Debra Chipman, Founder and CEO

Debra Chipman is an internationally respected event entrepreneur with a proven track record of bringing ideas from inception to execution and profitability.

Debra is the founder and CEO of Corey Lane Partners, an event advisory group providing the "hidden engine" that creates profitable solutions to clients' growth obstacles. Corey Lane Partners' expertise lies in helping clients accelerate their strategic vision for events from identification of opportunities, to planning, commercialization and execution.  Debra’s management ability enables her to both optimize growth during expansive markets and maintain profitability in down markets.

Debra started her event career in 1984 at Online International.  In 1986 Debra joined the Institute for International Research (IIR) and rose to become its U.S. CEO in 1998.  She added new divisions, launched new brands and delivery media, and introduced new sales channels.   Debra twice won the Chairman’s International Manager of the Year Award, one of only two people in the history of IIR to receive the award twice.  In 2005 IIR was acquired by Informa, PLC.  At this time Debra was given additional responsibilities, bringing the global business under her management to $85 million in revenue.

As CEO, Debra had strategic and P&L responsibility for a diverse array of business units including PTi (a Pharmaceutical Training business she created), Global Life Science events, U.S. Finance events, U.S. Marketing events, and Paybefore & BioProcess International publications.  Debra recently led the acquisition of European Business Development Group (EBD) and Boston Biotech Conferences (BBC) in her role as President of the Life Sciences Vertical at KNect 365, an Informa company, and continues to consult for KNect365 and its BBC events business.  

Passionate about education and, in particular, STEM, Debra spends time fundraising on behalf of several academic institutions.  Her philanthropy spans Pre-K through High School, primarily focused on Gill St. Bernard's School located in Gladstone, NJ.  At GSB Debra is also Founder & Chair of the Graduation Celebration Project.

Prior to embarking on a career in events, Debra worked in the Creative Group at Grey Advertising headquartered in New York City.  She has a BA in Advertising from the College of Communications at the Pennsylvania State University.

Elizabeth Cutler, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer