ATHENA NOMINEES

Janet Dean Arizona Public Service (APS)

Janet Dean is the Public Affairs Manager Senior for APS, responsible for building relationships with city, town, county and tribal elected officials and staff, as well as formal and informal community leaders Her passion is to help make connections for others Working across a wide geographic area in the state, Janet has created a network of friends that include every major business and many small business’ as well as just about everyone in and around Flagstaff She has been a driving force in assisting the communities around the Cholla Power Plant transition its economy away from coal. Janet earned her BS in Journalism with an Emphasis in Public Relations from NAU She currently sits on six boards across Northern Arizona In addition to holding formal positions with various entities, Janet is also an ambassador for many non-profit organizations and schools She provides value to these nonprofit organizations and to the community by being a visionary who has the ability to help them shape their visions, as well as connecting them with resources and other groups who can assist them in achieving their goals

Throughout her career, Janet has been a great role model for young women by “walking the walk”, demonstrating excellence in professional standards, genuinely caring for the community, and a desire to see others succeed. She currently serves on the APS Women in Service Leadership employee group where she has helped develop its annual Excellence in Leadership program the past two years While at Northern Arizona Healthcare, she mentored several young female employees in order to help them develop talent and skills to advance in their professions and she has fostered more than a dozen college interns, many of them female, with an eye to providing meaningful experiences that helped them develop their resumes

Erin Evans Evans Garrey PLLC

Erin Evans is a founding partner of Evans Garrey, PLLC. She received her J.D from William Mitchell College of Law and lived in Phoenix before moving to Flagstaff where she has lived and worked for the past ten years She focuses on representing plaintiffs in wrongful death and catastrophic personal injury cases

Erin has always had a passion for helping people whether that is through her legal practice or her countless volunteer hours Her first profession was as a classroom teacher for children that required a special education curriculum After graduating from law school, she found herself especially interested in helping families with adoptions and guardianships through the Volunteer Lawyers Program She was named one of the Top 50 Pro Bono Attorneys in Arizona. In addition to this, she has served as the president of the Coconino County Bar Association and is an active member of several committees and task forces, including the Outreach to Young Lawyers Committee, Litigation Committee and Solo and Small Firm Task Force, and Women Trial Lawyer’s Committee.

In addition to her work in the legal field, Erin spends her time volunteering for the arts where she served as a Board Member of the Flagstaff Arts Council for 6 years She also has put her skills as a community organizer and leader to work locally with the Childhelp, Flagstaff Chapter, for over 10 years She has been a driving force for fundraisers and bringing in new young members

Erin strives to be a role model to young women She is a professional woman that sets an example for her children and other professional women by proving it is possible to be a mom and have a career all the while finding time to make meaningful contributions to the community

Paula Gilbert OneAZ Credit Union

Athena,the Greek Goddess,exemplifies confidence and compassion – two words that perfectly describe the leadership of Paula Gilbert. Paula is the Branch Manager at OneAZ Credit Union’s Flagstaff Branch. Paula leads her team with a gentle confidence that pushes them to bring their best thinking forward to provide the best member experience Her confidence is well earned With 23 years of experience in banking and finance, Paula is truly an expert in the field. She strives to impart that knowledge onto her team by constantly mentoring new associates encouraging them to pursue development opportunities, and inspiring them to give back to their community As a 14-year resident of Flagstaff, Paula is strongly connected to the community She has been an avid advocate for animal welfare, a longtime volunteer at High Country Humane and was invited to serve on the Board, allowing her to combine her knowledge and experience in finance with her love of animals This passion for service was on full display during last year’s fires where she moved swiftly, helping her human and animal neighbors evacuate the fire zone and move to safety Paula is an incredible role model for young women Her leadership demonstrates how compassion and hard work can build both a fulfilling career and a strong connection to one’s community Through dedicated community service, Paula demonstrates that the most important parts of leadership often take place outside of the workplace She is an indefatigable servant to the Flagstaff community, taking time on weekends to volunteer and serve multiple organizations, and she encourages her team to get involved, outside of their jobs Her service to her team, her mentorship to young women, and her dedication to the Flagstaff community are all examples of why she’s a wonderful inspiration for women everywhere.