Debra was born in New York City to parents of Puerto Rican descent. She fell in love with theater in grammar school, and went on to get her BFA in Drama at New York University, where she studied with Stella Adler. Debra later received her MFA in Dramaturgy at Brooklyn College.

After years of performing regionally and on Broadway in musical theater, Debra landed her first small TV role on "Scandal" (2014), as a Senator being vetted by President Fitzgerald Grant as a potential running mate. She has also appeared in "Fresh Off the Boat" (2016), "Angel From Hell" (2016), and landed a recurring role as Estela, Hector's mom on "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" (2017).

Debra is married to voice actor Darin De Paul.