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Draft:DEBBIE J. JOHNSTON

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Deborah J. Johnston
Born
Ridgecrest, California, U.S.[1]
NationalityAmerican[2]
Occupations
  • Entrepreneur
  • Businesswoman
  • Nurse
  • Philanthropist[3]
Known forFounder of Care Advantage; Virginia Adoption Champion; appearing

on Secret Millionaire [4][5] [6]

[7]
Notable work
  • The School of Heart Knocks (2010 book)[8]
  • The Hospice Handbook (2022 book)[9]
Awards
  • Entrepreneur of Richmond (1993)[10]
  • Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year – Virginia (1996)[11]

Deborah J. "Debbie" Johnston is an American entrepreneur, registered nurse, and philanthropist. She is the founder of Care Advantage, Inc., a healthcare company she started in 1988 and grew into one of Virginia’s largest home health care providers[12].

Johnston was the first woman to be named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce (1993) and the first female recipient of Virginia’s Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (1996)[13] [14].

In 2013, she gained wider recognition by appearing on the ABC reality television show Secret Millionaire, in which she went undercover to volunteer and ultimately donated $150,000 to charities in a struggling community[15] [16][circular reference].

She is also known for her adoption advocacy; in 2014 the Governor of Virginia appointed her as the state’s Adoption Champion, leading her to establish the non-profit Connecting Hearts to promote adoption and foster care awareness[17].

Early life and education

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Johnston was born in Ridgecrest, California, and was adopted at the age of three by her maternal aunt and uncle in Virginia[18].

She grew up on a farm in the Varina area of eastern Henrico County, Virginia, as one of six siblings in a modest one-bathroom household[19].

From a young age, she was encouraged by her father to pursue a stable career in nursing[20].

Her father, Richard, told her that as a nurse she would “always have a job…always be able to take care of herself,” advice that guided her choice of profession[21].

Deborah Johnston graduated from the Johnston-Willis Hospital School of Nursing in 1974, becoming a registered nurse[22]

Career

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Founding of Care Advantage

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After earning her nursing credentials, Johnston worked for nearly a decade at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Richmond, rising to become a charge nurse in the recovery room by the early 1980s[23].

She then moved into the home health field, serving as an account executive for a home-care franchise (1983–84) and as administrator of a hospital-based home health division (1984–87)[24]

During this time, Johnston saw a growing need for in-home patient care – as she later noted, patients were being discharged “quicker and sicker” due to changes in health insurance reimbursement[25]

In 1988, she founded Care Advantage, Inc. in Richmond, a company providing personal and companion health care services to patients in their homes[26]

She started the business from scratch – initially even struggling to meet payroll – but steadily expanded the company over the next decades. The fledgling agency brought in about $250,000 in revenue in its first three months[27].

By the early 2010s, Care Advantage had roughly 15–19 offices across Virginia and employed around 3,000 caregivers and health professionals, making it one of the state’s largest home healthcare providers[28].

Johnston also launched two related home-care companies, Nurse Advantage and All About Care, which provided supplemental nursing staff and personal care aides, respectively[29].

She served as CEO of her companies for over 25 years, fostering a “family-oriented” culture – in fact, numerous members of her own family joined the enterprise in various roles[30].

Under her leadership, Care Advantage and its sister companies maintained a mom-and-pop ethos even as they grew large in size[31].

“My company is all about heart – a grateful heart,” Johnston wrote of her business philosophy in her 2010 memoir, emphasizing compassionate care for patients and a supportive environment for employees[32].

Later ventures and sale of business

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In 2013, Debbie Johnston ventured into a new industry by starting a Richmond-based matchmaking service called All About Love Matchmaking, aimed particularly at helping widowed seniors find companionship[33].

The same year, Debbie Johnston also gained national attention when she was featured on the ABC television series Secret Millionaire[34].

In her episode (which aired August 18, 2013), Johnston traveled to a low-income neighborhood in Richmond, California, where she spent a week undercover volunteering and ultimately donated $150,000 of her own money to local charities and individuals in need[35][circular reference] [36].

Her heartfelt generosity on the show resonated with viewers and highlighted her hands-on philanthropic spirit[37].

Johnston’s primary business, Care Advantage, continued to flourish[38] [39].

In early 2017, she decided to step back from day-to-day management and sold Care Advantage to BelHealth Investment Partners, a New York–based private equity firm, while ensuring the new owners would carry on her mission of quality care[40].

She remained involved with the company after the sale, taking on a role as vice chairwoman of the board[41] [42] [43].

Following the sale, Johnston wasn’t ready to retire. Instead, she returned to her caregiving roots by founding a hospice services company called Serenity First Hospice in 2021[44] [45].

This venture was inspired by her personal experience caring for her aging father and seeing the value of compassionate end-of-life care[46].

Based in Richmond, Serenity First Hospice focuses on innovative hospice and palliative care, continuing Johnston’s legacy in the healthcare sector[47]

[48].

Philanthropy and advocacy

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Throughout her career, Debbie Johnston has been actively involved in charitable work and community initiatives[49].

Over the 15-year span leading up to 2013, she and her company donated more than $1 million to various charities in the Richmond area[50].

Organizations she has supported include Big Brothers Big Sisters, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the Alzheimer’s Association, and the Multiple Sclerosis Society[51].

Debbie also personally funded a local TV segment called "Changing Our Community One Charity at a Time," which gave free advertising time to local nonprofits on Richmond’s WRIC Channel 8 (in segments hosted by Matt DiNardo)[52].

Over 26 episodes a year, each featuring a different charity, Johnston underwrote the costs so that organizations could publicize their missions at no charge[53].

In addition, in 2006 Debbie endowed a $250,000 nursing scholarship fund at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College to support future caregivers in her community[54].

One cause especially close to Johnston’s heart is adoption. Having been adopted as a child herself, she has been a strong advocate for foster children finding permanent homes[55].

In August 2014, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe appointed Debbie Johnston as the state’s “Adoption Champion,” a role in which she worked to promote adoption awareness and recruit adoptive families[56].

In response, Johnston founded a non-profit foundation called Connecting Hearts (formally “Connecting Hearts in Virginia – The Deborah J. Johnston Foundation”) later that year[57].

The organization’s mission has been to raise the profile of foster children in Virginia who are awaiting adoption and to connect them with families, through public events, media campaigns, and partnerships with other agencies[58].

In 2018, Connecting Hearts partnered with Jewish Family Services of Richmond to expand its outreach and services for foster-to-adopt families, even co-locating its offices with the JFS adoption program[59][60].

Johnston’s philanthropic philosophy is often described as hands-on and heartfelt[61].

“Debbie has a history of loving service,” one community leader said of her efforts, highlighting how she gives not just money but time and personal attention to the causes she supports[62].

Awards and honors

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  • Entrepreneur of Richmond (1993) – Johnston was the first woman to receive this award from the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce, which recognizes the top entrepreneur in the Richmond business community[63].
  • Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award – Virginia (1996) – She became the first female recipient of Virginia’s E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year, a prestigious award for business leadership[64].
  • Blue Chip Enterprise Initiative Award (1996) – Her company was one of the small businesses honored in this national competition co-sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (an award recognizing businesses that overcame challenges; winners were invited to Washington, D.C., as part of the honor)[65].
  • Working Woman Magazine’s Entrepreneurial Excellence Award (2000 and 2001) – Johnston won this award two years in a row, highlighting her continued success as a female business owner[66].
  • Philanthropist of the Year (2005) – Honored by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Virginia for her contributions to youth mentoring programs[67].
  • YWCA Richmond Outstanding Woman Award (2011) – Recognized in the category of health/science for Debbie's achievements in healthcare and philanthropy[68].
  • Humanitarian of the Year (2015) – Received the 2015 Humanitarian of the Year Award from Unity of Bon Air (Unity Christ Church) and Bon Secours Richmond Health System, reflecting Debbie's service and charitable works[69].
  • Additional awards include the March of Dimes “Nurse of the Year” Nightingale Award (2014), the ALS Association’s Dine to Defeat ALS Award (2015), and the Eva Teig Hardy Award for Corporate Service (2016), among others [These honors demonstrate the breadth of Johnston’s recognition but are not exhaustively listed here][70].

Works

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  • The School of Heart Knocks (2010) – An autobiographical book by Debbie Johnston, in which she shares life lessons and her journey in business and philanthropy[71].
  • The Hospice Handbook: Nurse Debbie’s Compassionate Guide to Navigating End‑of‑Life Care (2022) — a practical guide for families and caregivers navigating hospice care, drawing on Johnston’s professional experience as a nurse and hospice founder.[72]

See also

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  • Caregiving – Overview of in-home caregiving services like those provided by Care Advantage[76].


References

[edit]
  1. ^ Stiles, Dianna (January 2, 2012). "Profile: Deborah J. Johnston, R.N." Health Journal. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  2. ^ "About– Debbie Johnston". Debbie Johnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  3. ^ "Debbie Johnston". Debbie Johnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  4. ^ "Debbie Johnston". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  5. ^ "About – Debbie Johnston". Debbie Johnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  6. ^ McAteer et al . (June 28, 2022). "DEBORAH JOHNSTON". VirginiaBusiness. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  7. ^ "LILEY'S– Western Henrico Rotary Club" (PDF). DACdb. April 2, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  8. ^ "The School of Heart Knocks: How I Turned One Idea and Many Adversities into a Multi‑Million‑Dollar Business – and So Can You!". Amazon. November 3, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  9. ^ "The Hospice Handbook: Nurse Debbie's Compassionate Guide To Navigate End‑Of‑Life Care". Amazon. June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  10. ^ "Awards and honors". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  11. ^ "About – Debbie Johnston". Debbie Johnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  12. ^ "About– Debbie Johnston". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  13. ^ "About– Debbie Johnston". Debbie Johnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  14. ^ Stutz, David (June 20, 2013). "Johnston driven by love of family and community". Richmond Times‑Dispatch. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  15. ^ Hazard, Carol (September 30, 2013). "JohnstonDrivenByLoveOfFamilyAndCommunity". RichmondTimes‑Dispatch (via InsuranceNewsNet). Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  16. ^ "List of Secret Millionaire (American TV series) episodes". Wikipedia. February 4, 2025. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  17. ^ "Adoption Champion – DebbieJohnston". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  18. ^ “Play Your Position Podcast” (November 6, 2017). "Debbie Johnston — It's Never too Late to Have the Family You Want". Play Your Position Podcast. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  19. ^ Hazard, Carol (September 30, 2013). "Johnston driven by love of family and community". Richmond Times‑Dispatch. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  20. ^ McAteer, M.J., Alissa Skelton and Charlotte Rene Woods (June 28, 2022). "DEBORAH JOHNSTON". VirginiaBusiness. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  21. ^ Hazard, Carol (September 30, 2013). "Johnston driven by love of family and community". Richmond Times‑Dispatch. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  22. ^ "Profile: Deborah J. Johnston, R.N." HealthJournal. January 2, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  23. ^ Hazard, Carol (June 20, 2013). "Johnston driven by love of family and community". Richmond Times‑Dispatch (via InsuranceNewsNet). Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  24. ^ Stiles, Dianna (January 2, 2012). "Profile: DeborahJ.Johnston, R.N." Health Journal. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  25. ^ "Home‑health care insight – Debbie Johnston". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  26. ^ "About – Debbie Johnston". Debbie Johnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  27. ^ Hazard, Carol (June 20, 2013). "Johnston driven by love of family and community". Richmond Times‑Dispatch (via InsuranceNewsNet). Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  28. ^ Stiles, Dianna (January 2, 2012). "Profile: Deborah J. Johnston, R.N." Health Journal. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  29. ^ "Debbie Johnston — It's Never too Late to Have the Family You Want". Play Your Position Podcast. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  30. ^ "About– Debbie Johnston". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  31. ^ "About– Debbie Johnston". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  32. ^ "The School of Heart Knocks". Amazon. June 16, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  33. ^ Squires, Paula C. (October 28, 2013). "Entrepreneur Debbie Johnston starts a new company". Virginia Business. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  34. ^ "About– Debbie Johnston". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  35. ^ "List of Secret Millionaire (American TV series) episodes". Wikipedia. February 4, 2025. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  36. ^ "Debbie Johnston – Secret Millionaire condensed episode". YouTube. June 20, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  37. ^ Johnston, Debbie (July 15, 2016). "My Time in Richmond, CA". LinkedIn. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  38. ^ "DEBORAH JOHNSTON". Virginia Business. June 28, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  39. ^ "BelHealth acquires home healthcare provider Care Advantage". PE Hub. January 4, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  40. ^ "BelHealth Investment Partners Acquires Care Advantage" (PDF). BelHealth Investment Partners. January 4, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  41. ^ "Debbie Johnston remains on board". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  42. ^ "BelHealth acquires home healthcare provider Care Advantage". PE Hub. January 4, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  43. ^ "Care Advantage Inc – Executive Profile: Deborah Johnston". Bloomberg. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  44. ^ "Serenity First Hospice – Debbie Johnston". Debbie Johnston. February 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  45. ^ McAteer, M.J. (June 28, 2022). "Deborah Johnston". Virginia Business. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  46. ^ "Our Story – Serenity First Hospice". Serenity First Hospice. February 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  47. ^ "Serenity First Hospice". Debbie Johnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  48. ^ "Serenity First Hospice – Our Story". Serenity First Hospice. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  49. ^ "CaringCommunity – DebbieJohnston". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  50. ^ Hazard, Carol (September 30, 2013). "Johnston driven by love of family and community". Richmond Times‑Dispatch (via InsuranceNewsNet). Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  51. ^ "Caring Community – Debbie Johnston". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  52. ^ ""Good News" – Virginia's Adoption Champion & DaShawn". YouTube. February 9, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  53. ^ Stiles, Dianna (January 2, 2012). "Profile: Deborah J. Johnston, R.N." Health Journal. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  54. ^ Unknown (September 30, 2013). "Johnston driven by love of family and community". Richmond Times‑Dispatch (via InsuranceNewsNet). Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  55. ^ "Adoption Champion– DebbieJohnston". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  56. ^ "Adoption Champion– DebbieJohnston". DebbieJohnston. August 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  57. ^ "Adoption Champion– DebbieJohnston". DebbieJohnston. August 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  58. ^ "Adoption Champion – Debbie Johnston". Debbie Johnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  59. ^ Barnett, Maya (March 13, 2018). "JFS Adoption Partners with Connecting Hearts". Jewish Family Services Richmond. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  60. ^ "Debbie Johnston". DebbieJohnston. January 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  61. ^ Stiles, Dianna (January 2, 2012). "Profile: DeborahJ.Johnston,R.N." Health Journal. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  62. ^ Hazard, Carol (September 30, 2013). "Johnston driven by love of family and community". Richmond Times‑Dispatch (via InsuranceNewsNet). Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  63. ^ Hazard, Carol (September 30, 2013). "Johnston driven by love of family and community". RichmondTimes‑Dispatch (via InsuranceNewsNet). Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  64. ^ "About– DebbieJohnston". Debbie Johnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  65. ^ "About– DebbieJohnston". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  66. ^ "About– DebbieJohnston". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  67. ^ Johnston, Debbie. "Debbie Johnston, R.N. – LinkedIn Profile". LinkedIn. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  68. ^ "All Past Honorees – YWCA Outstanding Women Awards". YWCA Richmond. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  69. ^ "About – Debbie Johnston". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  70. ^ "About– DebbieJohnston". DebbieJohnston. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  71. ^ "The School of Heart Knocks – Deborah J. Johnston". Amazon. June 16, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  72. ^ "The Hospice Handbook: Nurse Debbie's Compassionate Guide To End‑of‑Life Care". Amazon. June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  73. ^ "Secret Millionaire, Season 3 Episode 10 – Debbie Johnston: Richmond, CA". Metacritic. August 13, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  74. ^ "Debbie Johnston – Secret Millionaire condensed episode". YouTube. June 20, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  75. ^ "Adoption Champion– DebbieJohnston". DebbieJohnston. August 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  76. ^ "Company – Care Advantage, Inc". Care Advantage, Inc. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  77. ^ "US Adoption Statistics". Adoption Network. April 5, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
[edit]

Care Advantage, Inc. official site (Company originally founded by Johnston)

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