Dr. Deborah Ann Turner   (1950 – 2024)

Described as a fierce advocate and fighter for voting rights and women’s rights; Dr. Deborah Ann Turner, was the 20th President of the League of Women Voters - U.S.  Dr. Turner had worked with her state and local chapters of the League before moving to the national organization.

Turner was elected to the League’s national board of directors in 2016, where she served on the Finance Committee and Governance Committee, and chaired the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. As chair of the DEI Committee, Deborah and her colleagues focused on organizational culture changes to the League’s mission work, emphasizing, not only racial equity, but also intergenerational dynamics, socioeconomic differences, gender identity, and interpersonal engagement. ,

She was born in Mason City, Iowa in 1950 and graduated from Mason City High School in 1969. In 1973 she received a B.S. degree in distributed studies/ zoology, chemistry and psychology from Iowa State University. She received her MD from the University of Iowa in 1978 where she completed her Residency in OB-Gyn.  She completed her fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Dr. Turner became the first African-American certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the specialty of gynecologic oncology.

In 2007 she received her JD from Drake University. 

Dr. Turner practiced gynecologic oncology for 35 years, enhancing university programs at the University of Nebraska, the University of Iowa, and the Medical College of Wisconsin teaching residents and students. She also served the private sector, bringing her specialty to Genesis Medical Center in Davenport, IA, Mercy Cancer Center in Mason City, IA, and Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines.

 In July 2015, she left active practice to become Vice President of International Programs at the Iowa-based Outreach Program. She participated in twelve medical missions to Tanzania and worked with Singida’s Medical Center, Outreach’s Children’s Feeding Centers, and Rotary International. Beginning in 2016 she became Associate Medical Director of Planned Parenthood of North Central States.

Among Dr. Turner’s numerous awards was her induction into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame in 2013.  She received the Gertrude Rush Award from the National Bar Association in 2015 and was awarded the Louise Noun Visionary Women of the Year award from the Young Women's Resource Center Des Moines in 2018.  Her most treasured award was a certificate from the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Care.  In 2022, Fortune Magazine named her a "Marquis Who's Who" top professional for her work with LWV.