Debbie George, chief of staff for the city of Suffolk, was among 10 honorees of Girls Inc. of Southwest Hampton Roads Center for Youth at the 14th annual “Strong, Smart & Bold” Luncheon, held Thursday in Portsmouth.

This event honors women in Southwest Hampton Roads who have demonstrated a “strong, smart and bold” community commitment and are easily recognized as role models by their friends, family and colleagues.

As a native of Suffolk, George has provided more than 25 years of service to the community. Starting in the Suffolk Police Department as a dispatcher, she worked her way through the ranks and broke barriers by becoming one of the department’s first female police supervisors in 1997. In 2004, George completed the FBI National Academy in Quantico.

George left the department in 2008 to take on the position of director of media and community relations for the city of Suffolk. In 2012, she was appointed chief of staff, and she oversees three city departments and manages the day-to-day activities of the city manager’s office.

She also coordinates City Council agendas and complaint resolution for the city.

In acknowledging George’s award, Mayor Linda T. Johnson stated, ‘It is always a pleasure to recognize the accomplishments of one of our esteemed employees. I can personally attest to her true passion for her hometown, and she is the epitome of what it means to be a strong, smart and bold public servant.”