Our Founder

Preemie Crystal Ball is the passion-project of PreemieWorld’s CEO Deb Discenza, longtime advocate for preemie families. Our goal is to provide patient-focused care based on better data. Simply put, Preemie Crystal Ball is a research portal being developed for the preemie community through the lifespan of pregnancy to birth to childhood, adolescence, adulthood and the geriatric years.

DEB DISCENZA – Preemie | Preemie Mom | Founder | CEO

Born at 36 weeks in 1967, Deb Discenza did not realize she was born prematurely until after her mother died.  “It was a shock. I knew that I had been born a little early but no one had ever confirmed that I was premature. Suddenly a lot of little things lined up from health to mental health and more.”

Combining fields in technology and publishing, Deb has created PreemieWorld as the go-to space for education, support and resources for the preemie community including the acclaimed book, The Preemie Parent’s Survival Guide to the NICU.  Prior to PreemieWorld  Deb founded and ran the award-winning Preemie Magazine.

When not sought after for speaking engagements, media and news-related spots for the medical and general public, Deb provides public service to her community in the form of being a founding member and steering committee member of the National Premature Infant Health Coalition and a founding member and former Leadership team member of the Preemie Parent Alliance. She is also a regular Column Editor for the Neonatal Network’s Neonatal Network Journal, and a columnist for both the quarterly newsletter for the Council of International Neonatal Nurses (COINN) and for Neonatal Intensive Care magazine.