Deborah Sulzer

Ms. Sulzer graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a minor in Economics in 1984. Following obtaining her business degrees she obtained a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola University School of Law and has practiced law since October of 1989. She has practiced law in the State of Louisiana since graduating and maintained a national practice in class action and mass tort litigation. In the early 1990’s she served as general counsel for the local partner in the New Orleans land-based casino project. She has served in various leadership positions in class action and mass tort matters managing large scale document intense litigation involving thousands of claimants. For example, she served as class counsel in the matter Scott v. American Tobacco, a class action suit that was successfully resolved in favor of over 100,000 current and former smokers in the State of Louisiana. She maintains a law practice in the areas of business litigation, mass tort, class action, and appeals. Since 2006, she has been a principal in the Sulzer Group, LLC a Louisiana 100% women owned business that she owns equally with her sister Karen and has devoted her full attention to working with sub-grantees in managing recovery efforts in the context of the Federal Public Assistance Program.

Ms. Sulzer has earned a reputation as an experienced, knowledgeable and talented advocate for recovering entities. Using her experience in law, she has been able to assist sub-grantees and support GOHSEP efforts through the difficult process of disaster recovery. To date, Ms. Sulzer has assisted numerous not-for-profit clients in obtaining and administering over $180 million in Federal Public Assistance funds. She has been invaluable in advocating positions with FEMA and negotiating the contents of project worksheets. In addition, she regularly handles arbitration and appeal issues for sub-grantees as well as presentations before FEMA and GOHSEP relating to cost reasonableness, scope alignment, eligibility and improved projects.

Ms. Sulzer provides valuable advice and experience in all aspects of advocacy, regulatory compliance, governmental relations and disaster recovery management. Ms. Sulzer is a native Louisianian with deep roots in the community. She has practiced law in the State for the last 20 years. Among several social and professional organizations, she is a member of the Women Business Enterprise National Council, Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Association and The International Association of Emergency Managers.

A partial listing of her project experience follows:

•  Desire Street Ministries, New Orleans, LA : Executive Project Manager for non-profit organization project to replace a school/multipurpose building. The $8 million project is currently awaiting approval by FEMA as an alternate project. Ms. Sulzer is currently assisting DSM in an OIG audit as well.

• Archdiocese of New York, New York, NY: Executive Project Manager of the Public Assistance application process in connection with the devastation resulting from Hurricane Sandy. The initial Arch-diocese project involves damage sustained at the Guardian Angel School and could eventually include preparation of project worksheets for several hundred facilities depending upon the treatment of the insurance deductible by FEMA insurance.

•  St. Margaret’s Daughters Home, New Orleans, LA: Executive Project Manager in all aspects of design, construction and grant management of the new nursing home facility including demolition of the Hurricane Katrina-ravished facility and transition from temporary facility to the permanent facility. Ms. Sulzer is managing the renovation of an existing hospital to replace the original facility to make a new home for their 116 elderly residents. The project was completed earlier this year. In addition to the construction management, the firm has assisted GOHSEP in the handling of all grant administration and reimbursement issues with St. Margaret’s.

• Jesuit High School, New Orleans, LA: Executive Project Manager assisting Jesuit in grant closeout of the project. D E B O R A H M . S U L Z E R The firm also successfully worked with GOHSEP to defend $14 million of grant funds identified in a recent DHSOIG audit finding.

Principal, Attorney at Law

Licenses + Certificates:

WBENC- Member of Women Business Enterprise National Council

The International Association of Emergency Mangers-Member