Organization: The Nash Leadership: Managing director — Steve Maun Executive director — Joel Goldenthal Origin: The Nash is part of Jazz in Arizona, Inc., a nonprofit founded in 1977 to celebrate and build the Valley’s jazz community. Attorney Herb Ely and jazz pianist Joel Goldenthal dreamed of creating a jazz performance venue and education center. […]
Helping child abuse victims heal Organization: Defenders of Children Leadership: Founder — Donnalee Sarda CEO — Johanna Fierstein, MSW Origin: Defenders of Children was founded in 2007 by Donnalee Sarda as an Arizona offshoot of the national organization, Justice for Children. Defenders of Children was borne of a desire to do better for child abuse […]
Organization: Elaine Leadership: Founder: Vivienne Gellert CEO: Eric Barr Annual Budget: $330,000 Origin: Elaine is the brainchild of Vivienne Gellert, who created the organization when she was a pre-med student at Arizona State University’s College of Health Solutions. She noticed emergency rooms were filled with people who didn’t know how to access timely and appropriate care, so […]
Organization: The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation Leadership: Founder — Larry Fitzgerald Jr. Executive director — Danielle Frost Origin: Former NFL wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr. founded The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation in 2005 in honor of his mother, Carol Fitzgerald, who died of breast cancer in 2003. Since then, the foundation has worked to provide youth with […]
Organization: The Kyah Rayne Foundation Leadership: Founder: Lisa Cohen Origin: Lisa Cohen launched the Kyah Rayne Foundation (KRF) in August 2019 to honor her daughter, Kyah Rayne, who died of anaphylactic shock at the age of 21 after mistakenly eating peanut sauce during a family vacation in Mexico. Cohen considers it her life’s work to […]
Organization: Greasepaint Youtheatre Leadership: Executive and Artistic Director: Maureen Dias-Watson Board President: Lance Ross Origin: In 1965, Scottsdale Community Players built the theater Greasepaint calls home with private funds on land that the City of Scottsdale owns. Greasepaint became the sole tenant of the Stagebrush Theatre after the theater company was founded in 1984. By 2006, Greasepaint […]
One couple’s infertility struggles transform into hundreds of homes for foster children OrganizationAgape Adoption Agency of Arizona LeadershipCo-Founders — Leslie and Douglas ReprogleCEO — Leslie ReprogleBoard chair — Dr. Janel White Taylor Origin“Agape was founded as an act of faith,” said Leslie Reprogle. When Leslie and her husband Douglas Reprogle were unable to conceive, Leslie […]
Strengthening Constitutional rights for children in foster care Organization Gen Justice Leadership Founder and CEO: Darcy Olsen Board Chair: Celia McClelland Origin: Darcy Olsen founded Gen Justice with her seventh foster baby in her arms. “I’d seen too much brokenness,” she said. “I had to believe there was a better way.” Olsen had just finished writing “The […]
Local nonprofit provides aviation education and preservation Organization Wings of Flight Foundation Leadership Founders: Dale Churchill and Brian Churchill Board of Directors: Dale Churchill, Brian Churchill, Mike Doyle and Dennis Glauner Origin: Falcon Field was established in 1941 as a British training base for the Royal Air Force in the early years of WWII. Two local brothers […]
Nonprofit provides food, clothes, employment help — and hope Organization NourishPHX Leadership Executive DirectorBeth Fiorenza Board ChairArturo Moreno, CPA Origin: NourishPHX got its start when an interfaith coalition joined forces in the late 1960s. The Community Clothing Bank (the clothing arm of the original St. Mary’s Food and Clothing Bank), North Phoenix Corporate Ministries and […]
