Since 2001, Debbye Turner has been enjoying her role in broadcast journalism as a staff correspondent on CBS’ The Early Show.
 
She covers a variety of subjects as a feature reporter, and is from time to time called upon to cover breaking and developing news. As a doctor of veterinary medicine, it’s only natural that Turner was also asked to do regular pet segments appropriately titled Pet Planet. These informative segments about pets and pet care air on both The Early Show and the Saturday Early Show.

Turner joined CBS after a nearly 6-year stint as host of Show Me St. Louis, a daily, half-hour show featuring interesting people and places in St. Louis, Missouri. She also hosted a PBS series about pets and veterinary medicine, The Gentle Doctor.

Turner’s first passion is motivational speaking. Since being crowned Miss America in 1990, Turner has spoken to more than a half million students at hundreds of schools, youth organizations and college campuses. She has addressed audiences in the corporate, academic, political arenas. Her topics include personal excellence, determination, goal setting and the importance of a solid education. Turner’s beliefs reflect her own life-lessons – it took seven years and eleven tries in two states before she was crowned Miss America.

Although her job at CBS takes her across the country, Turner has found time to serve on many local, state and national boards over the years, including the National Council on Youth leadership, Children's Miracle Network, Missouri Division of Youth Services and Mathews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club. She is currently a member of the National Advisory Child Health and Human Development Council, which is an advisory council to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, which is an institute in the National Institutes of Health.

Turner graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia in May 1991 with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture in May 1986 from Arkansas State University. She lives in the New York City area.