Deborah Toennies
she/herBIO
Academic Degrees
MA, MBA, Finance & Strategy, University of Chicago
BS, Accountancy, Miami Univeristy
Biography
Debbie Toennies is a senior financial services executive and recognized industry leader with more than 36 years of experience at J.P. Morgan spanning banking and capital markets regulation, securitization markets, enterprise risk, audit, tax, and corporate governance. Throughout her career, she has worked at the intersection of financial markets, regulation, risk, and strategy, advising senior executives and representing the firm and broader financial services industry on complex regulatory and public policy matters.
She has extensive experience engaging with senior regulators, policymakers, industry leaders, clients, and trade associations in the United States and internationally. Known for her ability to translate complex financial and regulatory issues into clear, practical perspectives, Debbie has been a frequent speaker at major financial services conferences, chaired industry committees, and represented the industry in discussions with key regulatory authorities.
Her experience also includes more than a decade of service as a director of a regulated U.K. holding company overseeing retail banking, commercial banking, investment banking, and asset management businesses. In that role, she provided oversight and challenge on strategy, enterprise risk, organizational restructuring, and significant regulatory developments, including changes arising from Brexit. Earlier in her career, Debbie worked in public accounting and internal audit and spent nearly two decades in securitization markets, with experience across origination, structuring, syndication, investor marketing, investor relations, and business management.
In fall 2026, Debbie will begin a new chapter as an Adjunct Professor in the Finance Department at DePaul University’s Driehaus College of Business. Drawing on her experience across financial markets, regulation, risk, governance, and leadership, she looks forward to bringing a practitioner’s perspective to the classroom and helping students connect their academic studies with the realities of careers in financial services.