I have known Deborah through most of my public health career. As HPT lead and then Deputy Director, she has been the voice of reason, the steady hand on the tiller, and the reassuring presence for all of us in health protection. Her personal kindness was quietly important for so many of us, including me – she would notice that someone was upset and check-in with them – briefly, kindly, and in a way that made people feel better. As staff, we always knew she had our back. Her effectiveness in her outward-facing work was visible far outside the organisations she worked in. As an advocate for the population’s health, she was able to speak truth to power in a way that allowed them to hear and act on it. An exceptional person and a huge loss to her family, friends, colleagues, and to Londoners as a whole.