Debra Jackson Sheher

About Debra Jackson Sheher

Culture. Equity. Leadership. These aren’t just words—they’re the architecture behind every hiring decision I make.I’m a Talent Acquisition Leader and DEI Strategist with 13+ years building inclusive, high-performing teams across Amazon, Wayfair, and high-growth startups. I specialize in executive search, technical recruiting, and workforce planning—designing hiring systems that deliver both business outcomes and human impact.Career highlights:Partnered with C-level leaders to close senior technical and business talent across engineering, product, GTM, and research.At Amazon: Opened/grew talent hubs in Austin, Nashville, and NYC; co-created an ERG referral program that boosted URT referrals by 30%; piloted remote-to-onsite hiring strategies that increased senior URT hires by 37%.At Wayfair: Led DEI enablement for the global TA team, creating training programs, sourcing toolkits, and inclusive hiring frameworks that embedded equity into every stage of the funnel.Trained 225+ recruiters and interviewers on equitable hiring practices, driving measurable improvements in velocity, precision, and representation.I bring data, empathy, and storytelling into every talent strategy—advising leaders on succession planning, scaling technical orgs, and embedding DEI into hiring at scale.Open to: Senior Talent Acquisition leadership, Head of People roles, and DEI strategy positions—especially with mission-driven orgs shaping the future of culture and work.

Experience

1. Senior Recruiting Business Partner

   Premera Blue Cross

   Jan 2026 — Present · Los Angeles, CA, US

   Supporting the technical side of the organization through cross‑functional collaboration and operational support. Working closely with engineering and technical teams to ensure smooth execution, alignment, and delivery across key initiatives.

Education

• Cornell University

  Certification , Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership

• Seattle University

  Business Administration and Management, General