President

Debbie moved from Ashland, Oregon to Maui in 2007 to co-found and help direct and manage ROOTS school in Haiku, where she taught grades K-3rd. In addition, she served on the school board for six years. She currently serves on the advisory board for the Maui Book Trust. She holds a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education from Southern Oregon University and a BA in Humanities. She has taught K-3 for over 25 years. The last few years, she has focused on working for her family’s excavation and construction company, Benton Management, Inc. and their Bobcat of Maui store. In 2022 she returned full time to her passion for teaching Kindergarten! She enjoys hiking, running, surfing, traveling and volunteering for causes that help the community and island of Maui.

Treasurer

Linda Lafragiola (Linda La) has been a resident of Maui since 2007. In 2014, she closed the doors to her construction management business and moved from Marin/Sonoma California to make Maui her full-time home. She was the founder and director of a construction management company, was a foreman for an electrical union, and served as a bookkeeper for small businesses. She has served on multiple boards of directors, including investment groups, children’s organizations, and paddling clubs. Now retired, she keeps herself busy and involved by paddling in Hawaiian outrigger canoes, training for long distance breast cancer walks, volunteering for local charities, and traveling. 100 Women Who Care Maui is a perfect fit for her skills and passions.

Secretary

Linda Ruegsegger (Linda R) moved full time to Maui with her husband Pete and two children (and dog Riley) during the summer of 2021. She was born, raised, and lived in the Chicago area for 50 years and is absolutely thrilled to be in Maui now! Her career in the financial services spanned almost 30 years, where she held various roles in both private and institutional investment management. She attended Northern Illinois University and Northwestern University and has earned the CFA designation. She has served on several board of directors during her career. A key area of philanthropic focus is on educational advancement, and one of her passions is to vastly improve the financial literacy of our youth. Since moving to Maui, her focus has been on discovering the new chapters that lie ahead and focusing on her family. She is thrilled to take on a more active role with the 100 Women Who Care Maui.