ATHENA NOMINEES

Patty Hansen Coconino County

Patty Hansen has been serving as Coconino County Recorder since 2012. She is a dedicated public servant, having worked in election administration for over 35 years As the County Recorder she is responsible for public records, voter registration, and early voting. Under Patty’s leadership she has expanded the Native American Elections Outreach Program, made voting more accessible, and ensured safe and secure elections From serving on the board of the Arizona Association of Counties representing various seats to speaking at national conferences and her work training others, Patty’s commitment is to help people, protect our access to democracy and ensure accessibility and equality for all.

Patty is a fierce advocate for voting rights viewing elections as the way to determine the will of the governed and a critical feature of democracy She has been active in increasing the involvement of women in exercising their right to vote,ensuring safe and secure elections,and has been recognized for her leadership, innovation, and work in elections on both a local and national level.

In addition to her extensive roles in elections,Patty has dedicated her time to training those interested running for office and leading their campaigns She has helped provide guidance, training, and resources to many who have ran for office, including local City and County candidates, as well as staff working on legislative races

Patty has inspired many women around her, both personally and professionally She understands what it takes to create a better tomorrow and is not afraid to help guide others She goes the extra mile to help women achieve their dreams and be their best self Outside of work,Patty enjoys living and working in the mountains of Arizona with its wonderful cultural diversity and geography, spoiling her two bulldogs, and traveling.

Terry Madeksza

Flagstaff Downtown Business Alliance (FDBA)

WhenTerryMadekszadecidedshewasreadytomove toalocationwithfourseasonssheacceptedtheposition of Executive Director with FDBA in 2015 The impact Terry has made in our downtown has been nothing short of tremendous She led the FDBA from a volunteer-basedprogramtoaprofessionallymanagedorganization supportingdowntown’s180smallbusinesses

Terry earned her BS in Law and Society through The American University Washington, D C. and came to Flagstaff with nearly 20 years of experience developing, managing, and leading Downtowns The three primary focuses of Terry’s life are supporting her son, her daughter and our downtown businesses Her contributions to the community are a direct reflection of these priorities

Terryishighlyengagedwithlocalcivicleadersanda knowledgeable resource for them on industry insights and strategies Her work ensures the continued success of small,locally owned businesses (many women owned) and that Flagstaff continues to be a vibrant community Shehassharedherexpertisewiththenext generationofleadersasaspeakeronavarietyofpanels, includingFlagstaffLeadershipProgram,International Downtown Association Regional & Annual Conferences, and Flagstaff Women’s Leadership Network

Given the budget of many Downtown Business Improvement Districts, it’s common for staff to have less experience. Terry embraced this challenge as an opportunity to educate,encourage,mentor,and mold these individuals into confident, successful professionals who thrive in their careers, all while helping them develop their overall skill sets There are numerous women who worked for her attesting to how Terry had a positive impact on their lives and their careers As one woman so eloquently put it, “Some people you simply meet over the course of your life other people change the course of your life Terry Madeksza is one of the latter”

Heather Marcy Northland Family Help Center

Heather Marcy is the Deputy Director of Northland Family Help Center, a local non-profit that has served the Flagstaff community for 45 years Heather has dedicated her 17-year career directly serving over a thousand victims of crime that have experienced Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and/or Human Trafficking. The programs that Heather has helped implement and sustain through obtaining federal and state grant funding have also served thousands of people of diverse ages, ethnicities, and needs

Heather is a woman of service and her community involvement goes well beyond her current position with NFHC. She is the Co-Chair of the Coconino County Continuum of Care to End Homelessness, a board member for the Coconino County Coalition for Children & Youth, and actively serves on four other local work groups that range from identifying best practices for serving domestic violence victims/survivors to the Flagstaff Tax Credit Coalition Heather also assists other agencies as a volunteer grant reviewer Colleagues have shared that besides being an expert on so many issues the nonprofit world is managing,Heather also brings a positive attitude,a sense of humor,and creativity to solve very large issues in a collaborative and effective manner She can be found representing her agency and supporting others by running and hosting community meetings, helping to advise and support other leaders with her expertise, such as fundraising.

Heather began as an advocate at NFHC and in her current position she actively seeks opportunities for formal and informal mentorship of staff and interns Her goal is to empower women to effectively ask for promotions and raises and support their career and educational opportunities

Heather is completing her Masters degree in Leadership and Management with an emphasis in global public affairs at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University

Colleen Maring

Northern Arizona Healthcare

Colleen Maring, J.D., joined Northern Arizona Healthcare as its Chief Legal Counsel in 2018 from the law firm of Aspey, Watkins & Diesel, where she had served as outside counsel to NAH and other organizations for several years prior Previously,Colleen held positions as Assistant Professor of Practice at Northern Arizona University and Associate at the law firm of Williams & Connolly LLP in Washington DC Colleen earned her law degree magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington,D C ,and her bachelor’s degree with honors from Calvin College in Grand Rapids Michigan.

Colleen Maring is an inspiring leader with great integrity who makes those around her want to do their very best The title of Chief Legal Counsel obscures all the roles she truly fills at NAH, as a leader of various HR teams, communications, compliance, legal and risk management.

Colleen is fluent in American Sign Language and willing to step in and assist patients or their family who speak ASL, although it is not part of her responsibilities Through this act,she helps them to feel supported during their time at the hospital Community Service involvement is a passion of Colleen’s She serves as Vice President of the Arizona Justice Project, which works to achieve justice for innocent and wrongly convicted individuals She has also served as faculty in NAU’s Criminology and Criminal Justice Department, lending her life and professional experience to teaching others She has served on the Board for Flagstaff Shelter Services and Young Invincibles, and volunteered her time as a Mock Trial Coach at Basis as well as an Organizer of Organizing for America.

By example, Colleen shows women it’s possible to lead a healthy life, be a good mother and a dedicated employee.

Marti Neff North Country HealthCare

Marti Neff is the Chief Operations Officer at North Country HealthCare She is responsible for expansion and implementation of new services and healthcare facilities in 12 rural Arizona communities Prior to working at North Country HealthCare, she was the clinic manager of the Family Healing Center She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Management and a Master of Arts degree with an emphasis in Leadership, both from NAU

Throughout her career Marti has demonstrated excellence by developing and mentoring female professionals throughout North Country HealthCare and our communities She has shown remarkable initiative, both in pursuing and graduating with her bachelor’s and master’s later in her career

Marti has mentored and supported young women and their families during difficult times in official roles as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) with everything from food drives to managing grief and illness She has served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, and as a member of LDS: Young Women’s President for girls aged 12-18, and the Women’s Relief Society Marti always seeks to take care of those less fortunate and finds ways to provide food or buy a meal for a person experiencing homelessness She encourages others,particularly women,to complete their degree and pursue further education and skillsets She has even been known to purchase new books to expose young minds to new areas In the last six months, Marti helped a young mother set up a budget and encouraged her to develop independence and self-efficacy in taking care of her household and building a future. She has mentored young women and professionals in church as well as guided and supported the professional development of women at North Country HealthCare.

Ross Schaefer Flagstaff Shelter Services

Under Ross Schaefer’s direction as the Executive Director of Flagstaff Shelter Services,the organization has grown exponentially from a seasonal shelter to a year-round Housing Agency that is moving the needle on ending homelessness in Northern Arizona. Ross has grown the organization’s budget from $300 000 annually to nearly $5 million to accomplish this Ross was elected Commissioner City of Flagstaff Housing Commission in 2019 Fiercely committed to the pursuit of an equitable homeless services system Ross is a proud member of the Arizona Department of Housing’s Balance of State Social Justice & Racial Equity Committee, and serves as the Co-chair of the Coconino County Local Coalition to End Homelessness Ross earned her BS at Virginia Commonwealth University and is pursuing her Master’s in Business Administration at the University of North Carolina She’s been recognized for numerous accomplishments,the most recent being Arizona Daily Sun named Flagstaff Shelter Services its 2022 Organization of the Year with Ross at the helm,and the Northern Arizona University Commission on Status of Women Community Award Because of her groundbreaking work and that of other homeless service leaders,the government made a meaningful financial investment in the purchase and renovation of motel properties nationwide. Ross led the charge on Flagstaff Shelter Services’ purchase of a motel property to better care for vulnerable residents She has worked tirelessly to support women in her organization, staff and clients The Motel is a huge step in the right direction. While FSS serves all families of need the majority of families served are female head-of-households With the acquisition of the Motel, Flagstaff now has 58 units of non-congregate, private shelter for families The scale of this expansion is remarkable and will truly change the course of the female head-of-household families for decades to come.