Deb Waters | 2026 Hall of Fame Program Bio
Nominated by Patti Nash
Deb Waters is the Head of School at Our Lady of the Cross School in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. She is a dedicated leader in Catholic education with a lifelong commitment to faith formation, academic excellence, and community building.
A native of Cornwall, Pennsylvania, Deb was raised in a family rooted in faith, perseverance, and service. She is a graduate of St. Mary’s School and Lebanon Catholic High School and earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Scranton.
She began her career in education teaching business and religion at Lebanon Catholic High School. Deb later earned a master’s degree in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University Chicago and served as Associate Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Harrisburg. She spent ten years at Lancaster Catholic High School as Director of Campus Ministry, where she taught religion and developed a comprehensive ministry program for students and staff. During this time, she also completed her Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Catholic School Leadership from Seton Hall University.
In 2018, Deb returned to Lebanon Catholic as Principal. Following the school’s closure in 2020 during the COVID19 pandemic, she worked closely with parents, alumni, faculty, and community leaders to preserve Catholic education in Lebanon County. She directed The Bridge Program during the pandemic and helped establish the LC Strong Foundation.
In September 2021, Deb led the opening of Our Lady of the Cross School as an independent PreK–12 school teaching in the Catholic tradition- faith, reason, and witness. Under her leadership, the school has experienced significant growth in enrollment, facilities, programming, and community support, raising more than $2.5 million in contributions. Our Lady of the Cross School remains faithful to the Magisterium and emphasizes strong academic foundations, traditional instruction, and the formation of students in faith, reason, and service.
Deb is in awe of the dedication of the faculty and staff at Our Lady of the Cross School, deeply grateful for the continued support of the community, and insists that the success of OLC has been a team effort and a true act of faith! She remains committed to ensuring a strong and sustainable future for and preserving the legacy of Catholic education in Lebanon County.
She and her husband, Dr. Steve Waters, are the parents of two daughters, MacKenzie and Cassidy.