First and foremost, how did you get to be a whale rider and how often do you work as one?
Actually it was a bit of a fluke! In college I had gotten certified in scuba so I could apply to Seaworld to work in the Dolphin tank.  (That never worked out) I was already a certified advanced scuba diver when a friend told me Warner Bros was looking for a person the size of a 10 year old boy to ride the whale for him and do the stunts.   I went in for an interview and they hired me on the spot.  The next week I was on a plane to Mexico City for 7 weeks to train for the stunt of drowning and being rescued by a Killer Whale!  I have not ridden a whale since then but would be most happy to again if the opportunity arose!  

What's a typical day like for you?
     My typical day is arising early, between 4 and 6am, to go for a run and stretch before my husband and son awake.  An hour or so of work in the home office, make breakfast for us, walk the dog, shower, put in some laundry, take my boy to camp or school, go to my auditions, rehearsals, recording sessions or appointments, make calls from my handsfree headset in the car to do scheduling and talk to family and friends, pick up my boy from school or camp, return home for  more office work, play with my son, make dinner, bathe my son and put him to bed with stories or lullabies, then back to the office for more work.  I'm usually in bed by 9pm.  I pack food to carry with me all day so I don't have to  take time to go to a restaurant.  I usually bring steamed broccoli, steamed carrots, soy yogurt, soy cheese, water and sometimes a sandwich.  Like any working Mother, there are always lots of things on the miscellaneous "to do" list that we try to fit in when there is a chance.

When did you discover that you had a gift for creating different characters with your voice?
     When I was in Nashville for 3 years pursuing country music, I started booking jobs doing jingle work as a child's voice.  This led me back to Los Angeles, where i signed with ICM, my voice agent.  I started auditioning for and booking lots of cartoons.  I have studied over the years with different people to help develop characters.  I also embrace the people in my own life and use their quirks and characteristics in creating different characters.  

What do you love most about your career in voice-over work?
I love the people that I work with, I love being free to be ridiculous!   I guess I love it all, from the auditioning process to the actual job.  It is always new and different.  I never say "I have to go to work," I say "I get to go to work."  It is a blessing.

What advice would you give others seeking a career in the same field?  
Well certainly, study acting and voice.  Make a great demo cd,  get a voice agent and stay persistant.

What was the process like for creating your latest album?
I would schedule sessions whenever I could for pre-production, recording and mixing. It took about 1 1/2 years to complete.  Things always came up that delayed things.  But it was a labor of love.  Luckily my producer's studio is only a mile away so I didn't have far to travel.  Each song gained momentum and personality as we proceeded.  It was fun to see the development.

What's your favorite song on the album and why?  
That's a hard question!!!  Each song holds a special place in my heart.  I really like the grooviness of "Wheel's On The Bus," but I also love the spunk of "My Dog's My Buddy" and the angst of "Raisin Fingers,"  "Baby Banana" is so fun to perform live.

How do you find the time to pursue all of your creative endeavors?  
SCHEDULING!!! There is no other way for me to do it other than plan each hour of my day, making SURE there is quality time for my son and husband.

In hindsight, what’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned while juggling motherhood and your career?  
The biggest lesson is that my son and husband come first...ALWAYS!  Family  is the biggest joy of all.  When we are having fun together is where the creative part comes from.

What other projects are you working on?
I am in pre-production for my 2nd children's album, scheduling concerts, getting distribution for the 1st cd, finishing the recording for the 2nd season of Zatch Bell on Cartoon Network, making my homemade face creams (I know, it's odd, but I love to do it!), running for the board for Screen Actor's Guild...oops, my son is awake!
Bye!

Listen to Debi's new cd, "What A Way To Play"

If you'd like to be featured in the "How I Do It" section, please send an e-mail to Sibyllad@earthlink.net