Deborah Taylor Givens joined the faculty at Eastern Kentucky University after a 20-year career as a community newspaper editor/publisher.  She completed a bachelor’s degree at Ball State University with a major in journalism education and a minor in U.S. history.  She served as managing editor of the Ball State Daily News. Upon graduation, she worked as a weekly newspaper editor with Al Smith Communications, a chain of newspapers in south central Kentucky.

In 1982, Deborah and her husband founded a newspaper, The Butler County Banner, and later purchased a second newspaper, The Green River Republican.  The newspaper was honored with numerous awards from the Kentucky Press Association for design and advertising, and Deborah received awards for writing and photography.

After 16 years of publishing, Deborah and her husband decided to sell the newspaper company and explore other opportunities.  Deborah joined the staff of the Kentucky Court of Appeals while also completing a master’s degree in public administration at Western Kentucky University and teaching as an adjunct in the WKU journalism school.  Deborah was accepted into the University of Kentucky College of Communication doctoral program in 2003 and successfully completed the qualifying exam in 2006.  She has taught Writing and Reporting News, Advanced News Writing, Public Affairs Reporting, Copyediting and Design, Feature Writing and Issues in Mass Communication.