Deborah Jane Mackin

Deborah Jane Mackin - A Life of Leadership, Faith, and Family White Creek, NY – Deborah Jane (Taylor) Mackin, loving wife and mother, renowned business consultant, and beacon of spiritual strength, died on Sunday, August 27 at the age of 74. She was surrounded by her loved ones in the moments leading up to her passing. Deborah was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to Marian and Arthur Taylor. The family eventually moved to Bennington, Vermont where she attended Mount Anthony Union School and graduated in 1967. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University before returning to Bennington to work at Bennington College and for local radio station WBTN where she met and married Bob Harrington and had two sons, Michael and Matthew Harrington. She would go on to receive her Master’s degree from Antioch University and start her own business, New Directions Consulting. Through this leadership development and training firm, she trained and coached internationally for over 30 years. She worked with leaders to transform their organizations and mentored thousands of professionals, instilling in them her own unique brand of collaborative leadership. Some of her more notable clients included Coca-Cola, AT&T, Keurig, Delta Faucet, the US Navy, Sanofi Pasteur, Schenectady International, Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, NSK Steering Systems America, CAP COM Federal Credit Union and Northfield Savings Bank. Deborah was the accomplished author of five books, including "The Team Building Tool Kit" “Keeping the Team Going,” and "Survival of the Hive," works that have become quintessential guides for team leaders and organizational developers around the world. She carried with her an enduring sense of wonder and curiosity that influenced her every endeavor. This would continue into her retirement as she was an avid and accomplished reader, gardener, painter, musician, beekeeper, crafter, and lover of the arts. In 1991, she married Paul Mackin in White Creek, NY and became a second mother to his four children, Sarah, Andrew, Ben, and Molly Mackin. A woman of strong faith, Deborah's spiritual life was the bedrock on which she built her personal and professional success. Her faith was not simply a personal doctrine but a gift she shared generously with those around her, and often served as a source of strength for her family and community. Being an accomplished pianist, she and Paul played and led worship services in several area churches for more than 25 years. She was an indomitable force of love, kindness, and wisdom. Her nurturing guidance as a mother and grandmother will be cherished in the countless stories, life lessons, and moments of laughter that her family will carry forward. To know Deborah was to experience her warmth of genuine friendship, care, support, and tutelage. Deborah is survived by her loving husband of 32 years, Paul Mackin, and children: Michael Harrington (Montpelier, VT), Matthew Harrington (Bennington, VT), Sarah Imboden (Tivoli, NY), Andrew Mackin (Bismark, ND), Ben Mackin (Bennington, VT), and Molly Mackin (Hiddenite, NC), and numerous grandchildren, as well as her siblings and an extended family that spreads across states and hearts alike. Her life will be celebrated in a service held in the coming weeks and under a separate announcement, where community members are welcome to pay their respects and share in the love and faith that Deborah embodied. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks for donations to be made to World Central Kitchen (https://wck.org/donate) or Compassion International (https://www.compassion.com/ways-to-donate.htm), institutions that held a special place in Deborah’s heart and which align with her lifelong commitment to helping others. Deborah Mackin leaves behind a legacy of professional acumen, as well as an lasting imprint of faith and love. Her spirit will continue to guide and inspire all who knew her as a vivid reminder that leadership is an act of service, that family is a treasure, and that faith is the strongest foundation on which to build a life.