WOMEN WOMEN IN IN BUSINESS BUSINESS A Message from the President

Many have felt a great new start in 2023 and palpable energy turning the calendar page to a new year! However, as we usher in 2023 not many things excite me as much as the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and ATHENA AWARDS What an gathering to kick o ness year and a w opportunity to honor celebrate prestigious leaders from all types fessional careers; fo cellence in their cho their mentorship of achieve their career their valuable engag munity service.

For more than t Greater Flagstaff Cha merce has chosen t of the ATHENA awa nize individuals tha go unnoticed for dedication they bring place and communit ATHENA is an inter with a mission to su and honor female le females to achieve t tial and create balanc ship Since its incep the ATHENA Leade Award has been presented to more than 7000 exemplary leaders in over 500 communities

“across the world” Along with visible recognition the spirit of the ATHENAS is actually based on leadership tenets which, through the years have become the foundation of enlightened and successful leadership Those leadership tenents are: live authentically,learn constantly,advocate fiercely,act courageously foster collaboration build relationships give back and celebrate. I’m will agree that one or e traits really resonate and how you are living They certainly inspire all I can be in this crazy the past 17 years, I have special and great honor wing hundreds of the forms and getting acwith them on paper I know how moving essive the process of a recipient could be. know that each year, I wait to read about the ments these ladies have This year is no different ourage you to take some ad their abbreviated aphies each of which are published by the Arizona Daily get to know these great Thanks to the judges olunteered to score each according to the three ories established nationally for the award.

2023 is an unusual year because it is the first time the Greater Flagstaff Chamber is awarding two ATHENAs One for private sector leadership and one for public/nonprofit leadership This will not be a new and lasting trend but we are just giddy about focusing on two separate categories this year Today hundreds of cities in the US and abroad are engaged in ATHENA largely due to the efforts of Martha Mertz, ATHENA Founder, and her team traveling the globe to help female leaders earn respect and recognition. For those efforts and for the community of Flagstaff embracing this leadership model, we are forever grateful at the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce The recipients will be named at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting on Friday, February 10 at the High Country Conference Center Thank you to all who invest in the Greater Flagstaff Chamber community through membership to enable our mission to help businesses be successful by promoting, supporting and serving as a resource for them and to empower business people to build a community where businesses can thrive and citizens are proud to live. Collectively, we have impacted our region and helped businesses be successful since 1891!

With gratitude,

Julie Pastrick President, CEO Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce

Jennifer Bucher-Brown NACOG Head Start

Jennifer has nearly 30 years of experience and dedication to the Northern AZ Head Start Program, as the Head Start and Early Head Start Director The program covers 4 Northern AZ counties and serves over 1,000 children and families, 31 childcare sites and over 300 staff With a budget exceeding 22 million annually they proudly operate programs giving children from at-risk backgrounds the skills needed to be successful in school and life.

One of her key accomplishments was re-organizing the NACOG Head Start department in 2019 during the regional re-competition process 2 years after becoming the Director The 5-year grant package was awarded back to Northern Arizona. Since that time the program has successfully completed an Office of Head Start federal review with no areas of concern or improvement and has had multiple unmodified fiscal audits

Jennifer received both her BS in Early Childhood Development and her BA-Spanish minor from NAU She also completed UCLA’s Management Fellows Program, and WestEd, Program for Infant and Toddler Care Certification. Early in her career she was a Teacher, Mentor, and Education Coordinator

In response to the national crisis in childhood mental health Jennifer made a bold leadership move and launched leadership in Pyramid Model, working collaboratively with the management team, NAU, Kaibab Behavioral Specialists,Lancaster Leadership,and mental health providers to ensure supports in the field were available to serve as a source of ongoing expertise. Staff buy-in grew quickly because the approach is personalized self-guided and empowering As staff knowledge grew, they were able to share this new approach with parents and families sustaining positive results Moving forward, Jennifer hopes to continue to grow leaders from within, along with positively contributing community members, advocates, leaders and role models

Heather Dalmolin Mountain Line

Heather Dalmolin celebrated 21 years of public transit service with Mountain Line this month She started in the Accounting Department when Mountain Line had four routes, six buses and about 200,000 riders a year Today,she is the CEO and General Manager of an organization that operates nine routes with 28 hybrid-electric buses and ridership topping 2 5 million Heather rose through the ranks at Mountain Line, becoming one of the most respected public transit officials in the state.

Under Heather’s leadership, Mountain Line instituted eight hours of paid volunteer time for all staff to assist local non-profits Transit Voice, the monthly slideshow sharing news Mountain Line staff need to know, highlights a different local non-profit each publication that could use volunteers, and in doing so shares the excellent work done by Flagstaff organizations Heather is a firm believer in giving back to the community that so strongly supports public transit. She demonstrates this belief in her personal volunteerism and encourages staff to follow her example. She is a Board Member for Quality Connections, and Advisory Committee Member for ECoNA, and a Member of the Northern Arizona Leadership Alliance. These are just a few of the organizations she volunteers with and participates in.

Heather has developed and promoted women into leadership positions with a majority of key leadership and decision-making positions held by women at Mountain Line. Her development of staff and willingness to support them has led to an incredible retention rate amongst these women; they come to Mountain Line and stay Through Heather’s example and guidance, other women have embraced leadership roles and navigated traditional gender roles with grace Heather is a role model for the many women at Mountain Line and is paving the way for them to be change makers in their own way

Chef Rochelle Daniel is the Chef and Owner of Atria Restaurant in Downtown Flagstaff which opened in 2022. A Phoenix native, she first fell in love with northern Arizona while serving as the Executive Chef for the L’Auberge de Sedona Resort Chef Rochelle designed Atria with a feminine style stimulating a plant and flower filled atrium which represents their foraged ingredients She wanted an open kitchen concept which really showcases the talent, and connects the guest to the food being prepared. The kitchen serves as the“Heart”of the restaurant and offers a front row seat where customers can watch their fresh local and seasonal picks being expertly cooked and plated. Rochelle studied at Scottsdale Culinary Institute. She was the Executive Chef at the award-winning Fat Ox modern Italian in Scottsdale, was a finalist on the Food Network’s “Chopped Grill Masters”, has been recognized as one of the Valley’s “Top 5 Sous Chefs” by the Arizona Republic, and as “Best Sous Chef” by AZcentral.com. She was also inducted into the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame in 2017, and has received the James Beard nomination for best emerging chef in the U.S At 14 years old, Rochelle started helping out in the kitchen of the country club where her mother worked training professional athletes She said she fell in love and knew even at that young age that the kitchen would be her home.

Rochelle has had amazing success in a typically male-dominated career as a Chef She has made Atria truly hers, paying homage to her work and craft even in the smallest details She is an inspiration to young women everywhere that if you set your sites on something that truly inspires you,work hard,and never let go of your dreams they can come true.