Valley Leadership Selects 114 Arizonans for Catalyze

Valley Leadership

Valley Leadership has selected 114 Arizonans to be part of the inaugural class of Catalyze, a completely virtual program designed to set people up to take action in the community. The cohort represents a diverse cross-section of sectors, industries and experience.

“We’re excited to see how this inaugural cohort will impact Arizona,” said VL CEO Dave Brown. “Arizona is lucky to have such a diverse and ready-to-do set of leaders. Congratulations to our board, staff, partners and supporters as we launch our new programming with this set of outstanding leaders.”

Participants will grow their connections to the people and issues that impact Arizona, while gaining new skills and experiences. With a virtual format and multiple session dates, Catalyze participants will be able to engage when and where it works best for them – and will have the opportunity to deepen relationships through in-person and virtual social events. Each participant leaves with a commitment and a plan for how to get more engaged in the community – including through Impact Maker, a collaborative community venture housed at VL that mobilizes Arizonans to create long-term change on the issues of the day.

“Valley Leadership wants to empower every Arizonan to lead, and we’re doubling down on that commitment with the launch of Catalyze that will usher in our new programming,” said VL Board President and Catalyze participant Paul Komadina. “I’m thrilled to be part of this cohort and look forward to meeting this group and finding ways to work together to strengthen the community.”

Meet the Class:

Anne Ackroyd Public Affairs and Media Relations Branch Chief Arizona Game and Fish Department
Veronica Aguilar Assistant Vice President Arizona State University
Carlos Alfaro Founder Arizona Talks Foundation
Meka Allen Director of Social Work Fresh Start Women’s Foundation
Minnie Andrade CEO/ Plan President Molina Healthcare
Melissa Armas Operations Director Instituto
Derrick Baker Site Administrator Copa Health
Nancy Baldwin Trustee and Executive Director Hickey Family Foundation
Joe Barba Director of Government Relations Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona
Chad Bays Co-Founder / CEO Academic Opportunity of Arizona
Robert Beach Public Relations/Marketing/Corporate Sponsor Coordinator Arabian Horse Association of Arizona
Lita Beck Equity Issues Editor The Arizona Republic
Grecia Beltran Operations Associate Iconico LLC
Tom Binge Financial Advisor Renaissance Financial
Jordan Bishop Academic Network Success Manager InStride
Jaimey Bly Director, Business Consulting Nationwide Insurance
Jason Boatman Realtor Self Employed
KellyAnn Bonnell Program Manager Pop Goes the Classroom
Jon Bonnell VP of Operations Self-Employed
Stephanie Brewer Executive Director Newtown Community Development Corporation
Vicki Broman President WesBro Enterprises, LLC
Benedikt Brueckle President & CFO CompuGroup Medical, Inc.
Dana Burns Executive Director A Permanent Voice
Margo Casselman Associate Attorney Perkins Coie LLP
Lori Chaplin Senior Community Representative Brookfield Residential
Lea Cheshareck Qalhashahi Business Development Manager Spectrum Engineers
Thomas Chiang Deputy Public Defender Maricopa County Office of the Public Defender
Christina Clarke Compliance Manager U.S. Bank
Chad Corwin Salt River Project (SRP)
Syna Daudfar Resident Physician Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance
Kimberley Davis Sales Team Lead IncStores, LLC
Ashley DeGooyer Lee Senior Executive Director American Cancer Society
Matthew Ederer Commercial Relationship Manager U.S. Bank
Claire Eichmann Associate Attorney Husch Blackwell LLP
Karen Eulate Site Leader Mesa Public Schools
Kelsey Evans Director of Programs & Community Engagement Fresh Start Women’s Foundation
James Florentine Associate Snell & Wilmer LLP
Amy Freeman Administrator for Quality Programs Student Choice High School
Greg Geist Market Executive BMO Harris
Carlos Goveo Director of Operations Trident Security Services
Allen Greenberg SVP, Marketing The Mahoney Group
Lauren Grucky Regional Director Massage Envy
Inder Gunnala Outreach Coordinator US Senator Kyrsten Sinema
Meghan Hays Davis Program and Training Director Prevent Child Abuse Arizona
Juana Hernandez Community Stewardship Representative Sr. SRP
Casey Holt Talent Acquisition Manager Insight Global
Riley Hubbard Audit & Assurance Senior Deloitte and Touche
Jenael Ignat Development Manager Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Zoe Isaac Communications and Impact Manager Fresh Start Women’s Foundation
Karen Jayne CEO Stardust
Paula Johnson-Hutchinson CEO The PH Factor Consulting Firm
Carrie Kelly Executive Director Arizona Association for Economic Development
Kyle Kniepman Employee Benefits Consultant MJ Insurance
Gizette Knight CEO Reality Dreams, LLC
Paul Komadina Senior Managing Director CBRE
Callie Kozlak Associate Superintendent of Policy & Gov Relations Arizona Department of Education
Ajlan Kurdoglu Owner Home Mart
Karyn Lathan Constable University Lakes Justice Precinct
Melissa Leathers Direct Services Manager Save the Family
Gladys Lopez Controller Copa Health
Michael Mazzocco Owner Michael Mazzocco Events
Brian McCoy City of Phoenix terminal supervisor Greyhound Bus Company
Paulina Menichiello Consultant – Government and Public Services Deloitte Consulting LLP
Monica Mesa Assistant Superintendent Mesa Public Schools
Monica Meyerand VP, Media and Member Experience OneAZ Credit Union
Eleni Miachika Analyst, Business Development & Investor Relations FTV Capital
Richelle Miller General Manager, Phoenix Market Cruise Automation
Mark Moeremans SVP Entrepreneurship & Venture Development Arizona Commerce Authority
Mike Mule Business Banker Commercial Real Estate Wells Fargo
Antonio Newman Chauffeur Optime Transportation
Lisa Norwood Principal Osborn School District/Solano Elementary School
Ashley Oakley Executive Director Chandler Children’s Choir
Taryl O’Shea Executive Director Arabian Horse Association of Arizona
Mike Palmgren Media Director Catalyst Media Design
Thanasi Panagiotakopoulos Principal LifeManaged
Deborah Pearson EVP – Chief Marketing and Experience Officer OneAZ Credit Union
Rachel Phillips Teacher Arizona Cultural Academy
Dani Portillo Executive Director for Teaching and Learning Roosevelt Elementary School District
Linda Qian Communications and Media Relations Director Intel Corporation
Kelli Rael Associate Director of Development Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at ASU
Arlynn Robertson Training Coordinator DES – Business Enterprise Program
Jeff Rothenberg Senior Director of Credit Operations Mosaic
Kristina Sabetta Owner/Consultant Sabetta Consulting, LLC
Hannah Sanders Development Officer St. Vincent de Paul
Julie Schaffer Director of Education and Career Services Fresh Start Women’s Foundation
Heath Scheid Managing Director BMO Harris Bank
David Scott Regional President – Arizona Meadows Bank
Joan Serviss Executive Director Arizona Housing Coalition
Sarah Shambrook Government Relations Associate Dominium
Max Shanahan Attorney Koeller, Nebeker, Carlson, & Haluck
Kaitlyn Shaw Teacher VillaMontessori
Michael Slugocki Attorney Slugocki Law, PLC
Brittney Snyder Director of Development ASU Foundation
Christian Solorio Architect Architectural Resource Team
Diana Solorio Communications Manager The Colibri Collective
Mike Sonenberg Unit Manager State of Arizona
Paige Soucie Director of Client Success Persosa
Kyle Steinbuch SVP PNC Bank
Matthew Stewart Community Advocate Self-Employed
Warren Stewart, Jr. Strategist Proactive Justice
Lisa Stratton Philanthropic Advisor Arizona Community Foundation
Kamal Sumar Associate Chief Medical Informatics Officer Adelante Healthcare
Mollie Sutherland Internship Coordinator Scottsdale Community College
Stacey Sutherland Director of TRUST Arizona Anti-Trafficking Network
Tania Tammaro Client Partner – Business Outcomes FranklinCovey
Ash Uss Executive Director From the Ground Up
Jane Van Dae Corporate & New Business Development Researcher Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation
Gil Velez Complete Care Administrator Banner Health
Julie Wechsler, Ed.D. Phoenix Champion Friends of the Children
Kaila White Editor The Arizona Republic
Alycia Worst Regional Director Copa Health
Jessi Wright Leadership and Philanthropy Coach With An I Enterprises, LLC
Jessica Yanow Sr. Manager, Community & Health Advancement Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
Jenny Zale Client Partner FranklinCovey

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