The first recipient of the Nancy A. Maloley Outstanding Public Servant Award went to Indianapolis native Deborah J. Daniels on February 20, 2003. Deborah's distinguished career has taken her from the mayoral administration of Richard G. Lugar in the early 1970s to her current position for President George W. Bush as Assistant Attorney General (AAG) for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), U. S. Department of Justice.

Over four decades, she has served three Indianapolis Mayors, the Marion County Prosecutor, and two U. S. Presidents, distinguishing herself in the area of local and federal criminal prosecution and community economic development and neighborhood revitalization.

Ms. Daniels served as Chief Counsel to Marion County Prosecutor Stephen Goldsmith where she tried felony cases of all types and supervised grand jury operations as well as prosecutions of domestic violence, sex offenses, child abuse, and adult dependent abuse and exploitation.

As U. S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana from 1988-1993, she successfully pursued several high-profile public corruption and drug importation/distribution cases, as well as initiating the Weed and Seed effort in Indianapolis.

She later headed the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee responsible for developing partnerships among the public, private and not-for-profit sectors and neighborhood leaders, focusing on developing transitional housing for victims of domestic violence, and establishing a network to promote greater understanding among diverse ethnic groups in the community.

She also practiced law in a private firm in Indianapolis, while serving her community on various not-for-profit boards as well as providing pro bono legal services to individual and community organizations.

She received a BA with honors from DePauw University and graduated cum laude from the Indiana University School of Law.