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Empowering Tribes with Clean Energy

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Arizona is blessed with an abundance of sun and the resulting solar power it can generate if properly harnessed.

Perhaps nowhere is this more true than on the open landscapes of the Hopi Reservation and the Navajo Nation.

Suzanne Singer, a member of the Navajo tribe who grew up in Flagstaff, has a background in mechanical engineering and energy analysis and is uniquely qualified to lead an effort to develop energy independence in tribal communities in Northern Arizona and across the nation.

“Earning a Ph.D. has provided me with the skills to do research, the resiliency to succeed in a long-term challenging commitment, and the ability to manage my projects,” she said. “My engineering background provides the problem-solving experience and baseline knowledge critical to understanding the technical aspects of solar photovoltaics.”

Co-founder of Native Renewables, a non-profit organization started in 2016 to solve energy access challenges for Native families living without electricity, Singer was recently recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as the winner of the 2019 Entrepreneurship award for the U.S. Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) Initiative.

Designed to close the gender gap in clean energy careers and to increase participation, leadership and success of women in clean energy fields, awards were presented on Nov. 14 to women in eight additional categories: advocacy, business, education, government, international, law and finance, and research, as well as lifetime achievement.

Singer and the other award recipients were honored as part of the 8th Annual U.S. Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) Women in Clean Energy Symposium.

She traveled with her mother to College Station, Texas, to receive the award.

“It was an honor to be nominated and awarded,” Singer said. “The conference was empowering, and it was amazing to feel supported by a phenomenal group of accomplished professionals in energy. I was happy to share my experiences as a Diné woman and my unique career path that led to the work I do today.”

There was a financial portion of the award that Singer said will be used to support her work with Native Renewables.

Since 2012, the DOE has spearheaded the U.S. C3E Initiative, in collaboration with the Texas A&M Energy Institute, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Energy Institute and Stanford Energy.

“It is an honor to recognize these accomplished women for their gifts of innovation to the United States,” said Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette in a Nov. 13 press release. “There is nothing we cannot accomplish when we have great minds like these women working on our toughest energy and scientific challenges.”

Secretary of Energy Rick Perry also commented on the event: “Congratulations to the winners of the 2019 U.S. C3E awards for the recognition of your dedication and rising leadership in this sector. May your work pave the way for more women to pursue careers in clean energy innovation.”

The Entrepreneurial award recognizes innovative clean energy technologies or business models that have the potential to drive market transformation toward clean energy.

Singer started the non-profit at the end of 2016 with co-founder Wahleah Johns, who is also Navajo and serves as the executive director of Native Renewables.

Before starting Native Renewables, Singer was a staff engineer and post-doc at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Johns worked with the Black Mesa Water Coalition and Navajo Green Economy Coalition.

The two women met in 2014 when the Navajo Nation had an energy summit in Flagstaff.

“I was having dinner with some of my colleagues, and happened to meet Wahleah Johns,” Singer recalled. “She recognized me from an article, and we realized that we both lived in Oakland, one neighborhood away from each other. For two to three years after meeting, we talked about the lack of electricity in homes within Native communities, and the need for sustainable infrastructure to power 15,000 homes without electricity. The inspiration to create Native Renewables came from these discussions and the desire to tackle energy access issues.”

From its inception, Singer and Johns, working with a small staff and a handful of subcontractors and volunteers, have focused on three main programs.

“The largest one is the Navajo Clean Energy Program, which consists of designing a financing program that makes it affordable for families to make monthly payments, and building an economy where Native people do the installations and maintenance,” Singer said. “We have an off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) workforce training program to provide the skills needed to sustain a solar energy program.”

A second program, Outreach and Education, focuses on growing the knowledge of families so they are better equipped to keep their off-grid PV system operational for more than 20 years.

“One of our goals is to have people of all ages understand that PV systems have limitations and may not be designed to power everything they want. The better you operate the system as intended, the longer the batteries will last.”

Native Renewables offers one-day workshops, in partnership with local Navajo chapters.

“We participate in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) events as much as we can afford to,” Singer continued. “We have started working with families to help them understand their electrical load [amount of electricity used] and that the size of their system will dictate how much they can use their system.”

Education materials are provided in both English and Navajo.

“We want to build sustainable programs. One way to do that is to grow the technical knowledge of families. Part of the education effort is helping people of all ages understand that photovoltaic (PV) systems have limitations. Not all systems will last 20 years or more if you plug in anything you want to power.”

A third program, called Triage, was started to support families whose systems do not work anymore.

“Currently, we try to understand the issues and offer potential solutions,” said Singer. “The challenge for families can be to replace batteries due to the high cost.”

The average cost to connect a Navajo family to grid-tied power is about $40,000. “Affordability is a challenge to providing energy access to homes in rural regions,” she said. “Off-grid solar PV systems can provide a cheaper option for providing power to Navajo homes; however, the total upfront costs for a PV system can still be too high for families. Our goal is to create financing to offer families alternative affordable options.”

Another big challenge in providing clean energy efficiently to the Navajo Nation is its sheer size.

“It can get costly both with time and expenses to travel throughout a region more than 27,000 square miles [the size of West Virginia],” she said. “Our site visits can take up to four hours of travel time one-way, so our goal is to streamline visits while still providing energy analysis services specific for each family.”

Programs offered by Native Renewables have been well received among tribal communities.

“For families we have worked with and followed, the feedback has been positive,” Singer said. “Some of the benefits of off-grid power are having lights in the event of a blackout, having enough electricity to power a refrigerator, even in winter, and the reduced use of gasoline generators.”

Working closely with tribal governance has been critical in the success of programs.

“We understand there is a need for relationship and trust building in communities,” she said. “So it has been awesome being able to partner with the chapters for our education events and training.”

Singer said the accomplishment she is most proud of is hosting the first off-grid solar PV workforce-training program.

“It is a seven-to-eight-week program that provides hands-on and classroom training for 10 Native participants with the goal of growing an economy and workforce that also provides electricity and support to Native communities. Planning and implementing the program is a lot of work, but is also incredibly rewarding. It has been fun to see the participants learn and get excited.”

Growing up in Flagstaff, Singer still has a lot of family nearby.

“My family is in the Western Agency of Navajo not far from Flagstaff. While I am more familiar with the area my family is from, I eventually want to be able to help all Native communities.” QCBN

By Betsey Bruner, QCBN

Nurse Follows Healing Path to Ancient Energy Medicine

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Tara Tech’s passion to heal others came with a devastating punch to the gut as a teenager when her best friend developed cancer. The two girls were just 16 years old. Watching her friend suffer made such an impact that Tech became a nurse.

“I wanted to help Lisa heal, ease her pain and discomfort, and make her feel better,” Tech said   of their precious time together. “Sadly, Lisa passed away a week before I graduated college. I was devastated. I pledged to do what I could to help other people so they wouldn’t have to go through what she did.”

Tech became disenchanted with traditional medicine and blended nursing with natural healing.  She gained experience as a Tai Chi instructor, Qi (Chi) healer, health and anti-cancer coach, natural health consultant, laughter facilitator, Reiki master teacher, Qigong instructor and (Korean) Dahn (Vital Energy) master.

“I was helping people enough as a nurse for them to leave the care facility, but it wasn’t enough to make much of a difference in their lives,” she lamented. “We got them well enough to go home, but they inevitably would end up back in the hospital. We only managed symptoms. The root of the problem was never addressed.”

The turning point was her husband’s third bout with cancer in 13 years. Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy had been prescribed for him twice before, she explained, but “the conventional route didn’t seem to be effective because he kept getting diagnosed with different cancers. The third time, he decided that it not only wasn’t working, but also had detrimental effects physically, mentally and emotionally. He asked me to research and find out if there were natural ways to heal.”

Concurrently, she lost her 24-year-old nephew and eight other family members and friends to cancer in a period of three months.

Diving deep into Qigong and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Tech particularly embraced Qigong, an ancient Chinese exercise of mediation, controlled breathing and flowing movements to enrich the body’s inner energy, or “chi.” The more she learned, the more avidly Tech “wanted to share with the whole world how amazing Qigong is. We are self-healing beings. If we get a cut or break a bone, we will heal.”

Applying that same healing power to cancer “was news to me,” she marveled. “If it’s true that practicing Qigong can be beneficial for healing from cancer, then why wasn’t anyone talking about or doing it? Why wasn’t it on the news? Why didn’t anyone mention it to my best friend, my husband, my nephew or anyone else? Why weren’t more people here in the U.S. practicing Qigong?”

She offers various Qigong classes at Yavapai College, CrossFit Prescott, the Prescott YMCA and privately through her company, Qigong For Health AZ. Her students rave about how Qigong has helped them recover from injuries, lessen pain, increase flexibility, improve balance, breathe better, expand oxygen saturation, sleep sounder, reduce allergy symptoms, alleviate headaches and experience better moods.

“Each story is unique and beautiful, just like the people who participate,” she said. “Everyone is on their own unique journey to health and wholeness. I advocate for them to find their own path without judgements or criticism for themselves or others, and no comparisons.”

Tech relocated to Prescott from Tempe in 1999 because she and her husband wanted to raise their two young boys in a smaller, hometown atmosphere. They appreciated the mountains, mild four seasons, friendly people and outdoor activities.

She says downtime provides a balance. “While I absolutely love what I do, I also need time for self-care. I do that by getting out in nature. I love being near water, so I often visit and hike around our local lakes. Last but not least, I love naps and regularly partake in a 20-minute daily nap to recharge.”

A voracious reader and researcher, Tech said her ultimate dream is to travel the world teaching and sharing Qigong. She’ll begin in 2020 by offering overseas retreats. QCBN

By Sue Marceau, QCBN

For more information, go to TaraTech.org.

 

Village of Oak Creek Attorney is Praised for Volunteer Efforts

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Village of Oak Creek attorney Elizabeth McFarland is devoted to her community. Her volunteer efforts include serving on the Northern Arizona Healthcare Board of Directors and the Arizona Community Foundation of Sedona Board of Advisors.

During the 19th Annual Spirit of Sedona awards luncheon on Sept. 5, at the Enchantment Resort, McFarland was recognized as the Arizona Community Foundation of Sedona Volunteer of the Year.

“Why I volunteer is because it is a win-win-win life strategy,” McFarland explained. “Not only does the organization and community benefit from the volunteer’s efforts, so does the volunteer. Volunteering provides opportunities for building social support networks that benefit both community members and volunteers.”

Volunteering also increases self-esteem and provides greater life satisfaction, she says. “Acts of altruism make the volunteer healthier, happier and less stressed. Studies have consistently shown that improved mood, better physical health and increased longevity are connected to giving – whether it’s monetary donations or volunteer hours. When it comes to your health, it truly is better to give than to receive.”

John Kincaid, co-chair of ACF of Sedona, presented the award to McFarland at the luncheon event. “Elizabeth is self-employed in her full-time legal practice, yet finds time to volunteer her talents, intelligence, honesty, integrity and dedication to improve the community,” he noted. “Most of Elizabeth’s volunteer work takes advantage of her legal skills and business experience. A diverse group of local non-profits, too numerous to list, have benefited from Elizabeth’s pro bono legal advice.”

McFarland has found her volunteer efforts greatly rewarding in the two major non-profits she has chosen to help. The first, Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH), is the largest not-for-profit healthcare organization in Northern and Central Arizona, serving more than 167,000 patients each year at its locations, from Flagstaff Medical Center to the Verde Valley Medical Center campuses in Cottonwood and Sedona.

“Serving on the Northern Arizona Healthcare Board of Directors brought me great satisfaction because I could see the progress and accomplishments of the organization over time, culminating this year in Flagstaff Medical Center tying for second best hospital in Arizona in the US News and World Report ranking, behind only the Mayo Clinic,” she said.

McFarland added that, although Verde Valley Medical Center is too small to be ranked by US News, both VVMC and Flagstaff Medical Center received 5-star ratings from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Service. This is outstanding, she says, because only the top 7% of all hospitals in the nation receive the 5-star rating.

The second large non-profit where she volunteers, The Arizona Community Foundation of Sedona, is an affiliate of the Arizona Community Foundation, a family of charitable funds created for the community and by the community in 1978.

Foundation grants are awarded year-round through a process overseen by a local board of advisors, composed of volunteers such as McFarland.

“I have a passion for helping young people obtain an education so that their individual lives may be as fulfilled as possible and the society and economy will improve,” she explained. “While serving on the ACF Board of Advisors, I chaired the Scholarship Committee, where I reviewed applications and awarded scholarships, established an ACF scholarship application training program at Red Rock and Mingus Union High Schools and inaugurated the Verde Valley Cash for College. These practical programs helped students find the funds they need to embark on the next step in their education journeys.”

McFarland also has been able to apply her training as a corporate attorney to the legal issues facing the non-profit entities. “The key here was that doing a good job takes time; I treat volunteer work just like gainful employment with the same attention to detail, applying the talents, intelligence, honesty and integrity.”

McFarland grew up in Santa Barbara, California, and credits her parents for her interest in volunteering. “Both my parents modeled volunteering and expected me to volunteer. My father earned the Silver Beaver in Boy Scouts in recognition of his years of service as an adult leader. My mother has been recognized as an Outstanding Young Woman in America by Who’s Who, and more recently both statewide in California and nationwide, for her leadership and work supporting charities.”

Through junior high and high school, she volunteered for more than 300 hours per year. She has served as Special Olympics coach at UCLA, a builder for Habitat for Humanity in Los Angeles, and trail maintenance worker in Maryland.

McFarland received her undergraduate degree in political science from UCLA and her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. While in Washington, D.C., she worked a Senate staff member, then as a lobbyist for the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

She worked for law firms in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. In 2002, she opened her private practice in Yavapai County with a mission to serve Sedona and the Verde Valley in areas such as estate planning, guardianships, real estate and business law.

While volunteering for the Cornville Community Association Trails Committee, she met her husband, Larry Lineberry.

“I am lucky to have a very competent paralegal in my office and a very patient husband at home,” she said. “With their support, I am able to keep the legal practice running while I am out of the office in meetings, preparing for meetings or traveling to meetings. The one thing I noticed that I did not have time for was taking care of myself; so I have had to scale back a bit to have balance between work, volunteering and exercise.”

McFarland enjoys skiing, mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking and camping.

She has volunteered for several years on the Trails Committee for the Cornville Community Association to create a trail system connecting the Village of Oak Creek, Cornville, Cottonwood and Sedona. She has also donated to Chain Reaction Arizona, a non-profit organization that provides bicycles to those in need of transportation in the Verde Valley.

McFarland moved to the Village of Oak Creek from Washington, D.C. in 2001, after the tragedy of Sept. 11, “to be back in the West and closer to my family in Santa Barbara,” she said. “I feel like Goldilocks living in the Village of Oak Creek – it is just right: not too hot, not too cold, not too big, and not too small.” QCBN

By Betsey Bruner, QCBN

Photo caption:

Arizona Community Foundation of Sedona Co-chair John Kincaid presented the Volunteer of the Year award to Elizabeth McFarland on Sept. 5.

Courtesy photo by Larry Kane

 

Tusayan Hotelier Carrying on Family Tradition

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Cleaning hotel rooms, working at the front desk and serving as a hostess and cashier is not typical for most nine-year old girls, but for Ann Serna, it was a way of life and perhaps the boost that landed her in the role she has today as owner and general manager of the Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel.

“My father, Franz Rutter, worked for Fred Harvey in Chicago and was responsible for turning six restaurants around so they were profitable,” said Serna. “They were impressed with his work and in 1968, asked him to come to the Grand Canyon to oversee the Fred Harvey restaurants here, Bright Angel, Maswik, El Tovar, Yavapai, Desert View and the Cameron operation.”

Serna was six when they moved to the Grand Canyon.

Serna’s father was later asked to oversee hotels in Tusayan, a small resort town about six miles from the Grand Canyon Village: the Squire Inn, Red Feather and, finally, Quality Inn (which is now Grand Canyon Plaza).

“We lived and went to school in the Grand Canyon Village and after school we would go to work sometimes until 10 at night at the hotel. My dad was German and worked hard. We worked seven days a week.”

Today, the Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel has 232 rooms, three complexes, replete with spa, restaurant and saloon as well as a newly renovated atrium the size of a football field. “We’ve been renovating for the last seven years. Once we’re finished, we’ll start the process all over again,” said Serna.

As owner/operators of the hotel, Serna shares her position with her husband, Louie. “He does the outside grounds work and building maintenance and I oversee the inside – accounting, front desk and restaurant operations.”

Serna says the hotel has 110 staff members. “One of my employees has been with us for 43 years and most over 20 years.”

“She loves and adores her employees, and she takes care of us,” said Front Desk Manager Racheal Rivera. “She’s has been a public figure here at the Grand Canyon and she’s a strong supporter of the school and fire department.”

Front Desk Assistant Manager Jamie Hoekstra has worked for the Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel on and off for 25 years. “I came here when I was 17 and I keep coming back. I grew up with them. They’re like family to me and I love it here.”

Along with her long hours on the job, Serna also strives to give to the community. “Ann was one of two main people here who have supported the Tusayan Fire Department. I cannot stress how appreciative we are to them,” said Tusayan Fire Chief Greg Brush. “Due to circumstances, our funding could be cut in 2020. The Sernas have offered to sponsor a Friday night fundraiser at their Wagon Wheel Salon once a month. For five hours, 100% of all food and drink revenue go to the Tusayan Fire Department. It’s unbelievable.”

To fulfill her dad’s dream of owning a winery, the Sernas purchased 143 acres outside of Williams and opened Wagon Wheel Winery. “Louie and I bought 1,000 plants from France and planted them, but the vines couldn’t grow at such a high altitude. So, we source our grapes from Arizona vineyards down south and crush, blend, ferment, bottle and label. I’m involved from start to finish.”

The couple lives in Flagstaff on weekends and on the way home, they stop at the winery to check on things. “I love both Tusayan and Flagstaff.”

Another fundraiser that Serna supports is Acts of Kindness in Flagstaff, run by her golfing partner Kathy Flores, owner of several Subways in Northern Arizona. Acts of Kindness assembles bags of gifts to give to people who have lost loved ones to suicide. They also make bags for first responders.

“Ann is one of the most giving people I know and so quiet and soft-spoken, but a very strong woman,” said Flores. “We are very grateful for her support.”

“Louie and I were both widows,” said Serna. “I’ve got three girls and he has two boys and a girl so it’s definitely a Brady Bunch,” said Serna.

“In order to do well, you need to love what you do,” she said. “My advice for women in business is to be diligent, believe in yourself, have faith in yourself and listen to your instincts. Also, whatever you want, go and get it. Don’t let anybody stop you.” QCBN

By V. Ronnie Tierney, QCBN

Pre-Med Student Finds Career in Accounting

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“I started with an office as big as this desk,” said a smiling Christina Talley from her expansive executive desk in her corner office that overlooks Flagstaff. Today, she serves clients from all over with accounting services, including Prescott and Chino Valley.
Last December, the CPA moved her business, Christina R. Talley CPA PLLC, into the two-story building that the firm purchased. “I started in Kingman with a laptop, a portable printer and a cell phone.”

Talley’s passion for excellent service has fueled the growth of her business from a backpack and laptop into a full-service accounting firm with a staff of seven and a 4,100-square-foot office building in downtown.
“When I was in college, deciding what I wanted to be, I was in pre-med. I always wanted to be a veterinarian,” Talley explained. During the summers, she worked in Stanton Island, New York, for her dad, who had just left a successful career in chemistry to buy and operate a short-haul trucking company. Her father’s bookkeeper, the firm’s CPA, Bernard Del Rey, eventually influenced her career choice and mentored her.
“I changed my major to accounting largely because of those summers,” said Talley. After graduation, she held accounting positions for a variety of businesses in New York, including hospitals, credit card companies and Deloitte & Touche. “I learned from all these different companies before I opened my own. That has a lot to do with how I run things.”

As she established her business in Arizona, she’d call Del Rey. “He was a wonderful resource,” she said.
Talley had quit working in the accounting industry to have children and be part of an Urgent Care business that she, her then-husband and others opened in Kingman. By 2006, she was ready for a change and interested in part-time work.
“‘Let’s do something for me,’ I thought. So, I opened my own [accounting] office,” Talley said. “Quickly it blew up. Within a month, I knew it wasn’t going be a part-time gig. The floodgates opened and business flooded in.”

Many of her my clients couldn’t come to her, so she took her backpack and went to them. Talley hired someone to help, and then she was pregnant with her third child. “With my big pregnant belly, I couldn’t get back behind my desk,” she laughed, describing her small office.
Talley’s baby was born on March 14. “March 15 is the corporate tax deadline,” she said. She kept all her appointments on March 14, visiting clients at their workplaces. “My water broke, and I continued working. My last client was a nurse practitioner, and she looked at me and said, ‘Oh, you really ARE ready to have that baby!’”

By the time her children started entering elementary school, Talley and her family moved to the mountain town of Flagstaff in January 2010. She drove back and forth to serve Kingman clients as she expanded her client base across Northern Arizona.
Holistic Approach
“The reason we were able to grow as quickly as we did is our holistic approach. We take a partnership approach with our clients because we care and take the time,” she said. The team at Talley CPA PLLC has diverse backgrounds in medical, human resources and engineering, and so they can advise based on a vast realm of business knowledge. “I like to say, ‘Let us be your CFO and you can run your business.’”
She also offers this advice: “Be aware of your financial situation. See where your money comes and goes and adapt to the ever-changing environment.”

Talley’s serves clients around the world, including aircraft painters, auto dealerships, long-haul trucking companies, charter schools and chambers of commerce. QCBN

By Stacey Wittig, QCBN

Going It Alone Together

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Artist and entrepreneur Melanie Banayat has emerged victorious time and again as unforeseen challenges disrupted her world and forced new beginnings on the canvas of her life.

Loss of family, scuttled dreams, depression and debilitating physical pain have left their mark, but her buoyancy has encouraged others fighting fear, isolation, loss, loneliness and pain.   

Banayat’s award-winning book, Stretch Your Brave, Hack Your Story, Break Through Chronic Disease with Storytelling, documents her journey with sudden-onset rheumatoid arthritis and inspires forging ahead despite despair.

Writing the book became an impetus to founding WingSpace Coworking, a collaborative professional environment for entrepreneurs. From mastering work/life balance to commanding fear of the unknown, Banayat readily shares her capacity for drawing hope and light.

“Fear doesn’t like anything exciting, new or resembling potential,” she advised. “Fear loves boring and predictable. It likes the way things have been done before. Fear says, ‘Don’t ever change.’ But since life is ever-changing, I like giving it direction.”

Banayat urges fellow professionals to field their own curve balls.

“This modern world in which we live is like walking through a minefield of triggers and distractions that knock us off course at the slightest move,” she said. “So, it’s important to develop awareness of how everything is interconnected and how we impact one another.

“WingSpace Coworking is for people who want to be part of a community of like-minded individuals. We’re a mix of freelancers, small business owners, micro-business owners, remote workers, thinkers, doers and idea makers. We are the misfits of the workforce who finally have a place to call our own in the Prescott area. And there is plenty of room for more.” 
The location offers private offices or open space where members and guests can use a desk, conduct business, attend workshops, teach seminars, reserve conference rooms, book events and mingle.

“We may have to work, but we don’t have to work alone,” Banayat contended. “We spend many hours of our life devoted to bringing home a paycheck, so we may as well set ourselves up to enjoy it as much as we can to keep our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health in good shape.”

Starting her own career as a freelance artist after studying graphic design and fine art in the mid-1980s, Banayat established a successful business.

A dozen years later, she sold the company and entered resort management with her husband. The couple bought a lake resort in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, which presented “a rare opportunity to dive into a lifestyle” she anticipated as ideal for raising her children.

“I laugh at myself for that decision because I didn’t even know how to fish, let alone sell fishing tackle,” she chuckled, drawing comparisons to actress Ava Gabor’s city slicker socialite moving to a pig farm in the 1970s TV comedy Green Acres.

“It was hard work and an incredibly beautiful life that I would never trade,” she said. “I jokingly tell my kids that I raised them like Mowgli [the Rudyard Kipling character raised in the jungle by wolves]: out in nature, covered in dirt, where every day was an adventure.”

Later divorced, Banayat became a full-time artist, convincing high end galleries to carry her art. Soon, she “met a man, fell in love, and all was humming along fine until the economic downturn in 2008,” when stress-triggered rheumatoid arthritis toppled her dreams.

“I was no longer able to paint because the joints in my hands, arms and feet were swollen, painful, and I could no longer hold my tools,” she explained. “My fine art career came to sudden halt. I felt blindsided.”

Determined to fight the disease without medication, Banayat completed an 18-month holistic health coach certification, reversed her symptoms, and embraced another career.

“The health coach training really changed my whole perspective on life and work,” she said. “I learned how impactful stress is on humans and how it manifests in us in a multitude of ways mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. That whole experience led me to want to use my skill sets to help others, so I started a private practice out of my home working with clients one on one.”

Banayat “realized how isolated and lonely I felt working by myself every single day. I began looking for ways to collaborate with others because I just knew in my gut that others were experiencing similar problems working from home.”

Thus began the idea for WingSpace: “I have never regretted honoring my intuition or taking the road less traveled, but I take only calculated risks, looking at all sides of a venture to see if it matches up with my values, goals and the lifestyle I want. As long as I can maintain a sense of curiosity, creativity and elements of quirky fun in whatever I do, any hard work is worth doing.”

She derives great joy from “playing matchmaker” between someone who is working on a project and needs help with a logo, branding or coding a website. “I say, ‘Hey, there are a few members here that can help you with those things, let me introduce you.’ I want my members to feel like they are part of a community that cares about them, their work and their life beyond work.” QCBN

By Sue Marceau, QCBN

Designing a Life; Growing a Business

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“If you put energy, focus and heart into what you desire, it will unfold for you,” said Sadie Sarti, owner of Sadie Sarti Design Co. “So, be positive, think big, believe in people and businesses, and do good in your community. If we believe in ourselves and follow these ideas, we can live a fulfilling life.”

Sarti has applied her philosophy to her career, family and community, and is now leading four employees in web and graphic design.

“It’s a fun and inspiring place to work,” Sarti said. “We are a growing business where each time we hire a new employee it is like adding someone to our family. We have a great time collaborating and discussing our projects as we work together.”

The company helps clients reach target audiences with design and messaging. “I love the word-of-mouth referrals. There is no bigger compliment than someone referred by one of my existing clients calling to ask about a new website. We strive to be really authentic with everyone we work with and help them achieve their goals. It is rewarding to see that we accomplish that and our clients appreciate us for it.”

Cherishing relationships while tending to business, Sarti spends her working hours managing, supporting and interacting with clients, prospects, designers and other professionals.   

“I wake up to my two beautiful boys, now 9 and 11, get us ready for the day and run them to school. When I arrive at the office, usually with a cup of coffee in hand, I look over the email communications for the day. The time I actually get to do design work is limited at this point, but I love providing feedback and pushing my designers in the direction that best fits the client.”

Sarti learned about computer systems from two brothers who tinkered building them. Her   parents had careers as fine artists. The family would travel the country to galleries and museums, discussing composition and design. Those encounters were “very influential in shaping my view of art and design,” she says, and spurred her to study art and art history at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.

Sarti had no inkling then that she would pursue graphic design, a discipline that beckoned after college and after she got married. With her first son on the way, it also gave her the opportunity to work from home. 

Sarti had performed website maintenance for a fine art print company, which became her first client. She expanded services to Durango-area businesses and designed real estate flyers. When a friend established a rafting company, he hired Sarti to create the website.       

“I had never built a site from scratch, but I took the challenge and learned a great deal from that experience. I found I had a real talent for understanding all the complexities of that field, as well as how to use my artistic background to help businesses visually organize their content in an effective way.”

Businesses had just begun to recognize the importance of a strong web presence, a trend still demanding quality web design 11 years later. 

“It is rewarding to work with so many local businesses and organizations. The work that we do stays incredibly interesting because of the wide variety of subjects we are introduced to. From non-profit missions to selling spices, we never know what our next project will have us dive into.”

Sarti believes success is as much about an owner/manager choosing the right people as the cohesiveness of the group they have become. 

“My design team [was created based on] their talent as well as how I thought they would fit into our team,” Sarti explained. “We spend a lot of time together and collaborate on most projects. I needed a team that would be good thinkers, get along and work together while complementing each other’s skills.” 

Despite the pressure of so much to accomplish during the limited hours of any given day, Sarti said she loves the independence of business ownership. Her downtown Prescott location enables her to walk to many clients’ offices, providing a sense of community.

“All the hats that I wear as a business owner gets exhausting sometimes, but we always figure out how to get all the work done,” she added. “Changing technology and troubleshooting challenges are big as well; we have to stay up on these changes so that we can be current with our offerings.”

Despite the intense workload, she also has volunteered for the past nine years with Prescott Area Young Professionals (PAYP) and recently joined the board of Prescott Downtown Partnership (PDP). Yoga and hiking help her stay focused.

Family is Sarti’s greatest reward. “I have to just walk away from my to-do list when it is time to pick up my boys. I really enjoy being a mom, attending school events and watching baseball games. I make sure that I prioritize my family at every important moment.” QCBN

By Sue Marceau, QCBN

Making Later Life Easier

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With the number of people living to the age of 85 and beyond expected to double from more than 6.4 million today to 14.6 million by 2040, companies like Comfort Keepers are expecting the demand to continuously increase for those needing day-to-day assistance.

Comfort Keepers provides as much or as little help required to enable the elderly to live in their homes as long as possible. Services include providing meals, doing shopping, running errands, reminding about medication, performing light housekeeping and laundry, and also personal care.

Owner Cindy Harris says Comfort Keepers strives to get the client involved in life again.

“Like when they [the caregivers] are cooking a favorite meal, they ask the client to help them with the recipe. We try to make it interactive.”

Jim Ellis and his wife, who are in their 80s, have been clients of Comfort Keepers for the past eight years. “I don’t know what we would have done without them,” said the Flagstaff resident. “They have been a lifesaver for us. We started out three days a week and right now, we are having them seven days a week, twice a day. They are the first people here to help out whenever necessary.”

Ellis’s wife has Alzheimer’s, but with the company’s support, she has been able to stay at home. “That has been a real comfort to both me and her,” Ellis said.

Harris, who has been with the company since 2003, is the owner of Comfort Keepers in Prescott Valley, Flagstaff, Payson, Phoenix, Scottsdale and Fountain Hills. She says she is very careful about who she hires. “I am proud of how we hire the caregivers here. There is a huge caregiver shortage and its going to get worse.”

Harris grew up with four stepbrothers and two half sisters. Born in New Mexico, her father’s engineering job took the family to numerous states. “Our last major venture was in Kayenta on the Navajo reservation. My father was the assistant superintendent for the Black Mesa Pipeline. We lived there for five years.

“The boys and girls were all friends who explored this vast area together,” she said. “We made our own fun playing baseball, swimming, riding motorcycles and exploring caves.”

She finished high school in Flagstaff.

Harris loves music, especially country and piano-based blues. “I love to dance and laugh.”

An animal lover, she has had as many as three dogs at one time. For fun, she enjoys time with friends, taking them exploring in her CanAm side-by-side, and having a good red wine with dinner.

“Lake Powell is my favorite place to revisit,” she said, but adds that her heart is with her clients and her business.

“I had always wanted a business of my own. I can go to work every day, but I wanted to do something that makes a difference. If I spend time with a client, it grounds me. It brings me back to life.”

Harris receives letters and thank-you cards from clients and their families. “That makes me realize why I am here.”

Steve Nunn, who lives in Phoenix, has Comfort Keepers watch over his 92-year-old father, Jimmie Nunn, who lives in Flagstaff. For the last five years, the staff has far exceeded his expectations. “Some of the caregivers are particularly good and proactive. They let me know if something might need attention in the house,” he said. “When I found I needed to make changes with what I would like to do for my father, they have been very accommodating.”

Caregivers receive training updates, especially for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. They learn how to handle different scenarios and help family members, who can sometimes become frustrated.

Harris also works with a company that helps veterans who didn’t know they qualify for free in-home care. QCBN

By Patty McCormac, QCBN

To learn more about Comfort Keepers, call 928-541-0888.

Melissa Cripps Composing a Life of Business, Service, Music 

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Managing a rewarding career is as much how a person approaches living as what transpires during business hours. That reality was poignantly reinforced in 2018 for Flagstaff’s Melissa Collins Cripps, agent/owner of Melissa Cripps Insurance Agency, Inc.

“My life changed last year when both my parents died within 12 days of each other,” Cripps said. “My mother died of leukemia and my father died of a broken heart 12 days later.”  

Characterizing her “world as a very different place now,” Cripps relishes blessings that have enriched her life and given new meaning to goals and relationships. Every day, she takes to heart her mother’s last words: to avoid judging others.

“I have received many blessings, not the least of which is a closer relationship with my older sister,” Cripps explained. “I have a different perspective on what is important. I don’t have room in my heart for hate or jealousy or resentment.”

For Cripps, the most rewarding aspects of her career always have been interacting with people and forging ahead with an impact. Her solid work ethic and desire to help people led to opening her own State Farm Insurance Agency Sept. 1, 1989. During this, the agency’s 30th year of operation, she mused about how her life all came together.

In 1968, at age 10, Cripps moved with her family to Flagstaff. She later relocated to Tempe to attend Arizona State University (ASU). Working for a family friend, she managed an insurance agency for a consumer lending service. She quickly learned the business, grew to appreciate the industry, and obtained her state insurance license. 

“I had never been in insurance before and had majored in music at university,” she said. “I liked solving problems and fitting the pieces together. It was very hard work in the beginning. I wondered at times if I was going to make it. Now, I look back on 30 years, which seem to have gone by very quickly.” 

Deciding after four years that she wanted to make money for herself rather than an employer, Cripps contacted major insurance companies about how to start her own agency. She chose to join State Farm because she appreciated the company and its contract for agents.

“However, they would not appoint me as an agent until I had my college degree,” she explained, noting that she had fewer than 20 credit hours remaining. “I was in Tempe at the time and wanted to get back to Flagstaff, so I wrote 22 letters to agencies in Flagstaff to get a job while I finished my degree at Northern Arizona University in night classes.”

State Farm Agent Bill Trent hired her for the two years until graduation and the State Farm approval to open her own agency.    

“I have worthwhile work where I can help people in so many different ways, not just through selling products, but by helping [clients] plan for the unexpected,” she explained. “I love working with people and helping them.”

Cripps attributes her business success to a strong focus on “doing a good job, doing the right thing and developing relationships, not only with clients and potential clients, but also with members of the community.”  

Some of that civic involvement indeed is music to others’ ears. Cripps began playing cello at age 12, ultimately participating in regional and state festivals and attending music camp at NAU. After leaving music for a while after high school, she successfully auditioned for the Flagstaff Symphony and played there for 20 years.

“Ten years ago, my husband and I, along with some brave souls, started Orchestra Northern Arizona,” she recalled, adding that her husband, David Cripps, is the artistic director and conductor. “This orchestra is comprised of mostly amateur players who love playing and have no other opportunities. Our tenth anniversary concert and celebration is in May.”  

That same month, she will complete her Masters of Music in Cello Performance at NAU, where she has studied with Mary Ann Ramos, Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA). “I started this journey after being inspired by attending the Baltimore Symphony Academy in 2014. The culmination of that academy was to play side-by-side with the professional musicians of the Baltimore Symphony.” 

No matter the situation, Cripps has composed her own path to success, filling life’s pages with notes high and low. Her son, Robert Collins, attends ASU and works at Gateway Community College. As a wife, mother, daughter, businesswoman, mentor and musician, Cripps has authored the sheet music for achieving her goals. 

“I was the first woman [insurance] agent in Flagstaff, and in fact, one of a very few throughout our region,” she said about her initial foray into the industry. “It was challenging to find my voice and stand in my strength, and to be accepted as professional and knowledgeable.”   

She built her business early on by networking through volunteerism. “I simply said ‘yes’ every time someone invited me to be on a committee or board of directors.” When she jumped back into volunteering several years after becoming a mother, she “made a conscious decision to only participate in organizations that fit my mission and passion.”

Cripps since has served on the Flagstaff Arts Council for six years, including two years as president, and regularly contributes to Girls on the Run and “just about anything to do with young people’s development.” A KNAU sponsor, she also is a major contributor to the arts through the Arboretum, Dark Skies, the Viola Awards and Orchestra Northern Arizona.

“My mission is helping to empower women, young and old, and my passion is the arts,” she explained, adding that she’s compiling a long list of “when I graduate” volunteer opportunities, including more involvement in Orchestra Northern Arizona. 

This year, she again plans to sponsor Movies on the Square and will host a refreshment table at the American Cancer Society Climb the Mountain to Conquer Cancer on Aug. 17. 

Having been honored with the Athena Award for leadership from the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce in 1995 and the Flagstaff Arts Council’s Viola Award in 2017, Cripps encourages others navigating the world of life and business to “just do the best job you can.”

She said, “Don’t try to find shortcuts or easy streets. It takes a lot less effort to simply do your job well and with integrity. Never measure success by the amount of money made or the size of the business. Success is knowing you did your best.” QCBN

By Sue Marceau   

  

Photo caption: 

Music has been a life-long love for State Farm agent Melissa Cripps. 

Courtesy photo  

 

World Traveler Builds Career Out of Sending Clients on Vacation

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Monika Leuenberger loves what she does and does what she loves. Her expansive world is all about travel. Having sojourned to more than 20 countries (she has lost count), this Switzerland-born wanderlust, travel advisor and co-owner of Avenues of the World Travel has tips and suggestions for situations you would not dream of happening and back-up support for when they do.  

“Several years ago, we traveled to New Zealand via Flagstaff to LA. On our flight back, we landed at the LA airport and our flight was cancelled back to Flagstaff,” said Bob Golub, a retired teacher and non-profit administrator. “Monika had been monitoring our return and saw the Flagstaff airport alert. She called us immediately with three options: schedule a flight back to Phoenix; rent a car and drive; or stay in Los Angeles and she would plan things for us to do.” 

Golub said he and his wife decided to drive back from Los Angeles. “Monika suggested she rent us a car equipped with GPS. We told her we didn’t need it, but she insisted. We realized that navigating the freeways there would have been impossible without the GPS! Monika is just fabulous. She has unbelievable experience, plus she’s creative, detailed and has extensive resources. She doesn’t just get you where you want to go but she helps you get the most out of the experience when you get there.” 

Golub has been using Leuenberger’s services for several years. His most memorable excursion was an African safari.

“Traveling gives you a better understanding of humanity and teaches tolerance,” said Leuenberger. “What always strikes me is that regardless of the differences in culture and religion, no matter where you live, we all have the same basic needs and everyone responds to a smile.”

To ensure that her clients have the best traveling experience, Leuenberger maintains contacts worldwide to assist with emergencies. “We have local connections in their time zones, plus we keep up-to-date on issues or changes going on and we have developed strong associations.”  

Some of Leuenberger’s popular trips include hiking in the Swiss Alps or on the Inca Trail, or an African safari. She highly suggests multi-generational trips. “This is a fantastic way to create family memories.” 

Some emerging destinations are Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Borneo and travelers, she says, are raving about the Antarctic. “They all offer some very unique experiences.”

She adds that traveling opportunities and choices are more abundant than ever before. “Working with a travel advisor helps avoid missing out on a lot benefits,” explained Leuenberger. “We have special terms with over a thousand hotels worldwide, so we get special rates and upgrades, food and beverage credits and freebies such as breakfast, Wi-Fi, early check-in and check-out and sometimes even spa credits.” 

“I’ve been working for Monika for almost 10 years and it’s been the most fun,” said Daniela Harrison, a travel advisor with Avenues of the World Travel. “Monika is very supportive and an amazing role model and inspiration. She’s an active member of several non-profits and is always eager to help out in the community. If we’re having a stressful week, she’ll make sure we don’t forget about self-care and take a break or go home early to enjoy a sunny hike.”

According to Harrison, the most fun part of her job is touching base with clients after their vacation. “We hug, laugh, share pictures and funny tales. This is when we know our hard work has paid off.” QCBN

By Veronica Tierney, QCBN