Debra Gardener previously ran for the Clover Hill District on the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors in 2019 and did not win. She is currently running for State Delegate in the Virginia House of Delegates District 76.

Debra Gardener currently works as a life coach and founder of D2G- Coaching, a consulting firm that focuses on social work and executive training. She previously served as a Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Richmond until her dismissal in 2017. She also serves (d) on many boards including Smart Beginnings Board of Directors, Homeward Board of Directors, Senior Connections Board of Directors, the Virginia Drug Treatment Court Advisory Committee, the Virginia Substance Abuse Services Council, and the Domestic Violence Prevention Advisory Board.

Debra Gardener has been a resident of Chesterfield County for more than 30 years. She has a bachelor's degree in Sociology from North Carolina Central University and a Master of Public Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.