• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Join Newsletter
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Login

Quad Cities Business News

Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, & Dewey/Humboldt

  • Business
  • Columnists
  • Community Profile
  • Local News
  • Tourism
  • Education
  • Spotlight
  • Digital Issues
You are here: Home / Archives for Education

Education

Exploring ‘The Island of the Four Ps’ to Create a Life Plan

May 28, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Wall Street executive Ed Hajim helps people identify what matters most.

The man who took us “On the Road Less Traveled: An Unlikely Journey from the Orphanage to the Boardroom,” now sends us to “The Island of the Four Ps: A Modern Fable about Preparing for Your Future.” Business and thought leader extraordinaire Ed Hajim, a financier and entrepreneur who went from humble beginnings to massive success, is now sharing his roadmap with those searching for their path and purpose and demonstrating that anything is possible.

“One of my favorite books is ‘Who Moved My Cheese,’ and if you look back on history, fables basically have communicated principles as much as any form of literature: ‘Oh, The Places You’ll Go’ by Dr. Seuss, ‘Gulliver’s Travels,’ ‘Don Quixote,’ ‘The Alchemist.’ I thought I’d try to write a short book to communicate a series of ideas that helped me throughout my life. That’s what the ‘Island of the Four Ps’ is all about.”

The son of a Syrian immigrant, Hajim was kidnapped by his father at age 3 and told that his mother had died. He grew up largely in foster homes and orphanages, and at age 11, lived alone for a month out of a Coney Island hotel room, taking the subway into Manhattan to explore the city. Despite an early life of instability and adversity, he says the challenges he faced strengthened him.

“My disadvantages became advantages. Think about someone living in 15 or 20 places before you’re 18 years old. You’re adaptable. When you go from one schoolyard to the next, and I was in five different schoolyards between ages 5 and 10, or one orphanage to the next, you learn how to adjust and to fit in. Not only do you get adaptability, but you get self-reliance, you get perseverance and you get resilience. Resilience is like a muscle. And if you use it as a young person, you can use it later in life. In my business career, with my ability to adapt, there was no task that I wouldn’t take on. And I could relate to almost anybody.”

With no money, no family and no connections, Hajim, as a young man, got himself accepted into a private college, the University of Rochester, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. He received his MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School and held senior management positions with prestigious financial firms. Despite his success as a Wall Street executive and financial manager, he was turned down for membership to a Nantucket golf club. Instead of fighting it, he built his own golf club, which has now become the largest charity on the island. Later in life, upon assuming the position of chairman of the University of Rochester’s Board of Directors, he gave the school its largest single donation ever, $30 million, to support scholarships and endow the Edmund A. Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

“The instability I felt [as a child] had everything to do with my quest for a purpose in adulthood. Scary as my circumstances might have been, they ignited in me a desire to find my purpose and plan for the future I wanted,” he wrote.

“The Island of the Four Ps” reads like a storybook. Gentle and imaginative, and enhanced with colorful illustrations by Gabriela Leal, the tale is masterfully crafted with key ideas and questions to ponder at the end of each section. Readers follow the journey of a young adventurer named Marketus as he explores The Village of Passions, The Village of Principles, The Village of Partners and The Village of Plans, the Four Ps.

“It’s not a right or wrong book. It’s saying here are the things you should look at when you make decisions,” he said. “It’s intended for young people and anyone in transition. I’m trying to soften a few of the bumps on the journey of life. I like to say, ‘The highway of life is always under construction.’”

Marketus, and later, a character named Thalia, are guided by an older gentleman name Archimedes. “Their conversations are the same conversations that people must have with themselves to make good life decisions,” said Hajim. “You have an inner voice that you talk to and I wanted to give that inner voice a vocabulary. I looked back at the words I used [to make decisions], and my passions, my principles, my partners and my plans were all part of that.”

In the Village of Passions, Marketus is introduced to the value of finding his own passions by answering four questions: What activities make time pass quickly? What subjects do you hunger to learn about? What tasks do you pursue with commitment and energy, without hesitation? And, what do you daydream about? He also learns that not setting priorities “can leave us meandering from path to path.”

In the Village of Principles, the Blacksmith explains that the rules and actions we create must be our own. “They are based on the mix of principles and circumstances unique to you,” he tells Marketus.

The book also offers playful allegorical messages. The Village of Partners, for example, is accessed by a system of ropes, pulleys and levers that lowers a platform from a cliff to a river. “The chair mechanism is designed for two people working together,” Archimedes explains.

In The Village of Plans, Marketus and Thalia learn about creating A Life-Plan Map that reflects the interplay of three things: A person’s passions, principles and partners; a person’s environment; and the actions a person will take to pursue those opportunities. They also are encouraged to keep the plan updated and pay attention to change and economic cycles. “Never be afraid to test new paths,” Hajim said, noting that change, cycles and latent demand should be anticipated, studied and acted upon. “You’ve got to ask yourself constantly, ‘What’s next?’ Today, if you’re in AI [artificial intelligence] or robotics, you’re probably at the bottom of a long cycle.”

Hajim’s passions include putting people together to solve a problem, create a product or start a program. He found that what he really enjoys is helping people do better than they thought they could. His own guiding principles are: “Treat others as you hope to be treated; seek freedom to make your own decisions; and decide what is enough – enough money, possessions, accomplishments and recognition – and don’t pursue more than enough.”

“Everybody has to define ‘just enough.’ I’ve seen so many people in my business seek too much,” he said. “And that ‘too much’ makes them sacrifice the other parts of their life.”

Both in the book and in life, Hajim strives to balance his principles with four realms – self, family, work and community.

Hajim’s own story includes a happily ever after. At age 60, he learned his mother hadn’t died and was reunited with her when she was 81. They were close for the remaining 12 years of her life. He says his biggest legacy is enjoying a 57-year marriage with his wife, Barbara, having three children and eight grandchildren.

Today, at age 86, he says his purpose is as a mentor through his book and in person. Reflecting on his extraordinary life, he offers this advice: “Anything is possible. Education is the solution to almost everything. And, never be a victim.” QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Hear more hard-earned wisdom from Ed Hajim on Zonie Living: https://starworldwidenetworks.com/episodes/exploring-the-island-of-the-four-ps-to-plan-your-future-with-business-leader-extraordinaire-ed-hajim-video.

Courtesy Photo: Hajim has received numerous awards and accolades including the prestigious Horatio Alger Award, given to Americans who exemplify the values of initiative, leadership and commitment to excellence and who have succeeded despite personal adversities. 

Filed Under: Business, Education, Local News Tagged With: AI, artificial intelligence, Ed Hajim, On the Road Less Traveled: An Unlikely Journey from the Orphanage to the Boardroom, robotics, Zonie Living: Business Adventure and Leadership

Yavapai-Apache Chairwoman Inspired by Elders

May 28, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Tanya Lewis advises young people to know where they came from.

Embracing the advice of her elders for wisdom and guidance is what keeps Yavapai-Apache Chairwoman Tanya Lewis grounded and steadfast as she serves in one of the highest positions in her nation.

“My biggest mentor has been my mom,” she said. “She taught me about compassion, understanding and common sense. My father was amazing; he worked in telecommunications with AT&T for 25 years and taught me to be strong. They are a huge part of who I am today, and I miss them daily.”

Lewis was sworn in as Yavapai-Apache Chairwoman in October 2022. Her father, Lyman Lewis, was with her at her inauguration, but passed away a few months later.

Soft-spoken with kind eyes that reflect her sincerity and integrity, Lewis is approachable, cordial and yet stalwart and wise. She holds an associate degree in business management from Yavapai College.

“Working alongside the Tribal Council, I oversee about 30 programs and govern a management team,” she said. “This encompasses everything from law enforcement, social services, food bank, health clinic, cultural department, Senior Program, Yavapai-Apache Cultural Center and others.”

Located in the Verde Valley, the Yavapai-Apache Nation is comprised of five tribal communities: Tunlii, Middle Verde, Rimrock, Camp Verde and Clarkdale. It is the largest employer in Verde Valley, operating six businesses and numerous government departments.

Born and raised on the reservation in Clarkdale, Lewis says it’s important to know where you came from. “My dad hunted for the meat that we ate and our food came from food boxes. I have 10 brothers and sisters, but I consider the Yavapai-Apache people to be my family and we were always there for our neighbors.”

Before assuming her position as chairwoman, Lewis served as Yavapai-Apache vice chairwoman, a Tribal Council member and executive assistant for two administrations.  She says her strength comes from God. “I get up early every morning to pray, not just for myself and my family, but I also pray for our community. I chose to be here because I love it here and love serving to the best of my ability for my people.”

“Chairwoman Tanya Lewis was an outstanding student of mine while I was a professor at Yavapai College (YC),” said Northern Arizona University (NAU) Professor Dr. Joy D’Angelo. “She stood out as a collaborator with her fellow YC students by her exemplary academic work. In addition, I had the honor of working with her to bring a vision she had for leadership education for the Yavapai-Apache nation.”

As a woman leading a Native American tribe, challenges can arise periodically. “Sometimes misunderstandings in communication occur and we always work it out,” she said.

Yavapai-Apache Cultural Resource Center employee and elder, Barbara McCabe has known Lewis since 2005 and was close friends with Lewis’s mom. “Tanya took good care of her mom and dad. We talk quite often and sometimes she will seek elders’ advice on cultural or environmental issues.”

As a mom of two adult children, Lance, 29, and Taylor, 18, Lewis’ advice to younger Native women is to “always look toward your elders for wisdom, guidance and advice. Take to heart their teaching and learn it and live it.  It will keep you grounded as it teaches us why and who we are.” She added that it is very important to lead by example.

Leisure time for Lewis is sewing. She makes all her dresses.  “I love to sew and make ribbon shirts. I recently learned to make pillowcases and pillows and I’m learning to quilt. I also enjoy following my daughters’ rodeos.”

My Favorite Meal

I love tacos!  Tacos make me happy. They are my comfort food.  I like to make my own soft-shell tacos. They have a lot of flavor; I love to eat them with salsa and they are quick to make and eat.

Meaningful Childhood Memory

Every weekend when my dad came home we were all at the softball field cheering on my older sisters.

Advice for Young People

Look for a purpose. You need to know who we are as individuals. There are no limits in life and there’s always somebody out there to help you, guide you and show you the way.

The Moment I Knew I was a Leader

It was many years ago when I worked with the Yavapai-Apache Nation Pageant Committee. We spent the time with the young ladies mentoring them and teaching, talking and listening. To see these young women grow and see where they are today is wonderful. After that, I sought election and served as a Tribal Council Member from 2010 to 2013. I set expectations for myself and went out there and did it. I thought, “Wow! I can do it.”

Where I Go for Solitude and Contemplation

I love kickboxing and working out at Sensei Robert Gonzales’ HDH Powerhouse Gym in Cottonwood. I also like working in my yard and just being outside. QCBN

By V. Ronnie Tierney, QCBN

Photo by V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography: Chairwoman Tanya Lewis oversees multiple Yavapai-Apache Nation programs including law enforcement, social services, the food bank and health clinic.

Filed Under: Community Profile, Education, Elections, Spotlight, Tourism Tagged With: Apache, Tanya Lewis, yavapai

Preparing for Hikers, High Heat at Grand Canyon

May 27, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Symposium presenters discuss injuries and illnesses.

Hikers often misjudge Grand Canyon treks, says Dr. Tom Myers of North Country Healthcare. “They either overestimate what they think they can do or underestimate the wilderness.”

Myers discussed heat illness and hyponatremia, a condition that occurs when the level of sodium in the blood is too low, at the National Park Service Preventive Search and Rescue (PSAR) Symposium last month at Grand Canyon National Park.

Other sessions included presentations from park staff about downhill injuries, risk assessment and personal preparedness, law enforcement, search and rescue efforts, radio communications and more.

Implemented in 1997, the PSAR program is made up of a team of volunteers from around the country who come to the Grand Canyon to serve as trail educators and support providers to hikers who have questions or need help. The program was established to combat heat-related illnesses. Officials say it also has eased stress on inner canyon staff members.

PSAR volunteers patrol the upper part of the Bright Angel and South Kaibab corridor trails at the South Rim Grand Canyon. They ask hikers how far they plan to go, how much water and food are they carrying and how aware are they about summer high temperatures. They also carry basic medical gear and radios to report emergencies. Last year, PSAR had an estimated 53,000 contacts with visitors.

Serving as a PSAR volunteer for at least 15 years, Flagstaff resident and former physical therapist Sel Wasson says he is involved because of the environment, meeting and talking to interesting people from around the world, and the opportunity to see wildlife. “My most memorable experience on the Bright Angel Trail was a bighorn sheep that walked right up to me on the trail and stopped just a few feet in front of me. It was one of the most awe-inspiring experiences I’ve ever had.”

Grand Canyon PSAR Supervisor Meghan Smith and Joshua Tree National Park Service PSAR Coordinator Anna Marini planned the symposium. “We had an amazing turnout and I’m so grateful to all the participants who made time in their busy schedules to come,” said Smith. “It’s just proof of how important PSAR is.”

Attendees totaled about 150, with 31 national parks and monuments represented, along with 45 PSAR volunteers, park rangers and park managers.

Grand Canyon PSAR volunteer Brandon Trapp said it was great to see people from different national parks across the country show up. “There were two tracks, one for managers to learn about how to start programs for their parks and the other for volunteers to learn operational procedures and how to interact with people and hone their skills. It was great to see both addressed.”

“This is an awesome opportunity to collaborate with other national parks at the Grand Canyon,” said Jennifer Proctor with the National Park Public Risk Management Program. “We pride ourselves in doing things really well and it’s super important for us to connect with other parks and places to get new ideas.” QCBN

By V. Ronnie Tierney, QCBN

Photo by V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography: NAU Regents’ Professor Emeritus Stan Lindstedt gave a presentation about preventing downhill injuries.

Filed Under: Education, Local News, Tourism Tagged With: Dr. Tom Myers, Grand Canyon, National Park Service Preventive Search and Rescue, North Country Healthcare, PSAR

Mentoring Through Quad Cities ATHENA Leadership Awards

May 24, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Nominations being accepted for September High Tea.

The Quad Cities ATHENA Leadership Awards not only celebrate, recognize and honor women for their leadership skills, career achievements, community service and mentorship, they also promote what leadership looks like. ATHENA recipients say this is powerful because younger or less experienced women in the workplace can identify local role models they can talk to, observe in action and learn from.

“Leaders become mentors for others and impact future growth,” said 2022 ATHENA recipient Teri Drew, executive director of NACOG’s Yavapai County Workforce Development, in a 2022 QCBN interview. “My parents and siblings were and continue to be my mentors. They taught me what to and not to do growing up, and those strong ethics pay off.”

On Sunday, Sept. 24, women from across the region will come together at Starting Point in the Prescott Gateway Mall for the 4th Annual Quad Cities ATHENA Leadership Awards High Tea, presented by Quad Cities Business News. They will hear stories of struggle and triumph, perseverance through fear and how to tap into their inner strength in times of adversity. They will also learn how women lean into their core values and their hopes for the future.

“I believe my life is a blessing and given as a blessing. Giving back is just what I believe I need to do. Mentoring others is one of my tenets and receiving the ATHENA award strengthened that,” said 2018 Flagstaff ATHENA recipient Theresa Bierer, an associate professor of practice in management in the W.A. Franke College of Business at Northern Arizona University. “In our lives, everyone is so busy, but what really makes the fabric of a community is people who step outside of themselves and put others and community first. To me, that’s what the ATHENA Award embodies.”

This year, QCBN will recognize an individual with the traditional ATHENA Leadership Award and also will present the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award. In addition, for the first time in Northern Arizona, the Quad Cities ATHENA Leadership Awards will celebrate a business or organization that supports, develops and honors women leaders with the ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award.

Individuals, businesses and organizations are encouraged to nominate extraordinary women leaders who are making a difference in their communities and pioneering a path for others to impact the future.

“My hope for young women entering the workplace is for them to do what they love and love what they do,” added Drew.

Nominations are being accepted until Friday, Aug. 4, at prescottathena.com. QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Photos by Kay Lyons: QCBN women have been instrumental in bringing the ATHENA Leadership Awards to Prescott. Photographed here are QCBN Co-Owner Amy Bix, Editor Bonnie Stevens and Advertising Manager Ann Herrington. 

Filed Under: Business, Education, Elections, Local News, Tourism Tagged With: Amy Bix, Ann Herrington, Athena Awards, Bonnie Stevens, Teri Drew, The Quad Cities ATHENA Leadership Awards

Arizona Philharmonic Names Abby Coffey Co-Executive Director

May 24, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

“I am thrilled to join the executive team for the Arizona Philharmonic as the co-executive director for the 2023-2024 season,” Coffey said.

Prescott’s Arizona Philharmonic (AZ Phil) has announced that, after an extensive search, they have chosen Abby Coffey as co-executive director. Coffey starts the position this month to help usher in the 2023-24 season, which begins Sept. 10.

“We are delighted to have someone of Abby’s musical and education background join AZ Phil as co-executive director, and I look forward to working with her as we evolve our organization,” said AZ Phil Executive Director Henry Flurry.

A versatile flutist, piccoloist and music educator and administrator in the Phoenix metro area, Coffey currently holds the Flute 2/Piccolo position in the Symphony of the Southwest and performs frequently as a substitute musician with The Phoenix Symphony. A supporter and advocate of music education, Coffey is the Professor of Flute and Music Education Studies at Arizona Christian University, where she also teaches music history courses.

Coffey graduated summa cum laude from Belmont University in Nashville with a Bachelor of Music in music education degree. Relocating to Phoenix to further her education, she obtained a Master of Music in flute performance from Arizona State University and is currently completing a Core Certification Program in Arts Management through the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

“I am thrilled to join the executive team for the Arizona Philharmonic as the co-executive director for the 2023-2024 season,” Coffey said. QCBN

Courtesy of Bailey Wilson Photography: Arizona Philharmonic announces new Co-Executive Director Abby Coffey. 

Filed Under: Education, Local News, Tourism Tagged With: Abby Coffey, Arizona Philharmonic, Bailey Wilson Photography, Henry Flurry

Party in the Pines to Benefit Local Education

May 10, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Come out and enjoy great beer, food and music while making a difference in the lives of students in our area.

The Prescott Area Young Professionals (PAYP) group is planning its annual charity beer festival, Party in the Pines, scheduled for 5 p.m., Saturday, June 3. The event will support the Prescott Unified School District (PUSD) classrooms through PUSD Education Foundation grants that fund programs such as an engineering class at Prescott High School and the districtwide college and career preparation software program, Naviance.

“We’re excited to bring our community together to support education through Party in the Pines,” said PAYP President Stephanie Miller. “We believe that education is the foundation for a strong and prosperous community and we’re proud to be able to support our local schools through this event. Come out and enjoy great beer, food and music while making a difference in the lives of students in our area.”

The festival will have a VIP entry at 4 p.m., with access to a private musical performance, exclusive drink tastings, catering, private shade and luxury restrooms, sponsored by Lamb Chevrolet. Limited VIP tickets are available online at partyinthepinesprescott.com.

General admission opens at 5 p.m., with discounted pre-sale tickets available online at partyinthepinesprescott.com for $50, which includes eight drink tickets. Tickets also will be available at the gate for $55. Additional tasting tickets will be available for purchase. Designated drivers receive a discount of $10 at the gate.

Event sponsors include Quad Cities Business News, Lamb Chevrolet, Bucky’s & Yavapai Casinos, Waste Management, ROX Media, The Prescott Times, Visit Prescott, Sparklight Advertising, Signals, Park Plaza Liquor and Deli, Sunstate Equipment Co., LLC, Verve Events & Tents, Skycity Productions LLC, Quad Cities Design, Makayla Chadwick State Farm Insurance, Sadie Sarti Design Co, Jameson Electric, Lawhorn Plumbing LLC, Prescott Culture Construction and Red Bull.

Party in the Pines is a 21-years-old-and-older and a cash-only event. For more information, please contact Stephanie Miller at 928-445-2000, ext. 114. QCBN

Courtesy Photo: Attendees at Party in the Pines gave a cheer to raising $25,000 for the PUSD Education Foundation in 2019, the last time the event was held because of the pandemic. 

Filed Under: Business, Education, Local News, Tourism Tagged With: Bucky’s & Yavapai Casinos, Education, Party in the Pines

Renee Rosales is a Champion for Neurodiverse Learners

May 1, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Theara founder offers brain-training exercises, coaching.

Maintaining the vision that “anything is possible with the right amount of education and determination,” Theara Founder and CEO Renee Rosales has set out to build a better way for the neurodiverse (ND).

“Neurodiversity is the belief that neurological disabilities and differences are not the result of faulty biology but rather the result of natural neurological variation,” Rosales said. “Conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), autism, Tourette’s, giftedness and dyscalculia fall under the ND umbrella.”

As co-founder of two of the first virtual schools in Arizona, Marana Distance Learning K12 and Northern Arizona Distance Learning, and with a 25-year career in public education, Rosales has developed Theara, providing online training and coaching programs using simple brain-training exercises.

According to Rosales, about 15% to 22% of the global population could be considered neurodiverse.

Her passion for the Neurodiversity Movement is very personal, as she has ADHD. “I am determined to eradicate the negative stigma and wear my ADHD identity like a badge of honor.”

In addition, two of Rosales’ children are neuro-distinct, with ADHD and dyslexia. “My second son was diagnosed with a very complex ND profile. He had very few intelligible words until he was almost 4 years old. Our journey was very challenging and I decided to use my experience to light the way for others navigating the same journey.”

When contemplating the name for her business, Rosales said the word “Ara” kept coming to mind. “Turned out the name Ara meant ‘a table of offerings.’ I left a well-established career to bring all my best to the table to offer to others.”

Her support options for the neurodiverse include Cognitive Coaching, ND Advocacy, DEI Consulting and the Theara Academy. “Theara Academy provides online education options that provide individuals the roadmap I didn’t have: Know the Way at Home, which helps families just beginning their ND journey, Know the Way at School, for educators and parents, Know the Way at Work, for employers and employees and EMERGE ND for Neurodivergents seeking to better manage, embrace and share their ND identity,” she said.

Acronyms, including JOY, BRIDGE, RESET, CONNECT and REACH, are used as brain training tools to help ND people build connections and improve personal development.

Avondale Registered Nurse, wife and mother Lisa Diggs, who is ADHD, bi-polar and OCD, has been coached by Rosales for more than two years on a bi-weekly routine. “Renee has been an amazing resource and her tools have helped me maintain and stabilize my mind on everything I have going on,” she said.  “I learn very well with the Theara acronyms and especially like JOY. My husband noticed how this has helped me and he is now listening to our Zoom meetings as well.” Along with ND, Diggs is also battling cancer and going through chemotherapy.

Born in Akron, Ohio, Rosales met her husband, Flagstaff Foot Doctors owner, Dr. Anthony Rosales, D.P.M., in Cleveland, Ohio. “Anthony was placed for his residency in Tucson, so we moved out West. I started my master’s at University of Arizona (UA) and completed it in Flagstaff in 2005. I also worked at Flagstaff High School and established the Mesa Distance Learning program there, as well as teaching English.”

Leaving her career in education and developing Theara was a personal process for Rosales. When contemplating the name for her business, Rosales said the word “Ara” kept coming to mind. She discovered “Ara” meant a table of offerings. “I left a well-established career to bring all my best to the table to offer to others. I chose to leave the comfort of a secure career with the goal of helping people through the challenges of ND. Theara is the culmination of all I have learned along the way.”

Theara Chief Operating Officer Wanda Tompkins left a 30-plus year career in retail to join Rosales on the Theara team. “I’ve never worked with my best friend before and it’s been great. Learning the acronyms is not just for ND individuals. It really helps anyone with better communication, better awareness and helps to refocus on where we need to be. It’s a huge positive in my life. I like to think of it as learning a new language.”

“Wanda and I have done collaborative work together and she has incredible skills in management and business operation. I wanted a team member who could bring those pieces into the operation,” said Rosales.

Theara’s Masterclass is a monthly live online coaching session where members can speak directly with Renee and other ND parents. “Our Masterclass is a group of families across the world who connect and can help each other navigate their journey. They build lasting relationships and find practical advice on strategies, situational management techniques, learning how to effectively communicate and other valuable support,” said Rosales.

Ronin Media Network Chief Revenue Officer Jason Rhude has been involved with the Masterclass for more than a year. “I’ve been taking her classes to better understand how to interact with people with ND in order to make a more cohesive work environment and understand how to identify and utilize these skills so people can thrive,” said Rhude. QCBN

By V. Ronnie Tierney, QCBN

Photos by V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography: With ADHD herself and two neurodiverse children, Renee Rosales is passionate about eradicating the stigma associated with neurodiverse conditions. 

Filed Under: Business, Education, Local News, Tourism Tagged With: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, autism, CEO Renee Rosales, Cognitive Coaching, DEI Consulting, dyslexia, ND Advocacy, neurodiverse, Neurodiversity, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Theara, Theara Academy, Theara Founder and CEO Renee Rosales, Tourette’s

A Lifeline to Recovery

May 1, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Onlife Foundation raises funds to treat addiction, support sober living.

Sometimes, life’s struggles can seem insurmountable. This is especially true when an individual is drowning in problems created by the ravages of addiction or mental illness.

Help might seem just out of reach as families struggle to afford effective treatment for loved ones who are suffering. However, a private non-profit, Onlife Foundation, was founded in Flagstaff about a year ago to help soften this dilemma by raising funds and creating a network of partnerships that can provide innovative and varied resources for those in need.

“The goal really is trying to meet an audience that’s stuck,” said Onlife President and co-founder Roy DuPrez. “There are so many treatment programs out there, including a lot of expensive programs with minimal results. Families don’t even know what they getting into. We often have scenarios where the potential family may have good private insurance but not enough to cover their out-of-pocket or insurance policy deductions. We’re trying to help them bridge that, so they can participate in better quality programs.”

The motto of Onlife Foundation is “Placing the Impossible Within Reach.” Critical to the non-profit’s success are its partnerships with effective programs that have proven to be successful in helping individuals recover from addiction and other mental health conditions and go on to maintain sober and enriching lives.

DuPrez also started two programs in the Flagstaff area that are affiliated with and benefit from the efforts of Onlife Foundation – Back2Basics Outdoor Adventure Recovery and Beyond the Basics. The Back2Basics program is for young adult males, ages 18 to 35, who have substance abuse issues and are looking for a positive and meaningful life. Its success lies in a combination of concentrated direct care therapy and life-skill building. The program maintains four residential facilities for clients in Flagstaff and is a hybrid residential and outdoor adventure recovery program.

“Young adults truly benefit from various activities that are satisfying and engaging,” DuPrez said. “There needs to be some sort of carrot, not just another relapse prevention lecture. That isn’t going to do it for most young people at that age. My vision is we need to broaden their experiences and offer them an opportunity to see what life can look like while being sober.”

Adventures include trips to places like Moab, Utah, Grand Canyon, the Superstition Mountains and Sedona. Activities may feature camping, backpacking, kayaking and river rafting, with cross-country and downhill skiing in the winter.

Beyond the Basics is an additional six-month transition program that follows the Back2Basics program. It is focused on giving clients the groundwork to gradually transition from rehabilitation and recovery into living in the “real world” with long-term sobriety goals.

The roots of the Onlife Foundation story, as well as the Back2Basics and Beyond the Basics stories, are grounded in the longtime friendship of DuPrez and Sean Orlando that began in high school in Scottsdale and continued on to college in Flagstaff.

“We’ve been best friends since we were teens,” DuPrez said. “Sean’s always had an altruistic background; my family, too. We have a background of being of service that’s always bound us together. We both moved up here in 1993 for higher learning at NAU.”

The two were college roommates. “Coming of age together and facing the many social challenges as teens and young adults allowed us to connect around a shared perspective and common purpose regarding life in general,” Orlando said.

DuPrez majored in Latin American studies and Spanish, and earned his master’s degree in academic administration. Orlando majored in Spanish and earned master’s degrees in sustainable communities and oriental medicine.

Between 2000 and 2006, their first collaboration in Flagstaff was the Indigo Movement, which met in the historic El Divino Redentor church on South San Francisco Street in downtown Flagstaff and sought to prevent youth violence and delinquency through self-empowerment initiatives.

After almost a decade of working together on projects, the two men took separate paths: DuPrez moving into the field of recovery and mental health, eventually starting Back2Basics Outdoor Adventure Recovery in 2010; Orlando went on to establish his own clinical practice.

The Onlife Foundation is closely allied with the Back2Basics program with a direct line of financial aid and program support to those on the path to sobriety and recovery. “It’s composed of alumni families and community members who have their own professional backgrounds and want to do something to support those trying to get help and hopefully get into treatment,” said DuPrez.

A key member of the Onlife leadership team is co-founder Laura LeVee, who serves as treasurer on the board of directors. She says her son was greatly helped by the Back2Basics program. “Connor became an alcoholic while in college, and he didn’t get good treatment for many years,” she said. “He tried various inpatient and outpatient solutions, but all were for 90 days or so, at which point, he would quickly relapse. In addition, the short-term centers did not specialize in mental health issues, which Connor desperately needed. Indeed, most addicts really need mental health support in order to sustain sobriety.”

Connor completed the Back2Basics program last summer and has returned to school to finish his undergraduate degree. He now works full-time for a gym in Flagstaff.

“I am enormously grateful to Roy and his program, and I hope that Onlife can send many addicts to Roy’s program, as well as others, that specialize in long-term solutions,” said LeVee.

Currently, Onlife is planning community-based fundraising events, as well as pursuing grant opportunities, in an effort to support more people suffering from addiction and help them maintain sober lives. QCBN

By Betsey Bruner, QCBN

Courtesy Photo: Onlife is designed to help support young men seeking recovery through Back2Basics Outdoor Adventure Recovery and Beyond the Basics, which include outdoor activities like river rafting in their programs. 

Filed Under: Business, Education, Local News Tagged With: addiction recovery, Back 2 Basics, Back2Basics, Back2Basics Outdoor Adventure Recovery, Onlife Foundation, Roy Duprez

Celestial Gala Honored Jim and Linda Lee, Celebrated Planetarium

May 1, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

 

“It was a really nice event, a great evening,” said Bobinsky.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott celebrated the five-year anniversary of the Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium while honoring ERAU patrons, the Lees, at a Spring Celestial Gala that raised more than $70,000 to support the facility and STEM programming.

The Lees have been strong contributors to the success of the Quad Cities area for decades in a number of ways through charitable donations and business endeavors. They have donated to many community organizations and have impacted the area’s economic growth through upscale residential and commercial developments. The Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium, the only Arizona planetarium north of Phoenix, is one of their most visible contributions.

“The Planetarium has created a wonderful venue to bring not only our own students, but also high school, middle school and elementary students here to see what a STEM education can provide,” said ERAU Executive Director of Philanthropy Steve Bobinsky. “It also encourages Quad Cities residents to venture onto our campus, engage with faculty and students and see that we’re not just a flight school. We also offer incredible STEM-related majors such as aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, cybersecurity, gaming and simulation.”

A live auction at the gala offered bidders unique opportunities such as a private event in the planetarium for 100 guests; a 60-minute flight in an ERAU Cessna 172S NAV III aircraft; a European culinary tour for eight people at the home of ERAU Chancellor Dr. Anette Karlsson and her husband, Dr. Rick Lehman, compliments of chef and restaurateur Barry Barbe; and a four-day live-flight experience for a parent and student.

Bobinsky said $33,000 was raised through the live auction and an additional $40,000 gift was received to support the expansion of the planetarium’s show catalog and technological capabilities provided for the public as well as STEM outreach educational opportunities.

More than 100 people attended the gala and were treated to an evening of images and discovery from the James Webb Space Telescope, set to a London Symphony Orchestra recording of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, created by Planetarium Director Eric Edelman.

“It was a really nice event, a great evening,” said Bobinsky. QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Courtesy Photo: ERAU President Dr. P. Barry Butler and ERAU Prescott Chancellor Dr. Anette Karlsson honored Jim and Linda Lee (center) and thanked them for their involvement with the planetarium. 

Filed Under: Business, Education, Local News, Tourism Tagged With: Celestial Gala, Dr. Anette Karlsson, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, ERAU, Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium, Jim Lee, Linda Lee, Planetarium, Spring Celestial Gala

Family, Education, Service, and Abe Lincoln Drive Tim Carter

April 30, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

County Superintendent of Schools announces his retirement.

Yavapai County Superintendent of Schools Tim Carter has announced his plans to retire at the end of his term on Dec 31, 2024, after he will have served half a century in education, playing many roles as a public servant.

Carter has been a teacher, principal and accomplished track and cross-country coach, appointed to the position of county superintendent of schools and then elected five times. He reflected on his 50+ years in education in an exclusive interview with Quad Cities Business News.

Beginning as a classroom teacher and coach in 1973, Carter says he experienced an extraordinary time of change in American education. The positives include: the emergence of a variety of educational options, such as school choice and open enrollment; and a wave of technology from cell phones, computers and instant information. The negatives include: an increase in violence and drug-related issues; the internet, plus the spread of non-factual information; extraordinary health impacts, including COVID-19; an increased difficulty in recruiting and retaining teachers; and the creation of the U.S. Department of Education and a subsequent loss of local control.

Born in Glendale, California, Carter’s family moved to Southern Arizona when he was five weeks old. It was there, about 19 miles out of Tombstone, where he grew up on a thoroughbred ranch, the STC Stables. “I can remember Prescott from about 1958. My folks were in and out of Prescott all the time picking up and dropping off horses as part of the business.”

Early on, Carter believed his calling was to be a jockey. “I was going to be the next Bill Shoemaker, but by about [age] 12, I was too big for that idea.”

When he outgrew that dream, he decided he’d be a veterinarian, at least until he saw the list of math classes he’d have to take. “Then I thought, ‘Maybe not.’”

About that time, he was impressed by two men who became his mentors: Jack Charters, his high school track coach and Herman Fisher, his high school football and basketball coach. “I put those men right up there with Abraham Lincoln.”

Carter, a person of faith, received his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Grand Canyon College. He earned his master’s degree in political science and secondary educational leadership from Northern Arizona University and his superintendent certificate from the University of Phoenix. In the 1970s, he taught at Alchesay High School on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in Whiteriver and Antelope High School in Wellton. In 1979, Carter started teaching American Government and Introduction to Law at Prescott High School, and in 1991, he joined the Prescott High School administration. Altogether, he taught for 18 years and served as principal at Prescott High School for 12 years.

In 2003, with his first retirement, he began teaching law and political science at Yavapai College, the University of Phoenix and Northern Arizona University. In 2005, he was appointed by the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors to serve as superintendent of schools. In 2006, Carter was elected to the first of five terms. When he retires this time, he will have spent 20 years with the county, 50+ years total in education.

Over the years, Carter has been inducted into the Arizona Track Coaches Hall of Fame, honored as Arizona Administrator of the Year, served on the executive board of the Arizona Interscholastic Association and twice selected as Outstanding JTED/CTE (Joint Technical Education District/Career and Technical Education) Capitol Times Policy Maker of the Year. He also has been inducted into the Grand Canyon University Hall of Fame and the NAU Hall of Fame. He served as the vice president and president of the Arizona State Board of Education and the Arizona Association of Counties.

Reminders of his greatest achievements are all around him in the faces of former students and staff members, he says. “Many of them work in our agency or in our schools, courts, police and fire departments, medical facilities and construction sites. They are engineers, architects, hydrologists, elected officials, executive directors, ranchers, office workers, doctors, contractors, stockbrokers, serving in the military, realtors, parents, grandparents and friends.”

He says retirement will afford him more time to go hunting, fishing, camping and traveling. “I will be more active with Prescott Sunrise Lions, continue to teach school law and school finance for universities and colleges, continue to be involved with our family and grandson as he gets ready to go off to college and I plan to write a book about Abraham Lincoln.”

Carter has long respected and admired the nation’s 16th president. “I appreciate that Abe Lincoln came from very humble beginnings and pulled himself up by his bootstraps, taught himself to read and write, became a lawyer at a time when you had to do a lot of that work yourself without going to college, had some difficulty getting into political offices and losing about as many [races] as he won. He was just a person of absolute integrity, served at a time when America was in peril and did some amazing things.”

PASSION PROJECT

I’ve been thinking about the book I’ll write about Abe Lincoln for several years now and I think it will be about Lincoln and the territories. When he was in Congress, he dealt with several issues involving territories, and as president, a different group of territories, including Arizona. I enjoy writing and this will be very interesting research.

WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY

I love what I do. I love education and I look forward to going to work every single day of my career. In the county, we operate an education service agency and we try to innovate whatever solution the schools need to deliver that service.

PLACES YET TO VISIT

The only state that my wife, Linda and I haven’t been to is Alaska. We would like to take two trips: one, a cross-country trip; the other, Alaska’s Inside Passage. Then, some international travel.

FAVORITE CHARACTER QUALITIES

Integrity, honesty and service. I have a personal belief that it’s hard to get past integrity. If you don’t have integrity, everything else seems to be tainted to some degree. And I believe in service. My life – teaching, coaching, being an administrator and superintendent – has been about service.

WHAT I LEARNED EARLY ON

4 a.m. You ask anybody who knows me, they know I wake up right at 4 a.m., every day. I never set an alarm. Growing up on a thoroughbred ranch, you had chores: feeding animals, exercising horses and cleaning stalls. And then you’d go to school. After school, after football, basketball and track practice, I got to do it all over again that evening. It does develop a work ethic. QCBN

By Ray Newton, Stan Bindell, Bonnie Stevens QCBN

Photo by Kay Lyons: Tim Carter continues to visit classrooms and read to children. When he retires, he will have more than 50 years in education.

Filed Under: Community Profile, Education, Spotlight Tagged With: Tim Carter

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 17
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

JOIN NEWSLETTER

.
.

Categories

  • Business
  • Business Calendar
  • Columnists
  • Community Profile
  • Education
  • Elections
  • Local News
  • Spotlight
  • Tourism
  • Uncategorized
  • Video Spotlight

Footer

Advertisement

Get QCBN Email

COPYRIGHT © 2023 | QUAD CITIES BUSINESS NEWS