Quad Cities Business News

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

You are here: Home / Archives for Elections

Elections

ATHENA Leadership Glistens in the Quad Cities

By Leave a Comment

Marnie Uhl, Mona Stephens, CASA Special Advocates honored for excellence.

Legendary anchorwoman Mary Jo West, known as “Arizona’s First Lady of TV News in Phoenix,” proclaimed, “There is something in the water in the QUAD CITIES! I want to drink it!” she said, as she addressed the more than 150 attendees as the keynote speaker during the Fifth Annual Prescott-Area ATHENA Leadership Awards, Friday, Sept. 20, at Starting Point in the Pine Ridge Marketplace.

“This part of Arizona produces so many strong, bright and resilient women! The nominees at the ATHENA Awards were standing on the shoulders of ‘sheroes,’” she said, “women like Sharlot Hall, Frances Munds, Viola Jimilla, Patricia Ann McGee, Grace Sparkes and many more – all inducted into the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame.”

As soft rock, played classically by the Prescott String Quartet, floated gently on the enthusiasm in the large banquet room, attendees sprang to their feet to usher in the region’s newest ATHENA Leadership Award recipients: Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Marnie Uhl, CASA for Kids Foundation Development Director Mona Stephens and CASA Court Appointed Special Advocates of Yavapai County.

“I am deeply honored to receive the ATHENA Leadership Award, a recognition that reflects my journey and the incredible support and inspiration of those around me,” said Uhl, a retired Los Angeles County deputy sheriff who has led the Prescott Valley Chamber for 19 years with a reputation for bringing positive growth and solidarity to the community. “This award strengthens my commitment to continuing to empower others and fostering leadership in our community.” Read more about Marnie Uhl on page 3.

“To receive the award and to be recognized is surreal and very humbling,” said Stephens, the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award recipient, who conducts workshops at Juvenile Court to teach at-risk kids creativity, resiliency and emotional intelligence. “It feels so wonderful to be seen, to be visible and to be praised for doing the right thing. I can show the kids in the mentor circle that change is possible. This is proof. It’s a powerful lesson – a powerful lesson for me, too!” Read more about Mona Stephens on page 14.

CASA Court Appointed Special Advocates of Yavapai County received the 2024 ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award. “All the volunteers and staff with CASA of Yavapai County feel incredibly grateful,” said CASA Dependency Court Manager Amber Martin. “While we do not do this work to be recognized, it was wonderful to be nominated and awarded this great honor for our efforts to advocate for children in the foster care system. We hope that by reading about us in the Quad Cities Business News, other citizens in Yavapai County will become aware of the CASA program and might become interested in being a Court Appointed Special Advocate to offer support to families and children during this challenging time in their lives.”

West received a rousing standing ovation after sharing her message, “S.U.C.C.E.S.S., How to Get It and How to Keep It,” expressing the importance of having a sense of humor, staying challenged, making ethics a priority, incorporating service into your life, putting yourself first “once in a while,” enjoying the passage of time and turning a crisis into an opportunity.

“Getting let go from a job turned into the biggest gift of my life…adopting my daughter from Mother Teresa’s orphanage in Honduras,” she said.

“It was a great honor, on behalf of QCBN, to recognize women in leadership throughout the Quad Cities – mature women, young women and women leading organizations, who work tirelessly to lift others and make our communities great,” said Quad Cities Business News and Flagstaff Business News Advertising Manager Linda Thein. “A huge thanks to our sponsors and congratulations to all our finalists. Every single one is deserving of the award.”

“I was bowled over by the excellence and quality of work displayed by all the ATHENA nominees,” said West. “Soooooo much talent among all the women of all ages. I am just glad I wasn’t on the panel of judges! The ceremony was at such a beautiful venue. The afternoon was beyond inspirational and bravo to the sponsors as well, who helped make the magic happen.” QCBN 

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Photo by Kay Lyons: Beneath a sign stating, “anything’s possible,” the 2024 ATHENA Leadership Award recipients gathered in the spirit of excellence, mentorship and giving back. CASA Dependency Court Manager Amber Martin, CASA Community Coordinator Quinci Castleberry, Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Marnie Uhl, pioneering television news anchorwoman Mary Jo West, CASA for Kids Foundation Development Director Mona Stephens, Yavapai County Juvenile Court Judge Anna Young and QCBN Editor Bonnie Stevens shared in the celebration. 

Prescott-Area ATHENA Leadership Award Recipient Marnie Uhl Wants to Make a Difference

By Leave a Comment

“Working together, we survived. You don’t do it alone!”

Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Marnie Uhl’s life philosophy can be summed up in four points: try new things, become excellent at them, have fun, and don’t look back.

Uhl is coming to the end of her 19-year position leading the Prescott Valley Chamber, announcing her retirement for early 2025 to allow the Chamber board to find her successor.   

Her father was in the Navy when Uhl was born at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, California. He then joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, setting the stage for Uhl’s first career.

After graduating from San Diego High School, Uhl went directly into the workforce, working for an orthopedic surgeon. She soon decided medicine “wasn’t her thing.” Her dad suggested Uhl might consider a career with the Sheriff’s department. Setting a lifelong pattern, she said, “That sounds like fun!” and tested.

After attending the law enforcement academy, Uhl found her career as a deputy suited her and served for 21 years, from 1977 to 1998. “There is a real brotherhood and sisterhood in law enforcement. It was an honorable career and I felt honored to serve.”

She then made a radical change – moving to New Mexico with her young son and marrying a cowboy. With her husband working and her son at school, she took a job at a propane company, stayed a few months and then saw an ad for an assistant at the nearby Springerville-Eager Chamber of Commerce. She had become familiar with chamber work while living in Temple City, California, where her mom had a business and had become involved. Uhl chaired the chamber’s casino night, and served as an ambassador. She soon was recognized as the chamber’s Volunteer of the Year.

Uhl interviewed and was hired for the Springerville-Eager Chamber position, and after the former director moved on, she was appointed director. As was her style, she quickly immersed herself in learning everything she could to support the organization, attending conferences and other chamber events. She started a newsletter, hosted mixers and later fostered a regional partnership with other nearby chambers.

In 2005, Uhl saw a job posting for the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce director. “I was ready to spread my wings. Prescott Valley sounded like a fun, growing community,” she said.

She was offered the job in December 2005, right before her mother was diagnosed with cancer.

She wasn’t sure she should accept, thinking her mother would need her. But her parents encouraged her to take the opportunity. She was on board by Feb. 13, 2006.

The Chamber has weathered ups and downs in Prescott Valley and has supported the business community through it all. When Uhl arrived, the Town had some exciting growth, but then the Great Recession hit the country and Prescott Valley with it. “Working together, we survived. You don’t do it alone!”

She always has had a clear vision for the PV Chamber. “I want the Chamber to lead and grow with the community. I’m most proud of having developed community leaders through involvement in the board of directors. They are amazing people who have grown as part of our board investing in leadership. Accreditation was also a strong investment, and I’m proud of that.”

While in California, Uhl also became involved in community theater. Theater became another area in which she strove to learn as much as she could, and her love for the stage has continued.

She has acted in many Yavapai College productions, including “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Hello Dolly” with pop legend Toni Tennille, and “Singin’ in the Rain.” She recently auditioned for the college’s upcoming production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” She has produced murder-mystery plays for Prescott Valley organizations and performed with the Boys and Girls Club of Central Arizona’s Dancing for the Stars.

Uhl’s love for learning and excellence has never wavered and she has applied those qualities to her careers and volunteer service. She earned an associate of arts degree in administration of justice from East Los Angeles College and graduated from the Institute of Organizational Management. She earned the Accredited Chamber Executive designation from the Western Association of Chamber Executives four times. She also graduated Project CENTRL, a rural Arizona leadership initiative, and completed the Prescott Area Leadership development program, Prescott Valley Citizens and Citizen’s Police Academies, and Central Arizona Fire & Medical Authority’s Fire Ops 101 program. She was voted the 2017 Prescott Area Leadership Woman of the Year.

In addition, Uhl chaired the Arizona Chamber Executives and on a national level, served on the Board of Trustees for the Institute of Organizational Management with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

She also has approached her volunteer endeavors with passion, serving as the Yavapai College Foundation president, on the board of the Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center, in the Prescott Valley Early Bird Lions Club, the Prescott Valley Police Foundation, and as co-founder of the Humboldt Education Foundation. She has volunteered with People Who Care, Habitat for Humanity, PV Friends of the Library, PV Historical Society, Highlands Center for Natural History, Prescott Area Shelter Services, Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters and Boys and Girls Club of Central Arizona.

A cancer survivor, Uhl approached that challenge like she has all of the others in her life. In 2018, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Thanks to early detection, she underwent treatment and has now been cancer-free for more than six years. She has become a strong advocate for yearly mammograms for all women. She volunteers for Prescott Frontier Days – Tough Enough to Wear Pink events.

“I’m just a normal person whose opportunities put me in places where I could make a difference. I have the same problems as other people. I’ve failed and I can flame out. But that hasn’t kept me from trying something new,” she said. “I’m just who I am. I want to leave the world a better place than it is, and I want people to feel empowered because they were a part of my life. When I see someone grow and find themselves, that’s magic to me.” QCBN

By Heidi Dahms Foster, QCBN

Photo by Heidi Dahms Foster: Praised for bringing positive growth and solidarity to Prescott Valley, Marnie Uhl, a performer and retired Los Angeles County deputy sheriff, has led the PV Chamber of Commerce for 19 years. 

Finding Her Light, Illuminating a Brighter Path for Others

By Leave a Comment

Mona Stephens is the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award recipient.

Raised in an environment saturated with drug and alcohol addiction, poverty and neglect, 31-year-old Mona Stephens believes every hard-earned lesson is a gift she can share with others who are facing adversity. “In the beginning of trying to turn my life around, I did this to help others and in doing so, I helped myself,” said the 2024 Prescott-Area ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award recipient.

As the development director for the CASA for Kids Foundation, Stephens is committed to helping others be better versions of themselves. She conducts workshops at Yavapai County Juvenile Court to teach at-risk kids creativity, resiliency and emotional intelligence. She also volunteers for the Launch Pad Teen Center and runs a women’s empowerment group.

“With all of the work I did on myself – going from seeing the world as this dark place to seeing it as a world of possibilities – I can show others how we can live better,” she said. “Life happens for the evolution of our soul and everything I’ve experienced, I would do it the exact same way so that I would have the tools to be able to help, to show others that they deserve to live a good life. You never know who needs to hear that message.”

In a matter-of-fact and non-judgmental sort of way, Stephens recalls her upbringing, surrounded by adults with addiction issues, some functioning better than others. Constantly struggling to find her identity, hunting for meaning and grasping for purpose, she says she has had suicidal thoughts since age 9.

“I had no love for myself. I hated life. I felt like I never fit in anywhere and was constantly thinking, ‘What’s wrong with me?’ When I got to middle school, this new girl started giving me attention. I had a friend for the first time. She showed me drugs as a way to numb the world.”

By age 13, Stephens was intercepting the paycheck her dad would bring home to pay the bills. But there was never enough. “We were really poor.”

She began selling drugs to make money to keep the household operating. She got caught twice and went to jail. Shortly after she was released, her mom died. And that’s when she decided never to sell drugs again.

By 19, she was in an abusive relationship and tried, unsuccessfully, to commit suicide. “I found a thread online about what to do to tweak your attempt. What I got from this, from everyone telling their story of why they wanted to commit suicide, was that each one was telling the other ‘You deserve to live.’”

She decided she would be a light in the darkness for those who were suffering.

Stephens began reading positive, self-help books to change the way she thought. “It starts with the decision. When you have the intention of living better, doing better, things start to happen. I made that decision, figured out how to thrive in life and feel better in it. The first thing you learn is not to be a victim and ask yourself, ‘What am I learning from this?’ Everything has a lesson. My life started changing internally, it was just enough to attract the person I needed.”

That person was the owner of the deli where she was working. “She wanted to promote me to assistant manager but knew I would quit school if she did. She also knew what was going on in my life. She said, ‘With this raise, you can come live with me, but I have two rules: You need to go to college and be home for dinner every night.’ She taught me what it was to have a family. If it weren’t for her giving me the space, I wouldn’t be able to climb out of that hole of generational poverty. I wouldn’t have finished college. She provided the space to break the patterns and get out of that abusive relationship.”

Stephens joined AmeriCorps after college and moved from Pennsylvania to Prescott in 2018.

On Friday, Sept. 20, the banquet room at Starting Point erupted in a burst of cheers and thunderous applause as Mona Stephens’ name was announced as the recipient for the 2024 ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award.

“What it felt like to receive the award and be recognized was surreal and very humbling,” she said. “When I grew up, you just did what you were supposed to do. You don’t get praised for doing the right thing, you just get punished for doing the wrong thing. It means so much to be honored. I can show others you don’t have to hide and you can take a moment to allow yourself to feel the praise.” QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Photo by Kay Lyons: Mona Stephens teaches at-risk kids creativity, resiliency and emotional intelligence. She also volunteers for the Launch Pad Teen Center and runs a women’s empowerment group. 

Lawyer Discusses Impact of Abortion Ban on Physicians

By Leave a Comment

Both times, the Republican majority refused to permit a vote on repealing the 1864 statute.

On April 9, 2024, Arizona’s Supreme Court issued a ruling restoring a law from 1864 that completely bans abortion except in cases when it is necessary to save the mother’s life. This ruling supersedes the 2022 statute approved by the Republican-controlled legislature and signed by a Republican governor, which permits a physician to perform an abortion if the probable gestational age of the fetus is less than 15 weeks.

The 2022 statute was passed before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which held a woman had a constitutional right to an abortion until the third trimester of her pregnancy, which would be 24 weeks. Although the Arizona justices who voted in favor of restoring the 1864 law claimed their opinions did not reflect their personal views on abortion, the two dissenting justices offered an alternative argument that the majority could have adopted to avoid a complete ban on abortion at any stage of a woman’s pregnancy.   

Both the 1864 statute and the 2022 statute criminalize conduct by the person performing the abortion, not the woman electing to terminate her pregnancy, meaning it is the physician who would be arrested and charged for violating the statute. Both statutes include exceptions for an abortion procedure that is necessary to save the pregnant woman’s life. The 2022 statute goes further by permitting an immediate abortion if a delay would create serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.

The Arizona House of Representatives has met twice since the Arizona Supreme Court decision was issued. Both times, the Republican majority refused to permit a vote on repealing the 1864 statute. Representatives Selina Bliss and Quang Nguyen, who represent Legislative District 1, which includes the Quad Cities, have publicly stated they support the 1864 ban and are unlikely to vote to repeal this statute.

As an attorney who has represented health care providers for over 25 years, I know the chilling effect this total abortion ban will have on physicians and other providers who treat pregnant women. These professionals, who care deeply about their patients, will not want to risk their license or their freedom.

In the Pro Publica report Their States Banned Abortion. Doctors Now Say They Can’t Give Women Potentially Life-Saving Care, Kavitha Surana provided an in-depth look at how physicians are navigating the rules governing abortion care in a post-Roe environment. One physician who was interviewed noted how “abortion bans had warped doctors’ decision-making and forced them to violate the ethics of their profession, which require acting in the best interests of their patients.” As Surana notes, “there is a wide spectrum of health risks patients can face during pregnancy, and even those that are potentially fatal could fall outside of the exceptions, depending on how the law is interpreted and enforced. Without clarification from legislators and prosecutors on how to handle the real-life nuances that have emerged in hospitals across America, doctors in abortion ban states say they are unable to provide care to high-risk pregnant patients that meets medical standards.”

If the 1864 law is not quickly repealed, physicians, nurses and other healthcare providers will be too afraid to treat a pregnant woman if such treatment requires the termination of her pregnancy, even in cases where the mother’s life is at stake and the pregnancy is not viable. This means pregnant women will have to travel outside Arizona to obtain life-saving health care. Pregnant women and their families will suffer. So will physicians and other healthcare providers. QCBN

By Marcia B. Smith

Marcia B. Smith, Esq. is an experienced healthcare attorney and a Democratic candidate for the Arizona House in Legislative District 1. For more information on her campaign, please visit CleanSlateAZLD1.com.

Prescott Valley Celebrating Successes, Imagining the Possibilities

By Leave a Comment

Vision 2024 includes protecting water and open space, ensuring a high quality of life, attracting high-wage jobs.

The Town of Prescott Valley unveiled its inaugural State of the Town event on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at Findlay Toyota Center. Drawing a crowd of more than 400 people, the event reportedly exceeded all expectations.

The motivation for the first-ever event, a partnership between the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Town, was a desire to bring business and community leaders together and showcase the positive things taking place in Prescott Valley.

“It was also an opportunity to recognize outstanding individuals and groups who are contributing in positive ways to make Prescott Valley an even better community,” said Prescott Valley Town Manager Gilbert Davidson.

Chamber CEO Marnie Uhl said the event replaced the Chamber’s first Quarterly Breakfast of the year, which annually was an economic development update. This year’s larger event focused on the vibrant PV economy and was open to a regional audience.

Davidson said it is common for cities and towns to partner with their chambers for such events because of the business community’s vital importance to any municipality. “It is the businesses that create jobs and provide wages, which enables our residents to live and enjoy the community in which they live.”

Town and Chamber staff began planning the 2024 State of the Town nearly a year in advance, and every part was carefully scripted to create an event that would leave attendees with excitement about Prescott Valley’s future.

A business expo in the Findlay Toyota Center concourse preceded the event. The entrance to the luncheon and program began with specially selected music as attendees found their decorated tables and then filled their plates with a lunch catered by Jim Cabral of Gabby’s Family of Restaurants.

The program began with one of three video presentations created by the Town of Prescott Valley communications team and continued with posting of the colors by an honor guard made up of the Prescott Valley Police Department, Central Yavapai Fire and Medical Authority, Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, and a bagpiper with the Arizona Emerald Society.

Prescott Valley Police Officer April Zicopolous sang the National Anthem, and PVPD Chaplain Jerry Ferguson gave the invocation.

The Prescott Valley Town Council honored the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce on its 50 year anniversary, presenting the organization with a special frame of photos celebrating the Chamber’s four largest annual community events. This was followed by Uhl’s comments on the Chamber’s history and business support in the Town, and remarks by Chamber Board Chairman Rodney Jenkins.

More video presentations highlighted the theme of “OurPV,” which included remarks from Town Council and community members about the unique qualities of Prescott Valley.

Mayor Kell Palguta gave the keynote address at the event. “This is an opportunity for our business and non-profit leaders, builders and contractors, educators, government officials and members of our community to come together to reflect on the shared successes and imagine the possibilities of the future,” he said.

Palguta’s address introduced the Town’s new Vision 2024 plan, which outlines strategic goals for the next two years, the second such set of goals since Davidson came on board as town manager in 2021. Vision 2024 includes four focus areas: a high performing team, water and land stewardship, quality of life, and a prosperous community. 

The address featured Prescott Valley’s enhanced community events, the historic collaborative regional effort that led to the purchase of 2,284 acres of property on Glassford Hill for the creation of Glassford Dells Regional Park, and the Town’s new initiatives and policies to manage its water resources and significant investments in roads and parks. The Town also unveiled its new tourism website, explorepvaz.com, during the event.

Finally, Palguta talked about significant milestones in the community such as the upcoming YMCA, the planned Yavapai College health services campus, the expansion of Yavapai Regional Medical Center/Dignity Health campus in Prescott Valley, and business expansions of Superior Industries, M&I Windows, Amazon, Granite Mountain Design, PrintPack, and AZ Motorcycles.

“I’m happy to report that the state of our town is strong, it is vibrant, and it is filled with boundless potential,” Palguta said.

“The business community appreciated getting an inside look at the Town through the mayor’s presentation and engaging with local community leaders,” said Uhl. “We look forward to growing the State of the Town and making it the event everyone wants to attend.”

“This inaugural event was a tremendous success,” said Davidson. “We were able to create an excitement about our community and its future, celebrate the Chamber’s 50 years of service and highlight some very exciting initiatives, projects and collaborations, not only in Prescott Valley but across the region.” QCBN

By Heidi Dahms Foster, QCBN

View the entire State of the Town event on Prescott Valley’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mc7XkJewW4&t=5s.

Photo courtesy of Blushing Cactus Photography: Prescott Valley Councilmembers Michael Greer, Kendall Schumacher, Brenda Dickinson, April Hepperle and Lucy Leyva join Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce CEO Marnie Uhl and Chamber Board Chair Rodney Jenkins in celebration of the Chamber’s 50th anniversary as Prescott Valley Vice Mayor Lori Hunt addresses more than 400 people in attendance from the podium. 

Carmen Frederic Receives ATHENA Leadership Award

By Leave a Comment

ATHENA symbolizes strength, perseverance, success for Quad Cities women.

An invisible, yet powerful, thread of overcoming adversity to achieve long-held dreams wove its way through the audience of more than 100 attendees during the 4th Annual Quad Cities Leadership Awards as women came together to honor and celebrate each other Sunday, Sept. 24, at Starting Point in the Prescott Gateway Mall.

As Yavapai College President Dr. Lisa Rhine and Prescott College President Dr. Barbara Morris shared deeply personal stories of their own challenges, women could empathize with their struggles, some could see themselves in their stories, and many fought to hold back tears.

Carmen Fredric Shelters Those in Need

With a standing ovation and roar of applause, Prescott Area Shelter Services (PASS) Executive Director Carmen Frederic was honored with the 2023 ATHENA Leadership Award. As she accepted the prestigious award, she didn’t share her story, but later reflected on how alcoholism and homelessness in her family motivated her to rise above her circumstances and then to commit herself to a career of supporting and encouraging other women.

“The Athena award is such a high honor and something I will always remember and treasure for the rest of my life!” she said in a Quad Cities Business News interview. “The award itself is beautiful and placed currently at the shelter office for all to see and enjoy. It will be a talking piece and maybe an inspiration to all of the women in shelter to aspire to someday, a pathway to be taken to be compassionate and build up other women as a goal in their life.”

Frederic left home for college after graduating from high school. “I helped to open the first teen pregnancy shelter in my hometown and worked for the education service district helping struggling families keep their kids in school. My biological father was a severe alcoholic and experienced homelessness himself. I often ran into him in my hometown when I would be working with my own clients.”

Today, she is credited with leading the evolution of PASS from a winter shelter in a church basement to a 26-bed facility at its own location, plus the creation of two transitional houses. The organization now serves about 180 women and children a year.

“All of these challenges in life have made me a better person and given me the insight and empathy in my work at the shelter,” she said.

Tracy Rogers Helps Students Stay in School

Cheered on by friends and associates from Yavapai College, YC Radiology Program Director Tracy Rogers was in disbelief as her name was called to join the stage to receive the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award.

“I was in total shock,” she said of the moment.

Rogers told QCBN how she burst into tears hearing about Dr. Rhine’s difficult childhood. “Her story is very similar to my upbringing. So many people have faced things you’d never expect. She is such an inspiration. I look at her and think, ‘That could be my future!’”

Rogers recalls a time when she could not imagine herself as a successful professional. “Growing up in a poor home, we didn’t know if we were going to have Christmas, and work was a priority to help provide for the household, not school. But I realized school is what makes a better life possible. I just kept pursuing education.”

Through a difficult divorce three years ago, she felt her world crumbling around her. As a single mom, the thought of balancing all of life’s challenges felt impossible. “Women especially find themselves in this situation, but I had an amazing career as an X-ray tech. I am so thankful to have this career. I always wanted to be an instructor for the [YC radiology] program. Before I knew it, I became the program director!”

As with many women, Rogers says she struggles with feeling like an imposter in her work. “Every day I feel like I’ve got to prove my worthiness. I think, ‘Is this real? Am I really doing this? Am I working hard enough?’”

At YC, her colleagues call her a transformational and servant leader. She established an emergency fund to support students struggling with unexpected expenses and recently received the Great Ideas for Teaching (GIFT) Fellowship Award for Teaching Excellence.

“This award reminds me that I have something to continue to be worthy of,” she said. “I just feel really empowered now to keep moving forward and inspired to help other women.”

Prescott Woman Showcases Women

As with the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award, QCBN added another award this year. Breeanya Hinkel accepted the ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award for her business, Prescott Woman Magazine.

“I’m honored and surprised to be the recipient of the first ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award,” said Hinkel. “Typically, we love to be the ones honoring other women and it is such a privilege to have stood on the stage and be recognized along with other outstanding organizations.”

Hinkel and Prescott Woman Magazine worked with Quad Cites Business News to bring the ATHENA Leadership Awards to the region in 2020. “I’m thrilled that Quad Cities Business News has kept the tradition of ATHENA going and for their commitment to honor women throughout the area.”

ATHENA Wisdom

Keynote speaker Julie Jones motivated the attendees to “Stop Waiting, Start Living,” which is also the name of one of her books. The former police officer and SWAT team member reminded the audience that tomorrow is not guaranteed. She urged women to be authentic and live the lives they were born to live.

ATHENA Leadership Program Founder Martha Mayhood Mertz delivered a recorded message congratulating the nominees. ATHENA International President and CEO Traci Costa reminded audience members that there is still work to do to support women in leadership. QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Hear more from Julie Jones and Martha Mayhood Mertz on Zonie Living at StarWorldwideNetworks.com.

Yavapai-Apache Chairwoman Inspired by Elders

By 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.

Mentoring Through Quad Cities ATHENA Leadership Awards

By 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. 

Developing, Acknowledging, Celebrating Women Leaders

By Leave a Comment

Save the date for Prescott-Area ATHENA Awards.

The 4th Annual Prescott-Area ATHENA Awards, sponsored by Quad Cities Business News, is expanding and increasing its impact with three award categories at this year’s High Tea celebration, 3-5 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 24, at Starting Point in the Prescott Gateway Mall. “Our goal is to showcase excellence demonstrated by women leaders in the Quad Cities and to inspire all to achieve their potential,” said QCBN Publisher Amy Bix.

The ATHENA Awards is an international program that honors outstanding leaders who shine in their professions, serve their communities and mentor women. For the first time in Northern Arizona, the 2023 Prescott-Area ATHENA Awards will recognize businesses and organizations that support, develop and honor women leaders with the ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award.

In addition, QCBN will recognize an individual with the traditional ATHENA Leadership Award and also will present the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award.

Citing statistics such as the fact that 10,000 baby boomers are retiring each day and that 83% of businesses report the need to develop leaders at all levels, ATHENA International President and CEO Traci Costa says there has never been a better opportunity for women to develop their skills and step into leadership roles. “Businesses that embrace women leadership have an advantage. Research shows they achieve greater success when they have a balance in leadership voices – people with different perspectives and different experiences.”

Founder Martha Mertz started the international ATHENA Awards program in 1982, thinking it would take 10 years to change attitudes about women as leaders. “We ordered 10 custom-made ATHENA sculptures and believed that the culture would change with the acknowledgement of all the incredible accomplishments women leaders have achieved individually and together. We thought ours was a short-term aspiration, that once enough women had achieved success, all qualified women would be eligible for leadership consideration. We didn’t know how many barriers we’d encounter before any kind of power would be shared. We’ve learned a lot along the way and discovered there are barriers today that we didn’t anticipate back then.”

In the past, Mertz said, those in leadership positions tended to hire and promote people like themselves. “What we are hearing from younger women now is that they aren’t seeing female role models and success isn’t happening fast enough. They are getting dispirited about it. However, we know how to build leadership skills and leaders. We know that we need to keep striving and we need to propel each other upward. Our leadership model has withstood the test of time. Leadership is not how you handle an army of people or necessarily how you motivate people. It’s not how to do, it’s how to be.”

The ATHENA Leadership Model includes eight principles: live authentically, learn constantly, build relationships, foster collaboration, act courageously, advocate fiercely, give back and celebrate. Costa says the principles have forever changed her life. “They have caused me to look at myself and ask if I’m living my truth and walking my path. They have caused me to have a stronger, more authentic relationship with myself so that I can be stronger for others.”

Mertz believes we are experiencing a transformational time. “In a slow-motion shift, the culture has evolved to the point where women aren’t clumped together in a single category, but are perceived and judged as individuals, with strengths and faults alike. This is a huge leap forward and will impact every place where women step into positions of power and influence. As the numbers of women in these posts of importance increase, so does the understanding of how much that matters.”

Bix says this year’s High Tea program will feature powerful women leaders from the region and their inspirational stories. “The bonding, the encouragement and the celebration of women making incredible strides despite adversity is powerful at the Prescott-Area ATHENA Awards. Women often tell us they feel uplifted and have a renewed sense of purpose through the experience. We are so proud to offer such a positive event for everyone.” QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Courtesy Photos: LEFT: In 1982, ATHENA founder Martha Mayhood Mertz set out to change the global culture of leadership. RIGHT: ATHENA International President and CEO Traci Costa says the program’s guiding principles changed her life.

New Camp Verde Economic Development Director is Committed to the Region

By Leave a Comment

Molly Spangler weaves historic charm with modern benefits.

Molly Spangler beams with excitement about embracing and enhancing the Town of Camp Verde as the new economic development director.

“We have a competitive advantage here in Camp Verde,” said Spangler, who served as economic development director in Sedona for six and a half years. “Camp Verde is one of the last communities that has agricultural rural character and a very cool historic downtown. There’s a lot of opportunity here and a great plan in place, alongside a coordinated effort and direction from the council, to move forward.”

Maintaining the persona of the Town of Camp Verde is one of Spangler’s top priorities. “Change is inevitable, like death and taxes, but I think our job is to make sure we’re balancing those community needs and values. We want Camp Verde to stay the way it is, but we also want the good stuff, like jobs. My role is not to copy what Sedona or Cottonwood or any other municipality is doing but to leverage what we want and define what our niche is.”

The Verde Valley encompasses Sedona, Camp Verde, Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Prescott, Cornville, Jerome and Lake Montezuma. “When you work in one municipality here in the Verde Valley, you work regionally.  It’s the only way to make changes happen, so I’ve been working with my counterpart, former Town of Camp Verde Economic Director Steve Ayers, for several years.” Ayers just recently retired.

“When it came time to start a succession plan, I knew my first choice would be Molly. She has the skill set Camp Verde will need over the coming years to move forward in a thoughtful and strategic way,” said Ayers.  I couldn’t be happier that she accepted the position, knowing she will be the person leading Camp Verde’s economic development efforts for the foreseeable future.”

Small-town living is familiar to Spangler, as she grew up in Bluffs, Illinois, where the population was about 800. After college, Spangler joined the Peace Corps and spent a lot of time doing economic development work because she wanted to focus on environmental studies, which was not popular at the time.

“I was told that nobody cared about environmental work, so that’s when I started working in community and economic development and got my master’s in economics. I worked in Illinois for a few years before moving to Wyoming, where I stepped into the position of their state’s economic development agency, the Wyoming Business Council. I was there eight-and-a-half years and ran their Investment Ready Communities division.”

“Molly and I haven’t worked together long, but so far I’m really impressed with what she brings to the table,” said Camp Verde Interim Town Manager Gayle Mabery. “She has literally jumped in with both feet and has engaged the business community, working collaboratively with all the departments. I look forward to great things to happen in Camp Verde as a result of her efforts.”

Spangler joked that her primary goal is to find the bathrooms and conference rooms and learn everyone’s name. “The goals here are not my goals but the goals of the Town Council,” said Spangler. “Everyone I’ve been working with has been pretty wonderful. Our primary objective is to make sure we are moving along in our five-year community and economic development strategic plan. Top on the list is Main Street development and revitalization. We just had our first meeting.”

Another primary objective is to construct a sewer line along Highway 260 to have adequate infrastructure for future development.

The team at Town of Camp Verde Economic Development consists of Economic Development Specialists Crisi Clark and Sean Brooks, as well as three ambassadors at the visitor’s center.

“I feel that Camp Verde is very fortunate to have Molly on board. With her experience in economic development and her love of the area, she will be a great leader for our team and community,” said Clark.

“I worked with Molly in Sedona for about a year when I was with AmeriCorps Vista, also serving as economic specialist,” said Brooks. “I couldn’t be happier that she’s my director again. The transition has been smooth and positive and she will do great things for this community. She’s a great boss and incredibly smart. She knows economic development inside and out and I’m looking forward to our accomplishments together. She will do great things for this community.”

Outside of work, Spangler spends time with her husband, Andy, an elementary school teacher, and their 9-year-old son.

From the economic development front, FrameTec, a manufacturer and framing services company, has announced its expansion to Camp Verde. The business plans to operate out of a 110,000-square-foot facility and is scheduled to be open by 2024. FrameTec expects to create more than 180 new jobs.

 Best Advice
“Smart people ask questions,” was the advice I’ve been given, and I routinely give the same advice. In an effort to not make assumptions and to better understand the issues, we have to ask questions. I now say this regularly to my son, my team and myself, for the only way we can learn and help is to ask questions.

My Role Models 
Nothing’s more inspiring than watching a professional live their values of creating change, being brave and doing what it takes to see their goals come true. It’s inspiring when people volunteer their time to serve on boards and run for elected office to make a positive impact on their community. Many of my role models balance motherhood, professional jobs and adversity and that’s what motivates me to keep doing the work I get to do!

What I Would Tell My Younger Self 
I would tell her to spend more time enjoying the process and journey. Some of my fondest professional moments have been working with great partners on difficult projects. Those projects often felt insurmountable, but it was a true pleasure working alongside great people.

My Ideal Vacation
My ideal vacation involves spending time with people I love and exploring beautiful scenery. I love seeing different parts of our country and the world, meeting new people, experiencing new things and culture, and partaking in their local foods and traditions.

On a Day Off  
I love to read, hike, cook new recipes, do art and painting with my son, volunteer, and help family and friends. QCBN

By V. Ronnie Tierney, QCBN

Photo by V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography: Camp Verde Economic Development Director Molly Spangler loves the historic town’s character and possibilities.