Debra hippensteel, MBA
Debra (Debbie) Hippensteel is a Senior Portfolio Manager for River Wealth Advisors, focusing primarily on managing the portfolios of the firm’s Lehigh Valley clients. Debbie serves in a key role on the firm’s Investment Committee and is responsible for implementing River Wealth investment policies within the client portfolios she manages. Additionally, Debbie is the Lehigh Valley Office Manager, overseeing the office’s staff and ensuring compliance with the firm’s operational and service policies and procedures.
With more than 25 years of investment experience, Debbie brings a personalized approach to clients in the Lehigh Valley and beyond. Prior to joining River Wealth Advisors in 2019, Debbie served as an Institutional Portfolio Manager with a large regional bank where she managed accounts for individuals, foundations, endowments, and employee benefit plans. Prior to that role, and after several institutional mergers, Debbie was Senior Portfolio Manager for National Penn Investors Trust Company’s Northern Region and lead manager of the Municipal Bond portfolio and Short Duration Taxable Fixed Income Strategies. She also served as a member of the Investment Committee and chaired the Portfolio Review Committee for the Northern Region. In addition, in the 1990s, Debbie worked for a Registered Investment Advisor in Allentown, AM Best, and Meridian Bancorp.
Debbie graduated from Bloomsburg University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and from DeSales University with an MBA in Finance. Debbie holds a Series 65 license.
Get to Know Me Better
What do you enjoy most about your current job?
Getting to know our clients and helping them achieve their life’s goals and objectives.
What do you love most about being part of river wealth advisors?
I enjoy being a part of a team where the individuals are not stuck in their pre-defined roles. Everyone knows what it takes to deliver exceptional service to our clients and is willing to help out where it is needed.
What are your favorite hobbies?
I love working in my garden, learning how to put together flower arrangements and overall landscape design. I’ve been learning how to create layers of color and texture with shrubs and perennials. I also enjoy a good book on the beach.
what is your favorite book?
The Clifton Chronicles by Jeffrey Archer.
what was your first job?
Non-W-2: babysitting and delivering newspapers; W-2: Arby’s.
what are your bucket list vacation spots?
Fiji, New Zealand, and Europe.
What's the best advice you've ever received?
Think before you speak.
