Deborah Gregory was born in Brooklyn, New York. When she was only three years old, her mother was institutionalized, 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. She graduated in 1986 with a BS in cultural studies from Empire State College. After graduation, she found success as a model in Europe.
Gregory has written for various magazines including┬аEssence,┬аMore,┬аUs Weekly, and┬аEntertainment 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┬аCatwalk┬аand┬аCatwalk: Strike a Pose.