Deb A. Peluso

As Executive Director of Operations, Deborah (Deb) Peluso is focused on shaping an agile, flexible, and client-centered operational strategy that supports MDK’s continued growth. A core tenet of Deb’s leadership philosophy is listening and learning. “People support what they help create,” she says. “If I'm sitting in a room by myself hatching grand plans without involving others, those plans aren’t going to go very far. I believe in engaging people early — giving them a voice, letting them shape the process — so that when it’s time to move forward, it’s not a surprise. It’s theirs too.”  

From her earliest days with the firm, Deb is building relationships and gaining insight into what makes MDK unique so she can work alongside colleagues to shape what’s next and position the firm for long-term success.

"My approach is always collaborative — any roadmap we create will be co-created with others across operations and the broader firm,” she says. “I’m here to listen, learn what’s important, and then work alongside the team to get us ready for the future.”

Deb brings more than two decades of experience in strategy, operational excellence, and business transformation. She has led internal organizational development teams, launched and scaled her own consulting business, and served as a national practice leader for an international consulting firm. Early in her career, she worked with nurses, firefighters, pilots, Navy SEALs, and Army Rangers, studying how high-performing teams operate in complex, high-stakes environments. This passion for problem-solving and systems design ultimately shaped her career in organizational leadership, guiding her work across healthcare, financial services, consumer products, and government sectors.

A pivotal moment in Deb’s career came during her time at a multinational auto manufacturer in 2008, amid the global recession. Faced with sudden industry disruption, she helped navigate the challenge of maintaining workforce stability while adapting to shifting business realities. “What that experience really sparked for me is the understanding that transformation isn’t always about growth — sometimes it’s about resilience,” she says. “It’s about preparing for storms you don’t see coming and configuring teams to be as agile as possible, so they can pivot and respond to whatever challenges come their way.”

Outside of work, Deb enjoys spending time with her family, especially attending her nieces’ and nephews’ sporting and musical events. She loves hosting dinner parties, playing piano (on the childhood piano gifted to her at age 11), and creating space for connection and creativity. No matter the environment, her passion remains the same: shaping organizations where people can thrive. “Every company has its own unique challenges, but at the heart of it, it’s about helping people do their best work and building systems that support that,” she says. “When you can create clarity, connection, and collaboration across an organization, that’s where the magic happens.”