Hoy En Dia TV S5. Ep 119| Dr. Debora Keller: Turning Challenges Into Purpose

On this next episode of Hoy En Día TV, we are honored to welcome Dr. Debora Keller.

Dr. Keller is a first-generation scholar from Mayday, Georgia, whose journey is a powerful testament to perseverance, faith, resilience, and purpose. After earning her GED in 1989 and spending nearly three decades working in food service and food service management, she later continued serving others as a home health aide for veterans and the elderly, a role she has held since 2010.

In 2017, Dr. Keller began an eight-year higher education journey at Keiser University. Although her transition into academia came with challenges, she turned those experiences into purpose-driven research. Her doctoral work led to the development of the Keller Pre-Enrollment Preparedness Questionnaire, also known as KEPEQ, a proactive assessment designed to help students and postsecondary institutions better identify academic readiness, commitment, and potential barriers that may contribute to student attrition.

Dr. Keller earned her doctorate in February 2026, and her dissertation research was nominated for this year’s awards. Out of 439 doctoral graduates, her research was among a select group representing the top 9%, an incredible accomplishment and reflection of the quality, relevance, and impact of her work.

She currently serves as Senior Research Consultant at Thornbrooke.org alongside Dr. Lewis Rowell, Ph.D., and tutors students in statistics using Jamovi through NowTutorFL.com.

Join us as we sit down with Dr. Keller to discuss her inspiring educational journey, the power of persistence, her passion for helping students succeed, and the meaningful research behind KEPEQ.