In Business Magazine's Women of Achievement Profiles

Featuring Deborah Bateman National Bank of Arizona

Laurie Brednich HR Company Store, LLC

Camille Hill Merestone

Kimber Lanning Local First Arizona

Jean Ann Morris LP Insurance Services, Inc.

Sandi Ernst Perez Delta Dental of Arizona

Kate Wells Children’s Museum of Phoenix

AWEE Works!

Changing Lives Through the Dignity of Work AWEE’s focus – our only focus – is workforce development. We help women and men, young adults and mature workers find jobs, keep their families together, become financially stable, and contribute to the community.

AWEE provides the tools for change, economic independence, self-reliance and community revitalization to advance Arizona’s workforce.

Our success depends on the investment of our corporate and community partners.

To learn more about AWEE’s programs and how to impact their success, visit awee.org or call Jamie Craig Dove at 602-223-4333.

We Teach. We Coach. We Connect. AWEE Works!

640 North First Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1515 t 602-223-4333 f 602-223-4338 awee.org

Achievement Inspires Us The famous statement “Behind every successful man is a woman” may once have been accepted as a tongue-in-cheek assessment, but it was part and parcel of an archaic view RaeAnne Marsh has been editor of In Business Magazine since its inception in 2010.

With a mission of informing the business community with relevant and timely information, she seeks out the latest in a variety of subjects and purposely avoids confining any monthly edition to a single theme. Marsh attributes the success of In Business Magazine to her and InMedia Company’s ability to connect with the Valley’s business community.

Marsh has been writing and editing for Valley — as well as national — publications and organizations for 18 years. She started her editorial career with Arizona Corridors in 1998.

that women didn’t belong in the actual forefront of leadership. As the articles and individual profiles of achievement on the following pages attest, this has changed dramatically. Study after study now shows that businesses with women in executive positions show greater earnings and growth. (The pay rate for women, however, is another issue.)

Women are exerting influence at all levels, contributing to not only their company but the business community as a whole.

We at In Business Magazine are debuting this special Women of Achievement section to recognize the contributions of individuals in our business community. We have specifically avoided making this another “Women at the Top” list; the companies chosen to participate were invited to select any woman within their organization whose achievements are worthy of note.

And these Women of Achievement will be asked to present at our “TED Talk”-type event next year to inform our audience by sharing an anecdote about their success, live in front of this business community in an inspiring event on success.

It is with a great deal of pleasure that I introduce this inaugural Women of Achievement special section.

Sincerely,

RaeAnne Marsh Editor In Business Magazine

About this Section

Featuring Deborah Bateman

Women of Achievement

National Bank of Arizona

Laurie Brednich

HR Company Store, LLC

Jean Ann Morris

Healthcare Professional Group

Sandi Ernst Perez

In Business Magazine is proud to introduce this year’s picks for Women of Achievement. This section is dedicated

Delta Dental of Arizona

Kate Wells

Children’s Museum of Phoenix

to women who have achieved great success at any level within their company. For this inaugural edition, we invited each of the companies in the following pages to choose a Woman of Achievement based on success and accomplishment within their organization. This annual distinction will culminate in a special event celebrating success stories that will inform and inspire our local business community.

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Women-Owned Businesses: Achievement in a Growth Demographic The latest census data identifies strong potential for Arizona Women represent the largest growing demographic of business owners in the country. This is among several interesting trends revealed in final data from the 2012 census released earlier this year. The number of women starting businesses was almost three times that of men — more than expected. As of 2012, women business owners (WBOs) represented 36.2 percent of all businesses, numbering more than 10 million, with 8.9 million employees and generating more than $1.6 trillion in receipts.

In Arizona, the numbers were 183,318 businesses, with 315,682 employees and generating $24.2 billion in receipts.

The census confirmed that women starting their own business was a major contributor in our economy bouncing back from the recession.

Encouraging entrepreneurship and business ownership has been one of the key strategies the public sector has used to build jobs in our local economies. The 2012 census data shows that diversifying our investment to include more women may create greater returns.

WHAT DO THESE NUMBERS MEAN FOR ARIZONA?

Less than five years ago, Arizona regularly topped national rankings for WBOs. Our entrepreneurial ecosystem is robust with multiple resources and more than 380 women business networking groups. The final numbers released in the census figures show that Arizona has fallen behind in its growth of WBOs. Other states have recognized the economic development potential of WBOs and have evolved their entrepreneurial ecosystem by conducting in-depth local research, elevating WBOs’ public profile, and developing innovative economic development strategies reflective of the latest data and research on the unique challenges WBOs face. Arizona is missing out on an opportunity that leverages our local assets, strengthens our local communities and creates quality jobs.

Growth of Women-Owned Businesses in Arizona Year

Women-Owned Businesses

2002

109,748

2007

138,055

2112

183,318

How Arizona Compares to Other States on Growth of WBOs 2007–2012 State

Percent of Growth

Arizona

18.6%

California

21.9%

Colorado

23.5%

Florida

26.9%

Texas

44.5%

While Arizona is currently trending in the wrong direction, a mere 10-percent shift in our current efforts is all that would be required to make us the top state in the country. That 10-percent increase could represent an additional 91,000 jobs created in the next three years.

The details of the census data reveal several reasons why, with a small change in strategy, Arizona is well-positioned to be the top state for WBOs.

THREE REASONS ARIZONA SHOULD BE THE TOP STATE FOR WBOS

Demographics: Latina and African American communities lead the majority of the growth. Arizona is home to a growing population in both of these key demographics. According to the census, women who are starting businesses are both baby boomers and millennials. Arizona is projected to follow this same trend, with our population getting “older” and “younger.”

Research shows the diversity among business owners means that the resources and programs developed to support entrepreneurial innovation need to evolve to address the unique challenges and culture these entrepreneurs represent.

Culture Change: From technology startups to the boardroom, diversity became a key priority affecting the bottom line. The census numbers, increasing visibility and leadership in community organizations are positioning women as a key factor in the success of our entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Key Values: The top three industries for growth in women business ownership are also reflective of the industries that have been defined as critical to Arizona’s economic future: healthcare, education services and main-street businesses.

The census numbers on female entrepreneurship portend opportunity to leverage our state’s values, ecosystem and strength for a more vibrant economy.

—Kristin Slice, owner of Empowered Lab, a social entrepreneurship venture that creates counseling and training programs to specifically address the needs of women business owners Empowered Lab Communications empowered-lab.com

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WBOs Are on a Growth Trajectory Arizona has an estimated 203,200 womenowned firms, employing 149,500 and attributing to roughly $24,669,700 according to the sixth annual State of Women-Owned

Businesses Report, commissioned by American Express OPEN, a comprehensive report released in April, analyzing data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners

Growth of Women-Owned Firms 2002-2016 Women-Owned Firms 2002

2007

2012

% Change 2016 (est.)

2007-2016

Total U.S. Number of Firms

6,489,483

7,793,139

9,878,397

11,313,900

45.2%

Employment

7,146,229

7,579,876

8,431,614

8,976,100

18.4%

Sales ($000)

$940,774,986

$1,202,115,758

$1,419,834,295

$1,622,763,800

35.0%

109,748

138,080

182,425

203,200

47.2%

Arizona Number of Firms Employment

128,926

147,392

144,906

149,500

1.4%

Sales ($000)

$15,761,202

$21,795,502

$22,692,789

$24,669,700

13.2%

Phoenix Number of Firms

70,816

83,379

121,689

136,700

64.0%

Employment

89,408

102,518

102,632

106,500

3.9%

Sales ($000)

$11,478,738

$15,911,873

$16,545,275

$18,040,900

13.4%

Source: American Express OPEN

and factoring in relative changes in Gross Domestic Product.

The unique analysis, reported by industry, revenue and employment size at the national and state levels, shares a new and nuanced investigation into the growth trends among the 11.3 million women-owned enterprises since the recession.

Nationally, the number of women-owned firms (between 2007 and 2016) increased by 45 percent, compared to just a 9-percent increase among all businesses. Therefore, over the past nine years, the number of women-owned firms has grown at a rate fully five times faster than the national average.

Arizona is ranked 11th (47 percent) in growth of number of firms over the past nine years, and 45th (13 percent) in growth of firm revenue between 2007 and 2016.

Among the top 50 metro areas in the U.S., Phoenix is home to 136,700 women-owned firms and is ranked 12th in growth of number of firms.

—Mike Hunter about.americanexpress.com/news/docs/2016x /2016SWOB.pdf

The Gender Divide: A National Perspective, and Local Players This past April, nearly 45 percent of eBay shareholders voted for a resolution calling for the tech giant to take action to close the gender pay gap. In response to the vote, the CEO of eBay promised to “fix” the situation at the company. eBay was the sixth of nine tech companies at the focus of gender pay equity resolutions advanced

by Arjuna Capital, a division of Baldwin Brothers Inc., a registered investment advisor.

The eBay vote and company reaction reflected the huge momentum building for tech companies to improve the treatment of women in the workplace. In the case of eBay, the greater than 44-percent vote reflected a huge jump in support from the 8-percent backing the same resolution received at the company’s 2015 annual meeting. In terms of eBay’s market value, the 44.6- percent support reflected $13 billion in the company’s stock.

On April 11, Microsoft became the fifth major U.S. tech company this year to respond to shareholder calls for action on closing the gender pay equity gap. Already this year, Arjuna Capital has announced success in its

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shareholder engagements at Expedia (March 24th), Amazon (March 23rd), Apple (March 2nd), and Intel (February 3rd), all of which reported the gender pay gap is closed, near closed, or will be closed shortly.

Shareholder votes and/or ongoing dialogues are still in the works on gender pay equity at Facebook, Google, and Adobe.

Microsoft, Expedia, Amazon, Intel and Apple joined the ranks of very few U.S. companies — The Gap, Salesforce.com, and GoDaddy — that

have been accountable and transparent in their commitment to gender pay equity.

On a national level, women, who are paid an average of 78 cents for every dollar men earn, will not reach pay parity until 2058. In the technology industry, which struggles to recruit and retain a diverse workforce, recruiting firm Dice reports men earned nearly $10,000 dollars more than women on average in 2014. —Natasha Lamb, spokesperson for Arjuna Capital Arjuna Capital arjuna-capital.com

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About National Bank of Arizona Company Name: National Bank of Arizona Main Office Address: 6001 N. 24th St., Phoenix, AZ 85016 Phone: (602) 235-6000 Website: www.nbaz.com Number of Offices in Metro Phoenix: 22 Number of Employees: About 800 City Nationally Headquartered: Phoenix

Deborah Bateman Vice Chairman | National Bank of Arizona National Bank of Arizona was founded in 1984 on a mission of building relationships and offering exceptional customer service. Today, we still pride ourselves on providing local expertise and delivering award-winning service. We remain dedicated to serving the financial needs of all Arizonans. Families, foundations, nonprofit organizations, businesses, executives and professionals benefit from our experience and commitment to excellence. As a premier bank in Arizona, NB|AZ has more than $4.5 billion in assets and it is backed by the strength of Zions Bancorporation, one of the top 40 holding companies in the U.S. with assets of $56 billion.

As vice chairman of National Bank of Arizona, Bateman oversees the Premier Wealth Management team, which consists of Relationship Bankers who serve Private Banking, Professional Banking, Executive Banking and Nonprofit Banking clients. As

a life that includes my parents, my husband, my daughter and her beautiful family, incredible friends, supportive co-workers, international travel, opportunities to assist and support others, and a position with a wonderful organization whose core values align with my own.

Greatest Hurdle: My life changed when I gained the self-awareness and the courage to truly get to know myself. I began to define myself and my success, not by the expectations of others, but based on my own terms.

Best short advice: Listen to your heart. Continually ask yourself the important questions: Are you defining yourself by your own terms? Are your reaching for the right dreams? Are your pushing for the right reasons? Are you being true to yourself?

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Year Established Locally: 1984 Specialties Services: Relationship Banking, including, but not

a native Arizonan, Bateman is committed to her community and to continually seek opportunities to make it a better place.

Throughout her career, Bateman has served on more than 30 community and nonprofit boards.

She currently serves on the board of directors for the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute, Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Phoenix Suns Charities and Charter 100AZ. She also participates as an advisory board member for Mesa Community College and The Foundation for Living Medicine.

As an active and experienced community and nonprofit advocate, Bateman has and continues to support and successfully lead numerous nonprofit fundraisers, galas and luncheons.

Bateman epitomizes achievement, determination and kindness. While her banking career has seen her rise from teller to executive, she has maintained a grounded perspective and touch that has made her a valued advocate,

Greatest Achievement: My greatest achievement has been creating the life that I now get to live —

54

No. of Years with Firm: 12

limited to, Private Banking, Professional Banking, Executive Banking, Nonprofit Banking

friend, mentor, coach and sponsor. If you know Bateman, you know that she speaks from the heart when relating her own life experiences.

She has a strong passion for helping others succeed and to internalize their leadership identity to fulfill their purpose, passion and potential. Bateman inspires others to seek their truth, open their hearts and minds, and experience the power and abundance life brings when gratitude is felt authentically. Her monthly blog, “Dose of Deborah,” reinforces these core values and her positive outlook on life.

Bateman’s passion is a desire to give back and make a difference. She has garnered a long list of awards and recognitions, including, but not limited to, Mesa Community College’s Alumni Hall of Fame, Girl Scouts of America Women of Distinction-Leadership Award, The Stevie Awards – Best Executive in the Financial Services Industry, YWCA Tribute to Women – Business Leader Award and The National Association of Women Business Owners – Visionary Award.

Based on her expansive financial services career, philanthropic activities and success as a best-selling author, Bateman is a frequent featured speaker at seminars, meetings and conferences.

About Merestone Company Name: Merestone Main Office Address: 7232 E. 1st St., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Phone: (480) 945.4631 Website: www.merestone.com Number of Offices in Metro Phoenix: 2 Number of Employees: 65 City Nationally Headquartered: Scottsdale, AZ No. of Years with Firm: 42

Camille Hill

Year Established Locally: 1974 Specialties Services: Event Production, Audio Visual,

President | Merestone

Camille Hill has been honored over the last several decades as one of the Top 100 Business Women in the State of Arizona. Presently, Hill is involved in her community and industry as a commissioner on the City of Scottsdale’s Tourism and Development Commission and a board member for the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce. The Scottsdale Chamber has honored her with a Segnar and Legacy award. She is also a five-time judge for the Telly Awards.

Hill’s educational career includes the Ecole International Genève, University of Hartford, Yale and the Claremont Graduate School.

Starting her career, she worked as a scenic designer in New York City, and was on her way to work for the San Francisco Opera House when she was captivated by Arizona (actually,

Graphic Design, Scenic Builds

her now-husband Ted) and decided to stay. In 1974, Camille and Ted Hill, CEO of Unique Inc., co-founded Merestone.

Even after 40 years of owning and growing a production company, Hill still finds joy in “putting the key in the door each day,” she says.

Merestone is experiencing growth with its recent opening in Dallas this year. Says Hill, “The brand expansion results in very exciting times and lots of quick trips to Dallas!”

Scottsdale-based Merestone is an awardwinning, full-service production company that specializes in creating experiences that help the world’s best brands educate, communicate, inspire and elevate the people who mean the most to their company: employees, customers and vendors. The company produces oneof-a-kind, live and interactive events and

Greatest Achievement: That I had part in opening a production company which uses events to communicate, elevate and celebrate — no negatives!

Greatest Hurdle: Is staying ahead of the ever-changing government rules and regulations. Sometimes what seems to be a good thing is very difficult for business to manage. I always remember what Beverly Sills said: “I am an American woman, I have choices” (what a wonderful and lucky thing).

Best short advice: I would have to relate this back to being a business owner: Find the best accountants and attorneys you can afford, and listen to them.

environments that provide each audience with a true brand experience.

From corporate events, conferences and business meetings, to star-studded ceremonies, product launches and trade shows; Merestone is a single-source production company that offers in-house direct services and a versatile staff to glue it all together.

Within Merestone’s Scottsdale headquarters are multi-workstation editing suites, a graphics studio, multiple conference rooms, a production team, a sales and marketing team, and accounting and management offices. The office is conveniently located in Old Town Scottsdale, just minutes from Phoenix International Airport, surrounded by history, charming restaurants and local flavor.

Merestone is supported by a 65,000-squarefoot warehouse, located in Tempe, Arizona, that holds more than 50,000 items. The extensive inventory allows Merestone to offer many services in-house, including welding, sculpting, graphic printing shop, fine carpentry, scenic painting and specialty finishing. The warehouse also houses three studios, wardrobe, make-up, rehearsal and editing bays.

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About Local First Arizona Company Name: Local First Arizona Main Office Address: 407 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, AZ 85004 Phone: (602) 956-0909 Website: www.localfirstaz.com; localfirstazfoundation.org Number of Offices in Metro Phoenix: 1; 4 statewide Number of Employees: 17

Kimber Lanning

City Nationally Headquartered: Phoenix No. of Years with Firm: 13

Executive Director | Local First Arizona Kimber Lanning is an entrepreneur, business leader and community development specialist who works to cultivate strong, self-reliant communities and inspire a higher quality of life for people across our state. It is this passion that led Lanning to found Local First Arizona, the largest local business coalition in North America.

Lanning’s leadership has transformed Arizona’s local economy in a dramatic way.

With nearly 3,000 business members in LFA, Lanning leads a staff of 18 who work on a diverse array of programs that range from healthy local food access to entrepreneurial development in underserved communities to rural community development, each of which plays a part in building sustainable and resilient local economies.

According to Lanning, “The movement to diversify our economy is about the ecosystem of

Year Established Locally: 2003

businesses that support independent ownership.

Accountants, graphic designers, Web developers, attorneys — they all prosper when diverse, independently owned Arizona businesses are thriving. That ecosystem is lost when local business ownership is scarce.”

Lanning has overseen many policy changes that have fostered local economic development.

She has worked on streamlining the adaptive reuse program at the City of Phoenix, which has enabled more businesses to open up in older building stock that only just recently blighted the city. This policy work has been pivotal in jumpstarting downtown Phoenix’s revitalization.

Additionally, Lanning has worked diligently on government procurement policies that would enable more Arizona companies to compete, keeping more dollars and jobs flowing through the local economy.

Greatest Achievement: Local First is the largest local business coalition in the country, and we continue to grow by 50–60 new businesses per month. Our website directory is searched more than 64,000 times each month, and we have more than 180,000 followers, subscribers and fans. We’ve been successful at changing multiple policies and procedures to create a level playing field for locally owned businesses in order to create a more diverse and resilient Arizona economy.

Greatest Hurdle: Whenever someone proposes a new way of viewing the world, there will always be those who don’t want change. Thankfully, with economic studies, facts and determination, we’ve been able to create lasting change.

Best short advice: Never lose your sense of humor — it will get you through your toughest days.

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Specialties Services: Community Development, Place-making, Economic Development, Tourism

Under Lanning’s leadership, LFA was the first local business organization in the country to implement a Spanish language business accelerator program, called Fuerza Local, which works to encourage Latinos in underserved communities to think entrepreneurially to create a pathway to prosperity for themselves and their families. Additionally, the program provides tools to help them access capital at fair market rates, leaving predatory title loans places behind.

Lanning is consistently recognized and has received numerous awards for her diverse work and extensive leadership. Lanning was recognized as the Citizen Leader of the Year in 2014 by the International Economic Development Council, a pivotal moment of international recognition of the use of Localist policies as a force for economic development. In 2013, Lanning was the recipient of the Athena Award by the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, and her work in promoting adaptive reuse in Phoenix’s urban core was recognized by the American Planning Association when she was named Distinguished Citizen Planner of the year.

As Local First Arizona continues its work throughout the state, Lanning is making Arizona a better place, supporting locally owned businesses and building vibrant communities that residents are proud to call home.

Laurie Brednich CEO | HR Company Store, LLC

Laurie Brednich is an HR professional who’s successfully launched a new startup company — HR Company Store, which helps HR professionals find vendors partners. Brednich is an HR professional with more than 25 years of experience leading employee benefits at many major organization, such as American Standard, National Basketball Association, Pinnacle Foods, GoDaddy and, most recently, Sprouts Farmers Market. Brednich is a leader in the wellness arena and has created programs that have fundamentally transformed organizations. These unique programs have improved, and even saved employees’ lives. Her programs have helped good

companies become outstanding companies — even making it to the Fortune 100 Best Place to Work list.

Brednich graduated from Kean University with a degree in management science and also earned a certification in Web design from Chubb Institute.

Brednich has presented on health and wellness at many major conferences, including speaking at the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank. She has been quoted in several magazines as an expert in her field, and was one of the first benefits professionals to bring pet-therapy into the workplace. Brednich is part of the AWEE (Arizona Women’s Education and Employment) SheLEADS women’s leadership program’s inaugural class.

About HR Company Store Company Name: HR Company Store, LLC Main Office Address: P.O. Box 86940 Phoenix, AZ 85080 Phone: (623) 266-1143 Website: www.hrcompanystore.com

Greatest Achievement: HR Company Store. Creating a startup company is exceptionally challenging. Having never been an

Number of Offices in Metro Phoenix: 1

entrepreneur, learning all of the nuances around running a business from

City Nationally Headquartered: Phoenix

the ground up has been exciting and frightening all at the same time.

No. of Years with Firm: 1

Greatest Hurdle: Shattering the glass ceiling. As a woman, I’ve spent

Year Established Locally: 2015

my whole career fighting for respect from others and even from myself.

Specialties Services:

Sometimes, I have to take a beat just to say, “You are damned good at what you do; now go change the world!”

Human Resources, Employee Benefits, Wellness, Payroll, Training

Best short advice: Be happy with who you are.

Jean Ann Morris Sales Executive | LP Insurance Services, Inc. Jean Ann Morris is a 30-year insurance industry veteran who was recently named a 2016 Top Producer by Insurance Business America magazine. Her areas of expertise include property and casualty insurance solutions for her healthcare, medical and professional practice clientele. She is a long-time resident of the Phoenix area.

After growing up in Montana and attending Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology (Montana Tech), Morris began her career with State Farm in Wyoming, and eventually spent time at Wells Fargo

Insurance Services prior to joining LP Insurance in 2015. She has experience in property and casualty, personal and life/health. At LP, she currently specializes in supporting hospitals, physicians, nursing homes, urgent care centers, accountable care organizations and out-patient ambulatory care facilities.

Morris is very involved in the medical community and is currently a member of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS) and the American Society of Hospital Risk Managers (ASHRM). In addition, she is active with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix.

About LP Insurance Company Name: LP Insurance Services, Inc. Main Office Address: 2201 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 202, Phoenix, AZ 85016 Phone: (602) 889-9370 Website: www.lpins.net Number of Offices in Metro Phoenix: 1

Greatest Achievement: My success is measured on the

Number of Employees: 4

strength of the relationships I establish, so I am proud that most

City Nationally Headquartered: Reno, NV

of my clients stay with me year after year. I’m also pleased to have earned the trust of a broad referral network.

Greatest Hurdle: I had to learn that limitations, personal or professional, are not realities; they’re simply misplaced will

No. of Years with Firm: 1 Year Established Locally: 1996 Specialties Services:

power — which, once recognized, can be overcome.

Healthcare Professional, Medical Practice,

Best short advice: From Hamlet, “To thine own self be true.” If

Solutions, Employee Benefits

you’re honest with yourself it is easy to be honest with others.

Property & Casualty, Risk Management

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About Delta Dental of Arizona Company Name: Delta Dental of Arizona Main Office Address: 5656 W. Talavi Blvd., Glendale, AZ 85306 Phone: (602) 938-3131 Website: www.deltadentalaz.com Number of Offices in Metro Phoenix: 1 Number of Employees: 97 City Nationally Headquartered: Glendale, AZ No. of Years with Firm: 9.5

Sandi Ernst Perez

Vice President of Community Benefit | Delta Dental of Arizona Sandi Ernst Perez, Ph.D., is an animated, inspiring, intelligent woman with an innate ability to lead and ignite enthusiasm in others.

A clinical psychologist by training, Perez has mentored women in the field of psychology and, later, philanthropy since the 1990s. She is continually thinking not one but two steps ahead, intentionally creating opportunities for growth and development, not only of her own skills but the skills of those around her. This is where Dr. Perez’s smile shines brightly.

Perez moved to Arizona in the early ’90s. She and her husband, also a clinical psychologist, were recruited by Indian Health Services to work with the White Mountain Apache Tribe in the community mental health clinic. While serving in this role, Perez established the first child abuse prevention council on a reservation with a Native American tribe, a community-based coalition for Navajo and Apache counties focusing on

preventing child abuse and neglect as a key factor of the overall health and well-being of children.

Her love of children and passion for wellness and prevention followed her into the philanthropic sector once she moved to the Valley of the Sun in 1999.

For almost 10 years, Perez has served as the executive in charge of the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation. She has led the Foundation’s efforts to focus resources on the prevention of dental disease and promotion of oral health, particularly for uninsured and at-risk children and youth.

Some accomplishments include: developing an annual community grants cycle in 2009; expanding the Delta Dental Sealant Program; funding oral health coalitions regionally, reaching expectant mothers with essential preventive services; and providing oral health leadership, currently as a steering committee member for the Arizona Oral Health Coalition.

Greatest Achievement: Positioning Delta Dental of Arizona as an oral health leader and funder. Oral health is not a priority when people think about their health, so I try to be a champion of the importance of a healthy mouth to a healthy body.

Greatest Hurdle: Strong, good communication is critical and is always a challenge in large organizations. Fundamental to excellent communication is listening well, and I am always trying to improve those skills.

Best short advice: Think big. Start small. Learn fast.

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Year Established Locally: 1972 Specialties Services: Group Dental Insurance, Individual Dental Insurance, Group Vision Insurance

With the Foundation’s support: • More than $7 million in funding and supply donations have been provided to support vital prevention programs for exams, cleanings, dental sealants, fluoride treatments.

• Grant making has increased from $100,000 to more than $750,000 annually.

• Children’s Dental Health Month is celebrated every February at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix. This year, 24,000 children and families visited the museum for dental supplies and educational dental sessions with pediatric dentists, orthodontists. The Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures mobile dental clinic also spent two days screening children.

• More than 127,000 toothbrushes and more than 400,000 dental supplies were provided to nonprofits, clinics and schools statewide in 2015.

Prior to joining Delta Dental of Arizona, Perez served as vice president of program development for BHHS Legacy Foundation and as a senior program officer for the Arizona Community Foundation.

About Children’s Museum of Phoenix Company Name: Children’s Museum of Phoenix Main Office Address: 215 N. 7th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034 Phone: (602) 253-0501 Website: childrensmuseumofphoenix.org Number of Offices in Metro Phoenix: 1 Number of Employees: 91 City Nationally Headquartered: Phoenix

Kate Wells

No. of Years with Firm: 14 Year Established Locally: 1998

CEO | Children’s Museum of Phoenix One of the top three children’s museums in the nation, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix engages the minds, muscles and imaginations of children and the grown-ups who care about them. Founded in 1998, the Museum opened to the public in the magnificent and historic Monroe School Building in downtown Phoenix in June 2008, welcoming once again a whole new generation of children. More than 330,000 visitors engage in the Museum’s 300-plus handson play experiences annually. Designed for children ages birth to 10, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix’s rich learning opportunities include more than 500 educational program offerings each year. The Museum also offers continued learning opportunities for children on school

break with Spring-, Summer- and Winter-break camps. In addition, the Museum has become a sought-after venue option for those looking for a unique and whimsical environment for special after-hours events.

Helmed by Kate Wells, chief executive officer, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix is a place specifically devoted to the concept of early learning through play. It is a place made especially for children, with experiences that are driven by what they want to do and how they want to do it — an empowering place where the child takes the lead, and the adult follows. Ninety percent of a child’s brain develops in the first five years of life; more than 80 percent in the first three! Therein lies the Museum’s greatest

Greatest Achievement: My daughters have turned into the young women a parent dreams about. Sure, they’re smart, kind, generous and funny — but their passion and drive to make the world a better place is something I’ve worked hard to cultivate in them — and it actually worked! I fully anticipate they’ll make the world a better place.

Greatest Hurdle: Managing my opportunities. So much goodness, so little time!

Best short advice: Say “YES” whenever you can. Adventure, opportunity, interesting people and your next big inspiration are just waiting out there for you to discover, and saying yes to that coffee meeting, yes to watching that TED Talk, yes to mentoring or being mentored — those are the keys to lifelong learning and moments worth living for.

Specialties Services: Early Childhood Education, School Readiness, Literacy, Health & Wellness Programs, Early Brain Development

potential for social impact — reaching young children when their minds and imaginations are most ripe for learning. Wells is also co-founder of the Museum, having served as one of the original members of the grassroots campaign that led to the Museum’s opening, and leading its capital campaign, which raised $12.3 million.

Wells holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from San Diego State University and is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Non-Profit Management Institute. She has been an awardwinning community volunteer and activist, working with the Girl Scouts Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, as Social Venture Partners Fast Pitch Mentor, and the ASU Downtown Advisory Council.

Understanding that the Children’s Museum of Phoenix serves a unique role in our community — the champion for children — Wells works tirelessly to help the Museum reach its full potential as a partner with parents, teachers, schools and community organizations to forward the early childhood education agenda in Phoenix and the state.

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