Guilford County Hires Debra Rabalais as Homeless Services Director

Guilford County officials announced the appointment of Debra "Debbi" Rabalais as the new Director of Homeless Services on January 9, 2026. Rabalais will assume the post on Monday, January 12, 2026, bringing more than 20 years of experience in housing and homelessness services and nonprofit program management to the county.

Rabalais’s professional background includes leadership roles at the Presbyterian Night Shelter in Fort Worth, Texas, and at SafeHaven of Tarrant County, where she managed programs that helped thousands of people exit homelessness and obtain permanent housing. Those experiences inform the county’s stated emphasis on trauma-informed care and data-driven strategies, approaches that focus both on addressing the underlying causes of housing instability and measuring outcomes to guide policy and program priorities.

In her role with Guilford County, Rabalais will act as a liaison to the Continuum of Care and to municipal and community partners. The Continuum of Care is the local planning network that coordinates housing and service providers, and the director’s position is intended to strengthen collaboration across city, county, and nonprofit stakeholders. County leaders say the position will prioritize prevention and reduction of homelessness through better coordination of services, targeted interventions, and improved pathways to permanent housing.

For Guilford County residents, the appointment signals a sharper focus on system-level coordination and on programs designed to move people from crisis to stable housing. Municipal leaders and service providers will look to the new director to align outreach, shelter operations, and housing placement efforts with measurable goals, and to expand practices that address trauma and long-term stability. Community organizations that provide shelter, mental health services, and employment support will be key partners in translating county strategy into results for residents experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

The county provided media contact information with the announcement for those seeking more details. As Rabalais begins her tenure, local officials and service providers will be watching how her programmatic experience and emphasis on evidence-based practices translate into tangible progress on housing stability across Guilford County.