Meet the Staff

Deb Coleman, Memphis Fellows Director

Deb grew up in Texas in Austin, Houston and Fort Worth. Her Texas roots run deep, but she came to Memphis in 1986 to attend Rhodes College. She fell in love with Memphis and a guy named Bob. They married right after her graduation and have made Memphis their home ever since. Deb has been a member of Second Presbyterian Church since 1989 and has been actively involved in many church ministry areas including children’s, women’s, local and world missions.

She began her involvement with the Memphis Fellows the first year of the program when she was a mentor. She and her husband Bob have hosted multiple fellows and consider their involvement with the Fellows to be one of their greatest privileges and joys. Deb began working with the Fellows program in 2011. She loves connecting with college students, applicants, and fellows. Her favorite place is sitting on her porch drinking coffee and talking about life.

Deb’s hobbies include snow skiing, walking her dog daily, reading historical fiction, drinking coffee and trying local coffee shops, and traveling. On the weekend, her favorite thing to do is mow the lawn on her zero-turn mower at their farm listening to the latest praise or country music playlists.

Deb and Bob have two daughters. Their oldest daughter, Caroline, was a Capital Fellow and is living in DC working in education. Their younger daughter, Carter, is teaching school in Memphis. They also have a dog named Pouncer who adores all the Fellows gatherings, especially roundtables.

Aliyah Price, Operations and Recruitment Manager

Aliyah is a Memphis native and a proud member of the Memphis Fellows Team. She received her Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 2017, where she became a Knoxville Fellow, furthering her commitment to community and leadership. In 2022, Aliyah earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Memphis, deepening her passion for social impact and program development.

Aliyah’s professional experience spans education, social work, and community development, with a strong focus on operational efficiency and collaboration. She believes in the power of collective efforts to create lasting impacts and is always looking for innovative ways to bring people and ideas together for the common good.

In her free time, she enjoys traveling, being in front of the camera, exploring fashion and beauty trends, hosting events, cooking, and trying new baking recipes with attempts to perfection. She also loves bringing others together and creating community.