Deborah Attard Portughes is the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the Women and Infants Research Foundation (WIRF).  Deborah was a recipient of the Ferris Family Fellowship – Harvard Club of Australia in 2022.

Deb is a Senior Executive with experience in strategic planning, development and management of national not for profit organisations. Deb was previously employed by Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) for over 13 years and was instrumental in taking the organisation from a small WA operation to a National organisation with fundraising offices around Australia, the USA and UK. She also secured HRH Prince Charles as AWC’s first Patron.

Deb started her career in Malta where she had the privilege of working with the late Prof Edward DeBono and teach his Creative Thinking techniques. For 7 years Deb served on the board of POWA institute for creative thinking, here in Australia, this institute is based on Edward deBono’s thinking methods.  Deb also worked as a family and commercial mediator and was an executive producer of a current affairs television program.  She currently serves on the board of two not- for-profit organisations, The Raine Study and Freeze Frame Opera.