S.O.A.R. Professional Services
Dr. Debra Howard-Burton. ThD. is the esteemed founder and visionary leader of S.O.A.R. Professional Services, LLC, a consultancy specializing in workshops, training, and technical assistance. With a distinguished career spanning over 38 years, she dedicated 34 of those years to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she served as the Lead Field Victim Advocate. In this capacity, she developed and implemented groundbreaking policies and procedures that have shaped the field of victim advocacy.
Her areas of expertise include mass violence response, Christian education, leadership, community outreach, crime victim advocacy, crisis intervention counseling, and workshop development. Academically, Dr. Burton holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Union University and a Doctor of Theology degree from Midwest Theological University. From 2009 to 2014, she inspired and mentored students as an Adjunct Professor at Dr. E.V. Hill Bible College in Miami, Florida, teaching courses such as Leadership, Crisis Counseling and the Church, Womanist Theology, and Creative Teaching Methods.
Dr. Burton is a nationally certified professional, recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice. She serves as a faculty trainer for the National Hate Crimes Curriculum and as a consultant for the Office of Victims of Crime and the National Mass Violence Center. Her leadership and dedication have been widely recognized through commendations for the many workshops she has led nationwide, equipping professionals and communities to better serve crime victims and their families.
As a National Crisis Responder and Group Crisis Intervention Facilitator, Dr. Burton has responded to some of the most significant tragedies of our time, including the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center attack, the Fort Lauderdale Airport shooting, Hurricane Irma, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas School shooting, the Surfside Condo collapse, and Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Florida. In 2018, she was invited as a distinguished panelist at the University of Oregon’s Leave No Victim Behind Conference: Best Practices for Mass Violence Response and Tribal Communities.
Her commitment to advocacy also extends to academia. As an Adjunct Faculty Member for the National Victims’ Assistance Academy at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, Dr. Burton authored key chapters, including “Culture and Spiritual Competence” and “Respecting Diversity: Responding to the Underserved Victims of Crime.” She is also the author of the moving poem “Someone Is Screaming,” which reflects her lifelong dedication to amplifying the voices of victims and inspiring others to join the work of advocacy.