Deborah Gordon is Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Governance Officer and Secretary at Cleveland Clinic. Previously, she was the Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Legal Officer for Memorial Hermann Health System.

Deborah has experience as the executive leader of various corporate divisions, including governance, legal, compliance, enterprise risk, privacy, IT security, research, employee relations and government relations. Deborah has thirty years of executive experience, with progressively increasing leadership positions, including responsibility for business operations, managed care, human resources, communications, marketing, and more. Deborah has managed over 2000 employees and a budget of over $350 million.

Deborah has extensive governance expertise, including service on numerous boards and committees and responsibility for Governance, Compensation, Investment and Audit Committee matters. She also led a performance improvement effort, resulting in significant margin improvement and led a corporate reorganization that gained system-level efficiencies, improved consumer experience, and enhanced strategic growth. Key competencies include:

• Governance, Cybersecurity and business continuity (NACD Directorship Certification and CERT Certificate in Cyber-Risk Oversight)
• Leading complex corporate departments
• Enterprise risk management
• Executive compensation
• Audit, Legal and Compliance

Board Experience:

Jewish Federation of Cleveland (2025-present)

Children at Risk (Executive Committee, Board Member of the Year (2022)) (2019-2024)

Holocaust Museum Houston, (Chair CEO Search Committee) (2020-2025)

Performing Arts Houston (Executive Committee) (2021-2024)

Texas Association of Business (2023-2024)

Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (global association) (2021-2024)

Select Accomplishments:

• Engaged in extensive governance evaluation and overhaul to reflect best practices, including board assessments, board training and improved board effectiveness.
• Developed new integrated enterprise risk program resulting in improved business resiliency, including a robust business continuity and crisis management program.
• Modernized cybersecurity, data security and data governance programs, and information technology infrastructure, including implementing robust cybersecurity solutions, network segmentation, third party assessment program, and cyber playbook.
• Led ESG initiatives at governance and enterprise level.
• Managed numerous mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and business integrations.

In her earlier career, Deborah was Partner at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, based in Chicago. She was the Vice-Chair of the firm’s Corporate and Securities Department and the Co-Chair of the firm’s Health Law Group. Deborah holds a Master of Business Administration from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois College of Law. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Illinois. Deborah is a Fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives. Deborah holds a security clearance with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.