Deborah Engel is a two-time startup founder whose advocacy work bolsters local communities through supporting working parents, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Her first startup, Work and Play, was among the first coworking spaces in the world to also house a licensed childcare program. Her subsequent start-up, the General Store Cooperative (GSC), incubates mission-based brands and artisans at their flagship co-retail space.
She is the Chair of the South Orange Downtown which manages the downtown commercial district and is an advocate and resource for entrepreneurs and small businesses. She is also a contributor to news site The Village Green.
Deborah Engel Named Chair of South Orange Village Center Alliance as Mark Murphy Finishes Term THE VILLAGE GREEN, December 20, 2020 The South Orange Village Center Alliance (SOVCA), the non-profit organization that manages South Orange’s downtown special improvement district, unanimously elected its first female chair......
November 18, 2020 / WNYC News: No-touch doors, hand-sanitizing stations, and strict rules about wearing masks are among the measures coworking spaces are taking to reassure members they’re safe....
December 2019 / CNN: Prior to COVID, Deborah’s start-up Work and Play was on the cusp of expansion. CNN and Invesco profiled her and Work and Play, one of the first coworking spaces in the world to also offer childcare, in this short segment....
