Deborah Gregory is the author of the popular book series The Cheetah Girls. She is also the producer of the Disney Channel Original Movies The Cheetah Girls

The Cheetah Girls (film)

The Cheetah Girls is a 2003 musical Disney Channel Original Movie, the first for Disney Channel, based on a bestselling series of young adult books of the same name by Deborah Gregory...

and The Cheetah Girls 2

The Cheetah Girls 2

The Cheetah Girls 2 is the 2006 sequel to the Disney Channel Original Movie, The Cheetah Girls. Its premiere received the highest ratings of all Disney Channel Movies at its time, a total of over 8.1 million viewers, beating the premiere ratings of High School Musical , and beating previous highest...

and was an executive producer for The Cheetah Girls: One World

The Cheetah Girls: One World

The Cheetah Girls: One World is a 2008 Disney Channel Original Movie. It is the third and final film of The Cheetah Girls film trilogy, and premiered on August 22, 2008...

.

Early life

Deborah Gregory was born in Brooklyn, New York. When she was only three years old, her mother was institutionalized

Institutionalized

Institutionalized may refer to:* The act of being placed in a psychiatric hospital* "Institutionalized" , a song on Suicidal Tendencies 1983 titular album* Institutionalized , a 2005 rap album by American rapper Ras Kass...

, and young Deborah was put into foster care. As a teenager, she started designing her own clothes, and fantasized about a singing career. At the age of eighteen, she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology. After graduation, she found success as a model in Europe.

She graduated in 1986 with a BS in Cultural Studies from Empire State College

Empire State College

Empire State College, one of the thirteen arts and science colleges of the State University of New York, is a multi-site institution offering associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. It is primarily oriented towards the adult learner...

 (Metropolitan Center, NYC).

Writing

Gregory has written for various magazines including Essence, More, US, and Entertainment Weekly. In 1999, she penned the book series The Cheetah Girls. The books were adapted into a series of original movies by Disney Channel, starting in 2003. She also wrote Catwalk and Catwalk: Strike a Pose.