Deborah Tannen holds the distinguished rank of University Professor at Georgetown University. Outside the academy, she is best known as the author of You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation, which was on the New York Times best seller list for nearly four years, including eight months as No. 1, and has been translated into 31 languages. This is the book that brought gender differences in communication style to the forefront of public awareness. Her books You Were Always Mom's Favorite!, about sisters, and You're Wearing THAT?, about mothers and grown daughters, were also New York Times best sellers. Her book Talking from 9 to 5: Women and Men at Work was a New York Times Business best seller. Her twelfth book, You're the Only One I Can Tell, which was published in May, received rave reviews in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic.

Deborah Tannen is a frequent guest on television and radio news and information shows, including Charlie Rose, The Colbert Report, 20/20, Good Morning America, The Today Show, PBS NewsHour, Oprah, Hardball, Nightline, and many shows on CNN and NPR such as Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Fresh Air, The Diane Rehm Show, and 1A​. She has been featured in and written for most major newspapers and magazines. You may have seen her recent essays in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Time. In addition to her linguistic research and writing, she has published poetry, short stories, and personal essays. She has lectured nationally and internationally to leading corporate, educational, and governmental organizations, as well as to the Board of Trustees of The Wharton School and a gathering of United States senators and their spouses.