Get to know the leaders who create Mighty Change in the Valley.

Many factors work together to make an organization successful. For Valley of the Sun United Way, our donors, corporate, nonprofit and other community partners are vital. We are here for our community because of you, your generosity and your trust. Another critical piece of our success, and in our ability to ensure your support drives positive results, is our outstanding Board of Directors who guide our strategy, govern our policies and provide fiduciary oversight, all while ensuring we reflect and represent the community we serve.

They are champions for our community and for YOU as a supporter of Valley of the Sun United Way.

Any organization, whether it be a corporate, nonprofit or public entity, is only as strong as its leadership, starting with its Board of Directors. And I am proud to say that we have THE BEST Board in the Valley (of course, I’m biased) representing a vast array of businesses, organizations, expertise and experiences.

In June, we elected new members to our Board, and a set of outstanding leaders to serve as officers for the new fiscal year, which began this month. I’m thrilled to share our new leadership:

• Latasha Causey, President, Phoenix Raceway, was elected as Chair filling the role previously held by John Graham, Chairman and CEO, Sunbelt Holdings, whose Board Chair term expired, yet thankfully, his role on the Board continues. Latasha has a long history with United Way, helping establish and grow our Women United affinity group, chairing events like our We Are United Breakfast and serving on the Board.
• Matt Byrnes, SVP Proprietary Brands and Sourcing, PetSmart, was elected as Vice Chair. Matt joined the Board in 2022 and immediately made an impact serving on the Diversity, Equity, Access and Inclusion committee, which he co-chairs with Monica Villalobos, President & CEO, Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
• Dave Long, former Edward Jones leader, was re-elected as Treasurer. Dave, who joined the Board during the pandemic and my first year as CEO, has been an essential leader of our Finance Committee and member of our Investment Committee.
• Ruben Alvarez, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Molera Alvarez, was elected as Secretary replacing Brad Smith, Partner, Deloitte, whose Board term expired. Ruben is a long-time member and Co-Chair of our Public Policy Committee.

Latasha, Matt, Dave and Ruben are highly respected in the Valley and I’m incredibly fortunate to work with them as we head into the mid-way point of our MC2026 plan for Mighty Change, begin planning for our 100^th anniversary of serving the Valley in fall 2025 and focus on complex issues such as housing stability, access to quality child care and creating opportunities for better paying jobs.

I think they’d all agree when I say there are big shoes to fill as John Graham and Brad Smith transition from their roles. John was one of the first people I met when I was interviewing for the role of President and CEO five years ago. I immediately knew that if someone like John supported an organization so emphatically, it must be an essential and impactful part of the community he holds so dear. So many lives have been impacted by the Graham family’s leadership and philanthropy across a range of causes and I am fortunate that John stepped up to lead Valley of the Sun United Way as we launched MC2026 and helped the Valley emerge from the pandemic. I am thrilled that John remains on our Board and Executive Committee and will continue to be an advisor to me and the organization.

Since 2011, Brad Smith’s wisdom and precision have been essential to our Board. As Secretary for the past five years, he was integral to the governance and diligence of our Board, while also serving on our Finance Committee. What’s amazing about Brad is that he ALWAYS shows up, no matter what you need, or whatever event is happening, Brad and his wife Kristy (who is a longtime leader of Women United) are there to support. I am so grateful that we still get more time with Brad as he serves as an honorary member of our Board for the upcoming year.

I also want to recognize Steve Evans and his leadership and mentorship on our Board and as chair of our Investment Committee overseeing our endowment. Steve’s fiduciary oversight resulted in above-market performance of our investments, which provides stability and sustainability for our organization. Steve’s support of United Way is tremendous and we are fortunate he also remains as an honorary member of our Board.

Thanks to Paul Fannin, Chairman, Vendura Residential Operating LLC, for taking over as Chair of our vital Investment Committee, to Jenny Holsman Tetreault, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, TPI Composites, for stepping in as Co-Chair of the Public Policy Committee with Ruben Alvarez and Neil Giuliano, President & CEO, Greater Phoenix Leadership, and to Monica Whiting, Vice President, Customer Experience and Communications, APS, for serving as Co-Chair of the Community Development Committee with Geoff Burbridge, Senior Vice President, Truist.

In addition to these leadership appointments, I’m honored to share three new members who were elected to the Board:

• Lisa Cagnolatti, a community leader and retired Chief Customer Officer and Senior Vice President of Customer Service at Southern California Edison. Lisa is also the Treasurer of the Valle Del Sol Unit of the National Association of Parliamentarians, advisor to the National College Resources Foundation, President of The Cagnolatti Daniels Family Foundation and is President-elect of the African American Women’s Giving and Empowerment Circle.

• Jen Pokorski, County Manager of Maricopa County. Jen has been a part of the Maricopa County family since 2005 and served on a variety of boards and committees and is currently an ex-officio member of the Valley Partnership Board of Directors, Arizona State University’s MPA Advisory Board and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.
• Kyle Steinbuch, Senior Vice President and Corporate Banking Sales Leader at PNC. Kyle has over 20 years of experience in the banking and finance industry, completed Valley Leadership’s Catalyze Program in 2022 and served on a variety of boards, including Habitat for Humanity, the Association for Corporate Growth and the March of Dimes.

This time of year is also bittersweet because we often say goodbye to leaders and friends when their terms end. Thank you to Nina Mullins, Senior Director of Land a Papago Park Center, SRP, and Elissa Kelly, Founder & CEO, Surya Partners, for your committee leadership, strong voices, support, and guidance. You’ve made a tremendous impact and we hope you remain close!

I hope you agree that a strong Board of Directors is something to celebrate! They not only represent Valley of the Sun United Way, but more importantly, they represent our community, our partners and our supporters. They represent you! It’s important to me that you know who they are and what they do on your behalf. You can check out the complete list of our Board of Directors on our website.

Thank you to our incredible Board and to all those who serve on our committees, and thanks to YOU and each of our donors who make all this important community work possible.

If you have any feedback or questions, please contact me directly at carla@vsuw.org, or Board Chair Latasha Causey at boardchair@vsuw.org.

Here’s to an outstanding year ahead TOGETHER!