Center, MUSC, and an
Associate Professor and Associate Dean, College of Nursing, MUSC. Debbie retired
from MUSC in 2021 and has been awarded the distinguished honor of Associate
Professor Emerita in the Department of Nursing at the Medical University of South
Carolina.
After retirement from MUSC, Dr. Bryant returned to the service work that had always
been her passion and joined the leadership team of Virginia Commonwealth University's
Massey Cancer Center as the Executive Director for Operations, Community Outreach,
and Engagement, where she remained for three years and successfully helped the
organization, garnering recognition as a nationally designated comprehensive cancer
center.
In her book "A Path Made Clear", published in 2019, Oprah Winfrey writes, "When God
is calling you to a greater purpose, you will know it because of the vulnerability He
places on your heart and spirit, urging you to move beyond what is comfortable and
expected." Debbie has always been driven by her passion for accessibility and
affordability for those who need it most, alongside her commitment to informed decision-
making. She has championed these principles in the health and healthcare sectors, and
she promises to uphold them as a fundamental aspect of her engagement. If elected
and entrusted to serve, her work with the Berkeley Electric Board of Trustees will be
guided by this commitment.