Karen, Author at Business RadioX ® Page

JOURNEY RADIO Immigration Services Officer Connie Lopez Anaya

March 4, 2019 by Karen

JOURNEY RADIO Immigration Services Officer Connie Lopez Anaya

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is one of the agencies under the umbrella of the Dept of Homeland Security. USCIS is the administrative arm of Homeland Security. This agency processes hundreds of thousands of petitions and applications from people inside and outside of the U.S. who would like to immigrate or become U.S. citizens of the United States.

The American Federal Government Employees (AFGE) union is a nation-wide union representing over 300K federal employees throughout all federal agencies nationwide. AFGE is broken down into districts and locals. Every local has a board consisting of a President, VP and Secretary/Treasurer of the Local. Each local has designated Stewards and Union Representatives who assist, negotiate and represent federal employees during any alleged disciplinary actions against them by the agency they work for.

People who want to immigrate permanently to the U.S. must do so through certain means and meet certain qualifications under the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) laws.

Connie Lopez Anaya is a native Arizonan. She grew up in the border town of Nogales, Arizona as the 8th of 9 children. She graduated from the Nogales High School as a proud Apache and later moved to Tucson, Arizona where she began her college education at the University of Arizona. She married in Tucson, Arizona and is a mother of two wonderful children. Connie became a devoted Christian and after raising her two children as a single mother, she returned to school and completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice at the University of Phoenix, Tucson Campus in 2008.

Connie began her career with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in 2008. Connie served at the Texas Service Center in Dallas, Texas as an Immigration Services Officer. During her tenure at the Texas Service Center from June 2008 through April of 2012 she was assigned to the “Dream Team” which was assigned to work a variety of employment-based petitions, including all first preference categories. Soon after she arrived at the Texas Service Center, she was voted President of the Welfare and Recreation Association for the Texas Service Center. She was responsible for fundraising and coordinating social events for the entire 500+ staff.

Subsequently, Connie received a transfer to the Tucson Field Office, Tucson, Arizona in 2012 where she calls home. She maintains the title as an Immigration Services Officer mainly in family- based petitions and applications, and naturalization applications. Besides her usual adjudication duties, she conducts naturalization ceremonies, children’s citizenship ceremonies, and is trained in fraud detection and national security. She has also served as the Acting Community Relations Officer for District 25.

As the Acting Community Relations Officer for District 25, covering Arizona and Nevada, and as the Collateral duty Community Relations Officer for the Tucson Field Office she enjoyed conducting numerous immigration workshops, presentations, and community outreaches to teach and familiarize southern Arizona communities in the immigration and naturalization process.

Connie was also named the AFGE Union Steward for the Tucson Field Office since 2012. This position has come with a high price and is no stranger to EEO violations where she has represented herself and other bargaining unit employees against abuse and unfair labor practices. Connie is a strong advocate for equality and fairness for everyone and claims she is an enemy of prejudicial biases and bullies and will defend anyone within any legal means against racists and bullies and anyone who abuses their authority.

Connie holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and is currently enrolled at Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law (online campus) to obtain a Master’s in Law degree in March 2019. Although the majority of professional experience has been in criminal defense and immigration, she feels a pull to switch to employment law as her area of concentration but continues to keep an open mind and will go where God leads her.

ABOUT JOURNEY RADIO

Tune into Journey Radio to learn from successful professionals who will provide you with a roadmap for your own Journey to success. Our guests are individuals who want to share stories, tips and guidelines based on their own journey. Listeners will be encouraged to stay the course after learning that a journey that ends successfully is not a straight line but is a winding road of experiences that teaches life lessons that can be built upon, providing us grit and knowledge to complete our Journey.

Journey Radio’s mission is to ensure all listeners have the opportunity to learn from guest’s experiences, failures and successes enabling Journey listeners to complete their “Path to Success” at a faster pace, with fewer failures. Every lesson learned does not need to be through experience, but can be learned by listening and learning from other’s experience. Journey Radio connects listeners with guests who have completed the journey that the listener is on.

Journey Radio is powered by Divinity Beauty Bar

Tucson’s Leader in Extensions, Color, Healthy Hair and All your Spa Needs. Connect with Divinity Beauty Bar on Facebook and Instagram and via email.

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Journey Radio’s host and sponsor Enid Moore-Cranshaw is a consummate business professional. Enid holds a Master’s Degree in Finance and Accounting from Regis University. She is the Immediate Past District Director of Toastmasters International, District 3 (state of Arizona) with a membership of over 4,000. District 3 Toastmasters is ranked seventh in Arizona’s networking and is one of the top organizations for communication and leadership development in the world. She is a Financial Professional and owner of Divinity Beauty Bar. Divinity Beauty Bar specializes in nails, hair styling, wigs, hair extensions, maintenance and growth. Enid is the Immediate Past Board President of Child Parent Centers (Headstart). Child Parent Centers is a leader in early childhood development and serves Southern Arizona’s underprivileged children. Her passion is early childhood development, community service, personal development, effective communication and empowering others to realize their full potential.

SCOTT-FOUNDATION THOUGHT AND SERVICE LEADERS with Vision Keeper Jackie Wszalek

March 4, 2019 by Karen

SCOTT-FOUNDATION THOUGHT AND SERVICE LEADERS with Vision Keeper Jackie Wszalek

ModLuxe – A Modern Print Experience Making a Bigger Splash with expanded services including print, mail, marketing and more throughout Arizona and beyond!
Locally owned and operated in the Deer Valley Airpark with deep roots in the Phoenix and Scottsdale community. Print professionals available to help make the most of your marketing dollars with quality, on time service with an an eye for color and unique options.

ModLuxe is proud to be a positive force in the community. We believe that good neighbors and business owners leave the world a little better than they found it. Thanks to your support every year we donate thousands of dollars of goods and services to the organizations that we believe in. We don’t stop there, we serve on boards, connect business owners, volunteer and provide meeting space.

Connect with Jackie on LinkedIn and Facebook.

ABOUT THE THOUGHT & SERVICE LEADER Podcast and Scott-Foundation

Scott-Foundation has big aspirations and a different path for Arizona foster youth. They imagine a journey that changes the face of humanity and inspires their kids to be their absolute best today while making tomorrow’s world a much better place for all. They imagine an education and societal system focused on the power of community rather than competition; and they imagine a world where children are taught we are not separate, but instead, we are all a part of something much bigger than ourselves – we are one.

Scott-Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that invests in the future of Arizona foster youth who wish to make the world better than they found it. The foundation produces year-round experiential programming that highlights, inspires and educate youth on the importance of social emotional well-being, while mindfully developing their heart and purposeful career path.

WHAT DO YOU LEAVE BEHIND? What kind of person do you want to be? Life/Legacy Plan – What is the history of your future? How can you make the world better than you found it?

Motivated by tragedy, youth transform to find their true self and become self- supporting, successful, community-minded, “compassionate people”.

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Autumn Wilson has proudly stepped into the Community Relations Specialist position with Scott-Foundation as well as continued work as a Thought & Service Leader and Mentor.

Having been in the foster care system since she was 3, she began her Scott-Foundation journey at 15 and her passion is “helping others”. Things that make her the happiest is her sisters, helping people and “knowing” she will never be like the people who hurt her.

She describes herself as brave, courageous and kind. Her challenge is trust, very hard to do, and her biggest fear is being left alone, being lonely and empty.

Her direction in life has always been very clear for her since she was little, with a dream to be an Inspirational Public Speaker and possibly a Therapist advocating for kids in foster care. She’s grown a lot since she’s been with Scott-Foundation and very quickly declared her wish to take the Founder & CEO of the Scott-Foundation’s position, Colleen Walski.

If she could make one rule that everyone in the world had to obey, it would be – “Everyone would be caring.”

When asked how she wants to help the world, Autumn shares, “I want to make it safer, better for us to live in. I want everyone to know there are people that are out there and care about them.”

Her future is bright with career interests of being a Thought & Service Leader, Public Speaker, helping others use their voice, being there for others, making her mark on the world and by making Scott-Foundation’s worldwide and breaking the cycle of foster care.

SarahAnn Goree, Thought & Service Leader & Mentor. Her Scott-Foundation journey began at 14 and her passion is helping others in need, drama club and writing. She is happiest when she is helping her siblings and others; and loves being together with them.

She describes herself as nice, funny, caring, loving and terrific. Her challenge is depression and bad memories along with her eye sight. Her biggest fear is not being able to feel and control her emotions.

Heading into her third year she has found her gift of “love that guides her to stay strong as a growing leader. Her future is bright with career interests of starting a band, dancing, singing and acting, writing, public speaking and helping other foster kids. Her wish for the future is to be successful and help others. She wants to be an actress with a message of peace and nonviolence.

Follow Scott-Foundation on Facebook.

RHINO NATION The Savvy Blondes with Ash Krupnik and Caitlin Martin

March 4, 2019 by Karen

RHINO NATION The Savvy Blondes with Ash Krupnik and Caitlin Martin

Tune in to this engaging and somewhat wacky episode of RHINO NATION to learn about how millennials contribute to society in a really positive way.

Ash Krupnik and Caitlin Martin are the dynamic duo behind The Savvy Blondes. On their YouTube channel they have discussions around the challenges (adulting) and the joys (it’s all about me) of Millennial life. Everything from tax preparation to sexuality is addressed along with why this education needed.

The Savvy Blondes are a dynamic duo with a fashion and beauty background, taking an honest and often humorous look at what it means to be a Millennial. Often posting educational videos to help their peers with “adulting” skills, Caitlin and Co-founder Ash are working to highlight the weaknesses, but also to celebrate their generation as one of innovation and creativity. They post new videos on YouTube every Wednesday night, and enjoy having guests on the show to chat about everything from starting a business, to female sexuality.

This show is geared primarily toward the Millennial woman, and with Caitlin living as a single, boss babe, pageant queen and Ash as a domesticated diva with over 13 years of marriage and 4 kids, these entrepreneurs are here to empower women and encourage them.

Ash Krupnik is a Holistic Health Coach and Lifestyle Instagram Blogger with her husband. She is obsessed with street tacos, Disney trips, old movies, The Office, and fashion. As a Xennial, she brings a different perspective as one of the Older Millennials. Her favorite thing about being a Millennial is watching her generation rise to the challenge of creating change and becoming more aware of the importance of empathy and connection.

Caitlin Martin is a 22 year old with a passion for empowering women to elevate their peers and alleviate the constant competition between one another. She is currently a titleholder in the Miss Arizona Scholarship Organization and spends her free time volunteering and promoting her platform, “Empowered Women, Empower.”

She loves all things Disney, (millennial) pink colored, and adores getting to spend time cuddling with her puppy Luna. She is at the tail end of the Millennial Generation and is a proud member of the generation bringing so much change and passion to the world.

Follow The Savvy Blondes on Instagram.

ABOUT RHINO NATION

Rhino Nation is a growing community of influential entrepreneurs and small business owners that share a common trait, they don’t walk, they don’t run, they CHARGE to their destiny. We acknowledge and celebrate their business expertise, leadership and fearless attitude to be victorious in their goals. Rhino Nation is committed to making powerful connections and providing enhanced exposure to broaden the reach and promote the extraordinary talents of our community members.

ABOUT YOUR SPONSOR

Rhino Online Strategies & eCreativity helps you free up your precious and limited time as a business owner, to do what you do best….running and growing your business. Michelle Faust and her partner, Jacob Fann, work with you to identify your content and marketing needs and provide you with fresh, innovative, dynamic copy that will effectively reach your target market, leading to increased customer engagement, a higher conversion rate, and increased sales.

Great content becomes the seeds of a bountiful business harvest, so you can cultivate and grow your business. We take the time to personally understand you and your company’s purpose, so your marketing message reflects who you are and speaks directly to your target market. For good content to be truly effective you need it to reach your ideal audience. A great strategic marketing plan includes the ability to target selectively and capture those targets for increased engagement which results in greater revenue generation. We’ll partner with you to develop powerful messaging strategies that work.

Michelle has an extensive background in sales, marketing and public speaking, primarily in the pharmaceutical industry. When she left her corporate career, she shifted into the entrepreneurial world, combining her experience, talents and passions to reinvent herself. As a marketer and content writer, Michelle thrives on discovering what motivates people into action and what their key emotional triggers are. Michelle and her team create powerful and targeted messaging that improve conversion rates and increase sales. Michelle loves to connect people through the power and beauty of the written word. Her passion is helping people create a road-map to success, so they can fulfill their dreams and live their destiny.

For more about Rhino Online Strategies & eCreativity find them at www.rhinostrategy.com, on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Jacob Fann is the CEO and Founder of Fanntastic Media, which has elevated over 90 businesses to a greater level of success. Gross revenues from his combined clients total over 32 million and that number continues to grow with his customized marketing strategies. He specializes in social media marketing; creating powerful brand presence, capturing new customers and finding untapped markets by optimizing target marketing and social media algorithms that results in higher conversion rates and increased sales.

Jacob first spread his entrepreneurial wings when he set up a lemonade stand in front of his home close to a popular hiking trail. Location, demand and an inherent business savviness netted him enough money to solidify his desire to be a future business owner and master of his own destiny. In 1963 Jacob’s grandfather Floyd and uncle Don founded Fann Toyota. The Fann legacy holds tradition for respected ethical practice, trust, and valued work. As a 22-year-old college graduate from Northern Arizona University, Jacob founded Fanntastic Media based on those same principles, which he learned first-hand by working in the family business.

After graduation he expanded his business knowledge and experience by getting his real estate license and working as a day trader. Since then he has built up an
impressive list of clients, connections, and relationships doing what he loves; helping people thrive in life and in business.

Clear Directory and Super Power Experts with The Recla Group

March 4, 2019 by Karen

Clear Directory and Super Power Experts with The Recla Group

The Recla Group is a Corporate Counterintelligence firm originally founded by Justin and Tonya Dawn Recla. As former counterintelligence special agents with the U.S. government, Justin and Tonya brought the power of due diligence, vetting, risk mitigation and counter-espionage techniques to the business world in a unique way. For the first time, companies from start-up to full maturity can harness strategic decision-making techniques previously reserved for the elite.

As the parent company to Clear Directory, the first fully vetted and transparent business directory, and CryptoBit Verified, the only cryptocurrency and blockchain vetting company, The Recla Group offers everything from affordable vetting solutions to concierge corporate counterintelligence services. Their niche angle is vetting the people involved in business transactions, to include: investors, leadership teams, directors, service providers, clients and employees. From start-up to maturity, The Recla Group provides peace of mind and confidence in decision-making.

The Reclas: Justin and Tonya Dawn Recla, former counterintelligence special agents, have taken the business world by storm…and they brought their daughter. When she was two, Neva Lee Recla asked for business cards and business hasn’t been the same since. What started as a single corporate counterintelligence firm, grew to six different businesses, two exceeding six figures, and one operated by a nine year-old.

Whether it’s vetting, due diligence and risk mitigation, cryptocurrency, blockchain and mass adoption, or transformation, self-dominion and superpowers, the Recla’s unique systemization and process-driven models have solutions. When asked how they manage it all, they quickly credit their 24/7 family approach. By including everyone in business, the work/life balance takes care of itself. And if you want to know how to do this in your family, have no fear, Neva wrote a book about it. Look for When Pigs Fly: The parent’s guide to inspire your young entrepreneur in 2019.

Follow Clear Directory on Facebook and connect with Justin on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

LIFE MADE TO ORDER PHOENIX Elisa Mongeluzzi with Mongeluzzi Consulting and Kelley Durham with K Durham Law PLLC

March 4, 2019 by Karen

LIFE MADE TO ORDER PHOENIX Elisa Mongeluzzi with Mongeluzzi Consulting and Kelley Durham with K Durham Law PLLC

In this episode of Life Made to Order Phoenix, we catch up with Elisa Mongeluzzi and Kelley Durham who are extremely active in several charitable organizations that help to create their “Life Made to Order” in their personal lives as well as their businesses.

Kelley Durham spoke about She Leads which is under the umbrella of A New Leaf Organization, not for profit. She is also associated with the Phoenix Zoo and the President of the Wildest club in town which is a networking group that helps each other build businesses through relationships while raising awareness for animal conservation. In her business she spoke about being an advocate for the “little guy” versus big corporations in personal injury cases and this fulfills her passion to help others.

Elisa is passionate about paving the pathway for legislation to help poverty driven families get out of the “preschool to prison pipeline.” Her drive comes from several years of working in the social services system, and seeing this firsthand. She was taught by her father to “know who you are, and stand in your power.” Elisa is on the Board for Treasures for Teachers organization and is creating space for change in the Social Services realm.

Together these two are truly changing the way the underdog is being treated. We applaud them and their mission!

Born in Queens, New York, Elisa Mongeluzzi’s roots and wings were established as the eldest child of Mickey and Peggy Mongeluzzi. Growing up in Tucson, Elisa and sister Lynda created memorable escapades like transforming their parent’s living and dining rooms into a Broadway theatre, exploring the wilds of the neighborhood on their bicycles, and choreographing the now infamous “Sister Dance” to Barry Manilow’s masterpiece, Copacabana.

In her mid-teens, Elisa entered the world of early childhood education, parent engagement and social services. That 30 year journey has taken Elisa from the preschool classroom to the non- profit boardroom; cultivating strong friendships that endure to this day and providing Elisa with a front row seat to the one of the most innovative and exciting times in the Early Childhood and Youth Development fields. Not satisfied with having only one job, Elisa established what is now Mongeluzzi Consulting, LLC in 2007.

Elisa earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Family Studies from the University of Arizona and Master of Education degree in Early Childhood Education. She lives in Northern Phoenix, Arizona with her sainted, better-half, Pete. They are the well-trained humans in the lives of their princess cats, Izzie and Sparky. While she proudly calls herself her father’s daughter, Elisa is here to share how she continues to create a life on her own terms, A Life Made to Order.

K Durham Law, PLLC focuses on serious and catastrophic personal injury law. They assist those that have been injured by another’s negligence. They provide free evaluations of your claim no matter how big or small. Because K Durham Law PLLC limits the number of clients it takes on at any given time, they are able to provide personalized attention to their clients and really understand how their client’s injuries have affected their quality of life and maximize their recovery. Each client is treated with respect and given the attention they deserve. Each case is developed according to the individual client, it is not a one size fits all approach.

Pursuing a claim with an insurance carrier can be a long and complicated process as the insurance carrier has every incentive to payout as little as possible. K Durham Law PLLC understands the intricacies in the law pertaining to personal injury and can help to lessen your stress and anxiety by guiding you through the process in a way to help maximize your recovery.

Kelley Durham is a caring, compassionate and dedicated attorney focusing on serious and catastrophic personal injury law. Kelley Durham is the owner and managing attorney at K Durham Law, PLLC and believes that each person’s injuries and experiences are unique and treats each client as an individual. Kelley graduated from ASU Magna Cum Laude and went on to law school at Texas A & M School of Law graduating a semester early with her juris doctorate.

Kelley is admitted to practice law in the Supreme Court of the United States of America, Supreme Court of Arizona, U.S. District Court of Arizona, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

Kelley’s focus on assisting those around her lends itself to prolific volunteer and community work. She has volunteered with the Fiesta Bowl since 1996 in various capacities. She is a member of the Phoenix Zoo Auxiliary, where she was Chair for Charity Charms fundraising from 2014 to 2018. Kelley also held the position of Vice Justice in the Valley of the Sun Alumni Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta in 2010-2011 and Justice from 2011-2013 and helped to establish a statewide chapter and was Justice in 2016. Kelley is currently the Vice President of the Phoenix Zoo Auxiliary and Chair of the Paw Prints in Glass fundraiser. Kelley holds the position of Vice President of the MCBA Solo and Small Firm division and is the President of the Wildest Club in Town, an organization focused on raising awareness and fundraising for the Phoenix Zoo and its conservation and research efforts. Kelley also serves on the Arizona Women Lawyer’s Association Leadership Committee.

Connect with Kelley on LinkedIn and Facebook.

ABOUT LIFE MADE TO ORDER PHOENIX Podcast

We all have dreams. Each of us wants to reach our goals, appreciate all of life’s gifts and enjoy the journey along the way.

At Life Made to Order Financial Phoenix, our specialty is turning aspirations into achievements, and helping others share their Life Made to Order moments with hopes that it inspires others to do the same.

How do we do it? We’re dreamers just like you. The Life Made to Order philosophy enables us to empower others to do the same.

Our mission is simple.

Help everyone we encounter to Live a Life Made to Order in all aspects of their lives.

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Life Made To Order Financial – Phoenix specializes in teaching folks instead of telling them what to do with their finances by hosting live workshops across the country. Virtual Workshops are also available multiple times a week. Please visit LMTOPHXEVENTS.com to see which workshop can fit into your schedule. No Risk, No Fees – Safe Retirement Done with Ease!

Wesley and Susan Henriksen, Division Leaders with Life Made to Order Financial, enjoy educating clients first and foremost to empower them to make their own decisions when it comes to finances. Previous business ownership and sales background help clients feel at ease and completely taken care of throughout the learning process. Wesley and Sue enjoy watching baseball and love playing golf in their spare time.

Trudi Kayser, Agency Vice President with Life Made to Order Financial is making finances fun, her outgoing and fun spirited nature is what her clients love most about her. She is an expert at connecting people and gathering resources for her clients. She is a sought after speaker, financial coach and loves living her Life Made to Order!

Life Made to Order Financial – Phoenix, A proud partner with Five Rings Financial

Phone: (602) 418-1886

Ask me about Living Benefits!

AZ BRANDCAST PHX Startup Week 2019 with Co-leader Mike Jones

February 28, 2019 by Karen

AZ BRANDCAST PHX Startup Week 2019 with Co-leader Mike Jones

Listen in on this episode of AZ Brandcast with host, Chris Stadler and Mike Jones, Co-leader for PHX Startup Week, as they talk about how this incredible event has been masterfully (and magically) designed… with you in mind.

The PHX Startup Week Team is REALLY excited to share their fantastic line up of diverse speakers, panels and workshops that represent how we’re working to build an inclusive ecosystem in PHX.

PHX Startup Week 2019 planning began with a very specific intention — build an event representative of the diversity of the PHX Entrepreneurship Ecosystem, inclusive of all people, industries, and stage of business.

We’re only a few days away from kicking off PHX Startup Week 2019 – Phoenix’s premiere event for Arizona startups and entrepreneurs. If you haven’t yet signed up for sessions on the official event app, register and download Whova today!

Read about how speakers were chosen in this great article written by Steven Rose, and grab your tickets if you haven’t already- #PHXSUW2019 just won’t be the same without you!

ABOUT AZ BRANDCAST

Branding isn’t just for companies. In fact, Arizona is its own brand. Every month, Mike Jones and Chris Stadler tap into Arizona’s rich community of thought leaders and business owners to find out how the state is developing that brand. Join them as they interview business and thought leaders from in and around Arizona about higher purpose in their companies and Arizona’s development as a brand. AZ Brandcast is powered by Conscious Capitalism AZ and Resound Creative.

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

It’s Mike Jones‘ mission to see brands grow and succeed – to reach their full potential. He believes every brand, like every person, has DNA that’s remarkable, but not every brand knows how to act like it (and communicate it to the world). It’s not about what’s trendy, whatever consumers are demanding, or whatever will turn the fastest profit. It’s about the long game – building real relationships with your customers and your community.

Chris Stadler likes to see great plans executed. In a world looking for magic formulas, his stoic outlook tends to point people back to doing the basics really well. Accountability and measurement are his tools. In the past, Chris served as the staff copywriter for a large credit union, UX/human factors researcher at the University of Iowa and full-time teaching faculty, teaching design, copy and strategy at the University of Oregon.

TALES FAILS AND ALES Local First Arizona with Thomas Barr and U and Improved with Jodi Low

February 28, 2019 by Karen

TALES FAILS AND ALES Local First Arizona with Thomas Barr and U and Improved with Jodi Low

Join Jennifer Burwell and Kyle McIntosh for the monthly rendition of Tales, Fails, & Ales . . . where we drink ales and tell tales about fails. We represent MAC6, a company dedicated to the success of entrepreneurs and sharing their stories. Our hope is by forcing these leaders to share their biggest fuck ups, that we can realize our greatness is always just on the other side of adversity. Tune in monthly and enjoy hearing from the latest fuck ups, and be inspired by their tenacity to push through and make it happen.

Local First Arizona is a nonprofit organization that celebrates independent, locally owned businesses. We support, promote and advocate for a strong local business community and raise public awareness of the economic and cultural benefits provided by strong local economies. Local businesses contribute to a sustainable economy for Arizona and build vibrant communities we’re all proud to call home.

Thomas Barr is the Executive Director for Local First Arizona, the largest coalition of local businesses in North America. He advocates for a strong local business community that contributes to building vibrancy, equity, and prosperity across the state. A proud Arizona native and graduate of Arizona State University, Thomas leads the business coalition of Local First Arizona by advocating for the economic and cultural benefits provided by building strong local economies.

Thomas steers the strategic direction of LFA’s major programs and initiatives as well as the engagement of over 3000 businesses across Arizona. As Executive Director, Thomas guides a team of statewide senior directors overseeing the execution of LFA’s communication strategy, major initiatives and key partnerships, as well as the collaboration of over 30 staff implementing work in entrepreneurship programs, small business advocacy, local food initiatives, sustainability, urban development and community building. He frequently speaks to groups locally and nationally, presenting the impact of Local First Arizona and the importance of local economy work in building prosperity.

Outside of Local First Arizona, Thomas has participated in volunteering his time to many causes and organizations throughout the Valley including Young Nonprofit Professionals – Phoenix, Equality Arizona, Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, Arizona Commission on the Arts, Heritage Square and Phoenix Legal Action Network. Additionally, Thomas is a 2018 Phoenix Magazine 40 Under 40 honoree, alumni of Arizona Leading for Change, and current participant in Valley Leadership Institute’s 40th cohort.

Connect with Thomas on LinkedIn and Twitter.

U & Improved provides innovative, sustainable leadership development training to individuals and companies committed to growth. We give our clients the tools to improve collaboration and communication in a way that results in loyalty, trust and a culture of coaction.

Jodi Low is an accomplished corporate trainer, inspirational speaker, and the Founder and CEO of U & Improved. Jodi has trained thousands of entrepreneurs and executives on how to build a booming business, master a mindset for success, and achieve the lifestyle they desire through heart-fueled leadership.

Through U & Improved—an award-winning personal and professional leadership development company based in Scottsdale—Jodi has redefined traditional leadership training by creating a sustainable and actionable model that is personal, challenging and meaningful to each and every individual who enrolls in any of the two-and-a-half-day experiential training classes. She and her elite training team have advanced the charge in heart-based leadership
development and empower U & Improved graduates with knowledge, tools and awareness to immediately be more effective and responsive leaders at work, home and within their communities.

Among her many accomplishments as a Valley leader, Jodi launched a teen leadership program in 2014 to empower young adults to become more confident, motivated and focused stewards of our future. In 2016, she founded a non-profit arm of the company—the U & Improved Leadership Foundation—that makes the program more accessible to deserving teens.

Jodi has been recognized by industry publications and organizations for her work in leadership development and serves as a source of inspiration within the community. In 2015, she was honored as an “Outstanding Women in Business” by the Phoenix Business Journal and by the Phoenix Suns and National Bank of Arizona with the “Amazing Women” award. She has received both the prestigious “Diversity Leader of the Year” and the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce’s “Sterling Award.” She was also awarded a Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 and was a finalist for the Junior League of Phoenix’s Valley Impact Award. Jodi is a devoted single parent who volunteers her time at her daughters’ school programs and with organizations such as Angel Mamas, where she’s served on the board for three years.

Follow U & Improved on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

ABOUT TALES FAILS and ALES

Tales, Fails & Ales is brought to you by MAC6, Conscious Capitalism Arizona, Phoenix Business Radio X, Crush Craft Cider, and Lyft. Remember to keep your fuck ups in the board room and not on the road.

ABOUT YOUR CO-HOSTS

With a background in marketing, in various for profit and not for profit companies, Kyle McIntosh wondered, “How can I pair the passion and commitment to community progress of a non-profit with the sustainability and reach of a for profit company?” From this question and perspective a mission evolved to tear down the false distinction between the two sectors and to promote companies with Conscious Capitalism® business models through MAC6.

Kyle is the President and Creative Excitant of MAC6. Day to day, his main operational role is on the “spaces” side of the business, focusing on creating thriving communities in the commercial office buildings, the co-working space, and the co-manufacturing space. The other role that he plays is that of EOS implementer, working with clients to bring the Entrepreneurial Operating System, from the book Traction® to their businesses. Additionally, he sits on the boards of Conscious Capitalism Arizona, telling the stories of good businesses in Arizona, and The Tempe Chamber of Commerce, sustaining Tempe’s quality of life and keeping our community and economy vibrant.

Kyle loves Arizona and wants to see us all collectively find great success based on the awesome things that are happening here every day.

Follow MAC6 on Facebook and Twitter.

Jennifer Burwell, joined MAC6 in 2013. Jennifer is their VP and Director of Programs. She uses her experience in real estate, team development and management to seamlessly integrate each of the MAC6 business units to assure they are all focused on the long-term company vision. She is also a student of human behavior.

As a Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst, she uses her knowledge to facilitate culture focused leadership programs with organizations of all sizes to integrate the company’s values and create higher performing teams.

To learn more about MAC6 Communities, call 480-293-4075 or find them on Facebook

HIGH HOPES with WHEN Founder Randy Miller and Senior Vice President Tyler Gentry

February 27, 2019 by Karen

HIGH HOPES with WHEN Founder Randy Miller and Senior Vice President Tyler Gentry

WHEN offers innovative programs for employee career, well-being and health that are more effective and flexible than traditional corporate wellness programs. These unique online WHENness Programs provide one-on-one advisory solutions that can improve employees’ overall productivity, happiness and health, while also improving the company’s ROI. Our programs are designed to educate companies on where they’ll receive the greatest return, increase career productivity, lower employee absenteeism,
improve employee retention and lower overall health care costs.

Randy Miller is on a mission to meaningfully transform peoples’ lives. His genuine care and compassion is the embodiment of the When Way of Life®. WHEN® was launched by Randy as the preeminent destination for personal growth and wellness. He built an innovative and engaging online platform which allows people to learn more about themselves, grow on a daily basis, and ultimately find their WHEN in today’s busy times.

Randy’s dream will be achieved when the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index reflects higher levels of career productivity and social satisfaction among Americans. Randy is an established entrepreneur with successful start-ups and exits. He is a pioneer in distance career counseling, coaching, and professional training. Author of books, articles, and training credentialed manuals and a renowned and dynamic speaker.

Tyler Gentry is the Senior Vice President of Strategic Development and Partnerships; and, the Principal of High Fives Unlimited. Tyler is driven to help people find meaning and purpose at work and life. Equally important is guiding his clients to strengthen their workplace culture and deliver measurable results.

Tyler has consulted hundreds of Fortune 500 companies such as Avnet, Intel, and General Electric in the area of employee engagement, retention, and culture. Most recently, under the direction of the Arizona Governor’s administration, Tyler successful recruited corporate clients such as Amazon, Morgan Stanley, and Allstate to expand and relocate to Arizona, helping create over 10,000 new jobs for the state.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Wyoming and a MBA with an emphasis in human resources and marketing.

Tyler resides in Ahwatukee, and in his spare time loves to stay fit and focus on his family, a very proud father of five.

Follow When on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

About your Host

Angela Felix has been in technology for over 15 years, but her passion is and always will be helping people. She believes wholeheartedly that there are people you must meet….and people you must experience.

She recognizes the fact that technology pays the bills…or in her words “buys food and toilet paper”, but the real reward is the fulfillment she finds in helping others accomplish their goals. And after nearly losing her sister in April of 2018, Angela realized just how important having hope is, and how sometimes hope is the ONLY thing you have. But it’s that hope that carries us through those dark times. And sometimes, when we’re lucky, someone amazing comes along and shares their hope with us.

About the HIGH HOPES Podcast

With the help of technology, Phoenix Business RadioX, and some dear friends, Angela introduces you to people who are making a positive impact in the world. High Hopes guests are passionate about helping others. They are individuals who’ve run with an idea because they saw a need and want to be a part of the solution, not the problem. Angela believes these folks are out there making a real difference for our youth, homeless, education, veterans, and entrepreneurs; and with that in mind, Angela knows you need to get to know them too. Who knows? Maybe you will be inspired to get involved in some way; or, even kick your own “high hopes” into action.

Follow Angela on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and of course, here on Phoenix Business RadioX.

E24 Jan Schiller from Berkshire Consulting and Kevin Jacobs

February 26, 2019 by Karen

E24 Jan Schiller from Berkshire Consulting and Kevin Jacobs

In this episode of Project Management Office Hours Joe Pusz, PMO Joe, and his guests Jan Schiller from Berkshire Consulting and Kevin Jacobs take a deep dive into what makes a PMO successful, challenges in building a successful PMO, how to properly scope a PMO and much much more!

Jan shares her story working her way up the ranks, serving in varying roles across multiple industries. It is a common career path that many of us have followed. Jan has used these experiences to help build a very successful consulting practice supporting clients with PMO buildouts, Agile Transformations and more. Visit her LikedIn Profile to get access to free tools to help in scoping and building your PMO – https://www.linkedin.com/in/janschiller/

Kevin helps us understand the challenges of leading a successful PMO in a corporate setting. We discuss his experiences, challenges, successes and importantly his real-world, proven recommendations. We also hear Kevin discuss the importance of the PMP certification and how a personal experience changed his view on this popular industry certification.

Listen in to the episode to hear the stories Kevin and Jan share which paint a picture of a rewarding yet challenging career as a PMO leader. We covered a lot of ground in this chat and learned valuable lessons, heard shared experiences, and gained access to available tools and insights to help solve some of your PMO challenges.

Tune in for upcoming shows with Project Management leaders and also Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Stitcher, Spreaker or your favorite podcast platform! Our next show will be March 7th with Danielle Crop and Dana Brownlee.

Berkshire Consulting, LLC is a women-owned business specializing in delighting clients by linking strategy to results with project management. They put structure on ambiguity and help organizations achieve results in a productive, continuous, agile and cost-effective manner. Their high-caliber leaders provide premier solutions in alignment with strategies and priorities.

Berkshire Consulting‘s distinctive business model, combined with their selective recruiting process and criteria, are designed to deliver results that will help organizations realize high levels of return on their project portfolio investments and adapt to a changing landscape. The outcome is high levels of consistent solution delivery from professionals who become a valued part of the team.

Jan Schiller is a results-oriented executive focused on revealing the path that transforms ideas and goals into results. She collaborates to identify the most effective path from where organizations are to where they want to be. Jan helps organizations reliably achieve their strategy, delight their customers now and into the future, and digitally transform in a timely, cost-effective manner.

Jan enjoys sharing her expertise and experience in a way that inspires wisdom and maximizes potential. She enjoys volunteering as a career development mentor and writing about scope and project portfolio management for PMWorld360.

Her wildly important goal is to leave the world better than she found it, and to have fun doing it.

Connect with Jan on LinkedIn and at Berkshire Consulting.

Kevin Jacobs holds a Masters of International Management from Thunderbird, a Doctor of Business Administration in Information Systems focused on Project and Change Management from Argosy, and is in his last semester of a Masters of Science in Analytics from Dakota State University. He completed his PMP in 2015 and designed an internal PMP course, which he currently teaches. He is also a Certified Scrum Master, and has been designing internal training and processes to implement Agile, Scrum, and Design Thinking principles.

Kevin has had a professional career focused on MIS project management, with 17 years of experience as a Business Analyst, Business Solutions Architect, Project Manager, and PMO manager. He has worked in a variety of fields including banking, construction, telecommunications and document management. He currently manages the MIS PMO for a global mining company in Phoenix. His current focus is on providing better portfolio visibility to resource availability and cross project dependencies finding better ways to get management the information they need while reducing the impact on project managers.

Connect with Kevin on Linkedin and at The Project Scientist.

ABOUT PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE HOURS SERIES

Project Management Office Hours is intended to provide Project Management professionals a place to drop in and discuss Success Stories, Best Practices, and Lessons Learned. Project Management Consultant Joy Gumz has shared with us, “Operations keep the lights on, strategy provides the light at the end of the tunnel, but project management is the train engine that moves the organization forward.”

Each of us has a unique story to tell, but collectively we share a message that organizations who embrace Project Management Best Practices perform better than those which don’t. Organizations which align Projects to Strategy perform better. Organizations with Engage Executive Sponsors deliver better results. Organizations which measure Project Management performance outperform those which don’t.

During our Project Management Office Hours, we hear directly from Industry leaders how to make an impact in our profession. How we, collectively, will Advance Project Management Best Practices, One Listener at a time!

Project Management Office Hours is powered by The PMO SQUAD

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Joe Pusz started THE PMO SQUAD to bring real world PMO Leadership experience to the consulting space and to advocate for Project Management through his blog PMOJOE.com. The old saying is “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Following this mindset Joe left Corporate America in 2013 to start THE PMO SQUAD and work with fellow Natural Born Project Managers to advance Project Management Best Practices.

THE PMO SQUAD focuses exclusively on PMO and Project Management consulting. Corporate America is full of Accidental Project Managers running projects who haven’t been trained to be PMs. To help solve this problem THE PMO SQUAD is on the Leading Edge with PMO As a Service. PMO As a Service allows our clients to focus on their respective core competencies while THE PMO SQUAD delivers Project Management expertise. Contact Joe at 678-591-7868. Follow The PMO Squad on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.