At 65, many might be looking toward enjoying retirement.
But for Debi Butler, she believes she’s just getting started.
“I feel as though so much of the work I feel passionate about in the community is just beginning to get off the ground,” she said. “And there still is so much work to be done. In so many ways, that work is just beginning for me.”
Butler is at the helm of a trio of nonprofit organizations in the Dubuque community — one with the goal of combatting the stigma surrounding brain health, another to create a catalyst for community growth and her latest focusing on providing a local natural resource for youth.
In 2017, Butler — who completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., and, at 45, returned to school to earn her master’s degree in psychology from Loras College in Dubuque — founded a statewide group called Brain Health Now to raise awareness for brain health issues in Iowa.
“In 1985, my brother Steve was diagnosed with schizophrenia,” Butler said. “The stigma of that label impacted him very negatively, and it was very isolating. Part of our goal is to get away from the use of words like ‘crazy,’ ‘psycho,’ ‘mental illness’ or ‘mentally ill.’ As a society, we tend to treat people differently with those labels, rather than with empathy and understanding that the brain is just another part of the body. It can become hurt, too.”
Through Brain Health Now, Butler hopes to normalize conversations surrounding brain health, giving those who need it the tools to be successful.
Part of that effort is through Brain Health Retreat Rooms, where high school students and staff are encouraged to engage with their thoughts and feelings in a judgement-free space, where self-regulating techniques can be utilized.
Dubuque Community Schools have adopted Brain Health Retreat Rooms for the past four years, with 18 available. More than 20,000 visits to the rooms have been recorded by the schools.
“I call it my happy sad concept,” Butler said. “On one hand, we’re providing a safe place to help students get through their day. But on the other, we also have seen the need for so many. Students today are faced with so much, and they are the future of our community. It’s important we are created spaces for them to grow and to have the skills they need to develop healthy self-coping skills.”
Mae Hingtgen, serving as the chief executive officer for Mental Health/Disability Services of the East Central Region, said Butler’s efforts in relation to brain health education are unparalleled and a benefit to all.
“Debi has been the most effective role model by taking a personal issue, and normalizing the conversation around it with empathy and dedication to action, Hingtgen said. “It’s not just people with brain health concerns who are benefitting from Debi’s relentless advocacy, it’s all of us.”
Butler’s other passion project is Dubuque Forward.
Launched in 2022 by community leaders, including Butler, the group aims to spur population growth in the city by fostering collaboration and coordinating catalyst projects to improve areas undergoing continued development, including targeting economic development, housing, transportation, health, outreach and learning, and sustainability.
“A vibrant downtown community is essential for the continued growth and health of a city,” Butler said. “We want to see Dubuque serve as a forward-thinking community, where innovation can take place.”
Since the organization’s inception, it has debuted a pocket-park, located at 897 Central Ave., a green space to encourage community gathering, as well as reimagine what is possible of the Central Avenue and White Street corridor.
It also worked with city teams to integrate bike lanes in downtown Dubuque.
Additionally, Dubuque Forward has founded a collaborative community office space in Dubuque’s Historic Millwork District, housing Dubuque Forward, Brain Health Now, Mississippi Driftless Regional Alliance and Rabbit Hollow Nature Conservancy.
“The idea behind the space is to foster community collaboration,” said Butler, who served as a sponsor for the space. “It’s a place where we can host community meetings, planning sessions and forums discussing recreational needs, but also where these four organizations can work more closely together.”
Ali Fuller, who served as the director for Dubuque Forward from 2022 to 2024, believes it’s with others in mind that Butler embarks upon such initiatives.
“Debi seems to make it her personal mission to help other people,” Fuller said. “Whether that is through projects she supports that will improve the lives of those living in our community, or through her mentorship of young leaders whom she encourages to step up and lead, she always has others in mind.”
Emily Sewell, of AllTogether Dubuque, echoed this.
“Debi embodies the most incredible compassion in every endeavor she takes on,” she said. “The impact she has had in our community, in our state and in our country cannot be overstated. Her positivity, passion and generosity are infectious, and any project is made better for her being a part of it.”
Other projects on the horizon for Dubuque Forward include AllTogether First Fridays, focusing on drawing more people to Dubuque’s fine arts community, as well as supplemental arts and culture funding; an entrepreneur marketplace; the Lumber Shed, formalizing next-steps and action plans for the building at Washington and East Seventh streets; and Dubuque Nature Everywhere, planning and designing ways to integrate nature into the daily lives of those ages 0 to 6.
The latter spills into Butler’s latest project: The Wanderwood Gardens.
Inspired by a children’s garden Butler and husband Andrew had visited, the Wanderwood Gardens will be a 2.5-acre outdoor space, neighboring the Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, for children to play and explore.
It’s slated for completion in 2026.
“Children can live happier, healthier lives when they have the opportunity to engage with nature,” Butler said. “It’s good for their brain health and their well-being. And when children can create a relationship with nature, they learn how to appreciate it and treat it with respect.”
With creating positive contributions in the community a core value, Butler said that commitment and drive has been well-ingrained in her by her family — fixtures when it comes to philanthropic efforts, charitable giving and community development.
Butler has served on the boards of Hillcrest Family Services and NAMI Dubuque, in addition to being a member of the Dubuque Community Brain Health Task Force. She also served on the board of the Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Gardens.
In 2015, she co-founded Starry Nights with a group of like-minded women, organizing an awareness event featuring Patrick Kennedy. The initiative aimed to further the conversation about brain health.
In 2020, Butler brought together a group of women for a transformative personal empowerment program. The initiative not only provided essential guidance and support, but also facilitated enduring connections among participants. The group continues to meet quarterly.
Butler’s mentorship of young professional women also involves offering strategic guidance and encouragement, helping them navigate and succeed in their careers.
Claira Sieverding Kapraun, who helped establish Brain Health Retreat Rooms through Brain Health Now, described Butler as a mentor and “true changemaker” in the community.
“Debi’s exceptional skills in advocacy, organizational leadership and community engagement have made her a driving force in advancing brain health awareness, creating outdoor education in Iowa, leading community development in the greater Dubuque region and empowering others to take action,” Kapraun said. “Through her diverse roles and initiatives, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and made a profound impact on organizations.”
For Butler, it’s an ongoing effort.
“Know yourself, and know what missions matter most to you,” she said. “It’s never too late to get involved, and it’s the responsibility of all of us to try and make a positive impact on our communities.”
Megan Gloss writes for the Telegraph Herald.
