Deb Houden, Ph.D., is an experienced professional in family business consulting and academia. Currently serving as a Board Member at both Hilltop Companies and Strategex, as well as a Faculty member at the University of Wisconsin since 2005, Deb Houden specializes in negotiations and has taught various courses related to family business ownership and communication. As the founder of Deb Houden & Associates, Deb provides advisory services on succession planning and family governance. Previous roles include Senior Consultant and Consultant at The Family Business Consulting Group, Inc., and Director of the Family Business Center at the Wisconsin School of Business, where Deb focused on supporting family-owned businesses. Deb Houden holds a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.