About Debra

About Debra Holtzman, J.D., M.A.
 
Debra  Holtzman is a world renowned safety and health expert, and a specialist on the subjects of injury prevention, green living,  toxic chemicals, child passenger safety, parenting issues, consumer issues, lifestyle, travel, food safety, pet safety and more.  She has been helping families for nearly two decades.

Debra has a law degree, an M.A. in occupational health and safety, and a B.A. in communications. Her books, The Panic-Proof Parent (McGraw-Hill, 2000) and The Safe Baby (Sentient Publications, 2005 and 2nd edition, 2009) have received rave reviews and endorsements by leading parenting authorities and safety and health organizations. The Safe Baby won the National Parenting Publications’ Gold Award, one of the country’s most authoritative consumer-awards recognizing the best in children's and parenting resources.

Debra has been a guest on hundreds of radio and television shows, including NBC's Today Show, ABC News, Weekend Today, Dateline NBC, CNBC Asia Market Watch, MSNBC, John Walsh Show, WGN Superstation, The Daily Buzz, Washington Post Radio, "You, The Owner's Manual" hosted by Dr. Michael Roizen (who is regularly featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show), Associated Press Radio, NPR, Bloomberg News, and Martha Stewart Living Radio. She has been featured in Parents Magazine, People, Newsweek, Parenting, Child, Fit Pregnancy, USA Weekend Magazine, Star, Us Weekly, First For Women, Woman's World, This Old House, Family Circle, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, America Online (AOL) homepage, UPI, Washington Times, Toronto Star, and Washington Post. Debra also appeared weekly on the Discovery Health Channel's  TV series, Make Room for Baby. 
 
Debra was chosen an "Everyday Hero" by Reader's Digest, and was named a "Woman Making a Difference" by Family Circle Magazine.  She is also a former Mrs. Florida 1995.
 
She is the Honorary Co-Chair of the Florida Safe Kids Coalition and teaches infant and toddler safety and CPR classes at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Florida. Debra is a contributing writer for  Ediets.com, a parenting columnist for Today's Parent http://www.todaysparentusa.com/ and serves on the Advisory Board of  The Healthy House Institute (HHI). She is currently working on a new book, "Great Family Vacations". 

Debra lives in South Florida with her husband, Robert, son Adam, daughter Laura and dog, Rocky.