Dahl—Deborah A. Dahl, 72, on December 16, 2025, peacefully in her sleep, in New York City after suffering for five years with endometrial cancer. Deborah was born on June 22, 1953, to Harold E. Dahl and Carol (Keller) Dahl in Long Beach, N.Y.
After Deborah graduated from Case Western Reserve University, she cofounded and led a small community theater group to national prominence as America’s first resident, professional Theater of the Deaf. She was briefly managing director of the NYC Ensemble Studio Theatre, then served for five years as the foundation officer for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The Ford Foundation, along with leaders in the field of social justice, credit client outcomes of Deborah’s visionary work with reinventing nonprofits. Her work at Arcadia Associates, a nonprofit Quaker network that she founded, built twenty-first-century careers for social change. She delivered transformational results in leadership and coaching programs.
Deborah was married twice, first to Chuck Rosenow and then to Paul Lustgarten.
She became a member of Fifteenth Street Meeting in New York City during the summer of 2018. Friendships—old, new, and intergenerational—were an integral part of Deborah’s life and legacy. Her ability to proclaim, “All is well,” left a lasting impression. Deborah’s brilliance and laughter will be deeply missed by her many friends, particularly those at Fifteenth Street Meeting.
Robert Renwick, fellow Quaker, gave Deborah a home for the last five years of her life.
Deborah is survived by an older brother and two younger sisters.
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