community Archives - Page 3 of 4

Education in Gwinnett County

July 27, 2021 by Mike

Giving Back To Gwinnett

Education in Gwinnett County

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Scott Mawdesley, Kim Holland, Heather Loveridge and Jason DiFranco

Kim Holland/Director of Early Learning & School Readiness at Gwinnett Co. Public Schools

The Office of Early Learning and School Readiness strives to ensure that all students enter Kindergarten ready to learn at high levels. In creating partnerships with parents, public and private organizations as well as businesses, they are able to align developmental and academic standards for children from birth to 5 years old and develop and implement effective instructional practices aimed at school readiness.

Jason DiFranco/Director of Development & Community Relations at Gwinnett Public Library

The Gwinnett County Public Library is a free provider of education and information for the people of Gwinnett County. Serving Gwinnett County’s over 860,000 residents, Gwinnett County Public Library is dedicated to providing convenient, creative, customer-friendly access to materials and services.

Scott Mawdesley/Vice President at Corners Academy

Scott Mawdesley is passionate about the innovative and collaborative work he and his team are doing at Corners Outeach to help Latinx families succeed economically and educationally across the community. Corners is helping the working poor of the community become self-reliant by providing academic support and vocational pathways through which the whole family can thrive.

Host: Heather Loveridge/Magnolia Media Group

At the heart of marketing is great storytelling – and that’s what they do at Magnolia Media Group. Whether it’s through social media, e-newsletters, websites, brochures or complete marketing services, they help organizations tell their story.

Giving Back to Gwinnett is presented by:

Understanding Spasmodic Dysphonia

July 26, 2021 by Mike

Stewarding Family Wealth

Understanding Spasmodic Dysphonia

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Host Randy Brunson is joined by longtime friend Charlie Reavis to discuss a voice disorder known as Spasmodic Dysphonia.

Randy Brunson/Centurion Advisory Group

Randy Brunson is the founding shareholder of Centurion Advisory Group. Randy has invested most of his forty-year career in financial services. He spent several years on the institutional side and had the opportunity to start a successful financial planning firm in 1991. Centurion Advisory Group serves individual and corporate clients, both in Georgia and throughout the country, offering personal and business financial planning, retirement plan design and management, and investment management services.

Randy studied engineering and marketing at UT Chattanooga. Randy currently holds the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®) and CKA designation and makes it a priority to stay on top of his knowledge in the financial industry through continuing professional educational opportunities and reading. In addition, Randy has completed studies in qualified plan design, estate planning and business transition planning and he enjoys speaking and writing regularly on these topics.

Charlie Reavis

Charlie Reavis is enthusiastic about spreading awareness about Spasmodic Dysphonia, a voice disorder that causes involuntary spasms in the muscles of the voice box or larynx. This causes the voice to break and have a tight, strained or strangled sound. Spasmodic Dysphonia can cause problems ranging from trouble saying a word or two, to being not able to talk at all. It is is a lifelong condition that most often affects women, with symptoms starting between the ages of 30 and 50. To learn more visit www.Dysphonia.org.

Stewarding Family Wealth is presented by

Shawna Fellenz with AZCEND Kristy Morgan With Candle Wishes Foundation and Jennifer Kiernan with Saving Amy

February 26, 2021 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

Shawna Fellenz with AZCEND Kristy Morgan With Candle Wishes Foundation and Jennifer Kiernan with Saving Amy

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Shawna Fellenz with AZCEND Kristy Morgan With Candle Wishes Foundation and Jennifer Kiernan with Saving Amy

At AZCEND, they know that there are people who are isolated, who are hungry, who are living on the streets. They provide help and hope so people can get back on their feet and they don’t have to face their crisis alone.

AZCEND offers the convenience of a one-stop environment to address a myriad of individual and family basic needs. Their mission is to change lives by nourishing minds and bodies to create a connected, thriving community.

AZCEND has provided basic needs services for over 50 years. As they have grown, they have added wrap around services to not only address the immediate crisis, but also to provide support to reach a higher level of stability and prevent a future crisis. Case management, financial coaching and early literacy equip families and communities and provide long lasting outcomes.

AZCEND strengthens individuals, families and communities through food boxes; parenting, health and literacy classes; rent and utility assistance; senior nutrition; meals on wheels; homeless services; and other comprehensive programs and resources.

They want to do more than simply help people maintain their current situation – they want to provide people with the tools they need to change their lives for the better. Last year, over 17,000 people benefited from their services.

Shawna Fellenz has over 25 years of experience with social service and community action programming —including grant writing, program design, development and implementation, data collection, compliance and reporting.

She has a BA in Sociology and has continued her education with training in resiliency, trauma informed cared, mental health first aid, nonprofit management, leadership, and communication across barriers.

Follow AZCEND on Facebook and Twitter.

Candle Wishes throws birthday parties and gives birthday presents for underprivileged and homeless children in our community.

Dr. Kristy Morgan is, first and foremost, a servant leader at heart. As the Arizona Director of The Candle Wishes Foundation, Dr Morgan has dedicated herself to making sure underprivileged and homeless children in her community have the ability to celebrate their birthdays no matter their circumstances.

As a business owner, COO and Vice President of an Integrated Medical Practice, she has spent the last 16 years helping patients live a healthier, pain free life. One of her many other passions has been in the world of Real Estate where she incorporates a strong hearted team approach to building a successful business and channels that into helping families through investing and home ownership.

She is committed to leaving a positive impact on her patients, clients, family and friends and is determined to create a legacy that can be passed on for generations.

Follow Candle Wishes on Facebook.

Saving Amy was founded with a mission to empower individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness by transforming lives through mentoring, teaching life skills, educational advancement, and financial stability through employment.

Amy’s story represents the impact that community can have on changing lives and ending the cycle of homelessness.

Jennifer Kiernan is Saving Amy’s Founder and Executive Director and has been with Saving Amy since the day it was born. She has a heart for helping others. She works closely with our Saving Amy community in every aspect of the day to day operations.

Jennifer sees her role as bringing volunteers and families in need together to coalesce the Saving Amy vision; ‘A world where all people come together as one community; empowering each other to experience life changing ways of living through inner transformation, compassion and love’. She brings people together to work as a team, each individual adding their own unique strengths, to implement strategies and programs to reach the shared goal of breaking the cycle of homelessness.

Jennifer has a practice where she leads groups and meets with people one on one to help guide them into living a life of purpose and joy. Many of the people she works with become volunteers for Saving Amy. Most importantly she is a mom of four amazing children, three young adults, and one teenager, who each know they have a call to change the world in their own unique way.

Jennifer believes we are all called to make a difference in the world. She states, “I have a front-row seat to the generosity and kindness of humankind. The Saving Amy community is an example of what can be accomplished when we come together for the collective good of all people. Love and compassion is the way we change the world.”

Follow Saving Amy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Katharine Chestnut with Alkaloid Networks

June 3, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Katharine Chestnut with Alkaloid Networks

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Katharine Chestnut founded and created Alkaloid Networks, a coworking community environment, that is a special experience for her members on the Atlanta Beltline.

Katharine saw a unique opportunity created by a beautiful old warehouse space in a central location that was easily accessible by foot or bike. With plenty of exciting culinary options and creative urban living nearby, Katharine wanted the same thing others wanted; an ideal spot for emerging businesses to plant their seeds.

Katharine has 30+ years of experience as a face-to-face marketer with a passion for measuring the value of an experience, and 20+ years of marketing industry contributing writer and teaching educational sessions and mentoring other marketers.

Follow Alkaloid Networks on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

How Katharine and Alkaloid Networks adjusted to meet the needs of members and support the community during the SIP and ongoing pandemic.

About Our Sponsor

OnPay’s payroll services and HR software give you more time to focus on what’s most important. Rated “Excellent” by PC Magazine, we make it easy to pay employees fast, we automate all payroll taxes, and we even keep all your HR and benefits organized and compliant.

Our award-winning customer service includes an accuracy guarantee, deep integrations with popular accounting software, and we’ll even enter all your employee information for you — whether you have five employees or 500. Take a closer look to see all the ways we can save you time and money in the back office.

Follow OnPay on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Mary Hall with CultureWise Consulting and Kay McDonald with Charity Charms E33

June 1, 2020 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

Mary Hall with CultureWise Consulting and Kay McDonald with Charity Charms E33

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Mary Hall with CultureWise Consulting and Kay McDonald with Charity Charms E33

Culturewise helps companies design and operationalize cultures based on values, employee engagement and community impact. Results are achieved through facilitated workshops that are enjoyable and designed around whole-company participation and collaboration.

Whereas many culture initiatives don’t stick; the model presented by Culturewise is based on company cultures that have enjoyed long-lasting success.

Mary Hall’s professional experience includes being the co-founder of a national credit counseling and debt-management company that grew from a few family members to over 500 employees. As the COO, Mary spearheaded Culture Development Programs that lead to four Best Place to Work Awards, three BBB Ethics Awards and two Presidential Points of Light awards for Volunteerism.

Mary served on the BBB Board of Directors for eight years, she serves as a judge for the Most Admired Companies Awards, is a Conscious Capitalism Ambassador and a Best CompaniesAZ Strategic Partner.

Her academic background includes a BA in Accounting, CPA from Montana State University and a Masters in Nonprofit Studies from the ASU Lodestar Center. Mary founded CultureWise Consulting to help companies create meaningful cultures that focus on Purpose, Values, Employee Engagement and Community Impact.

Connect with Mary on LinkedIn.

Charity Charms creates custom logo charms and accessories that help organizations “charm” their audience and make them fall in love with the cause.

Harnessing the POWER of charms as a force for good, we create private label meaningful, wearable items that will define brands and engage communities. The icon in your logo is turned into a beautiful 3D charm that your supporters love to wear.

Kay McDonald is an accomplished CEO with over 15 years of experience in the cause jewelry industry. Kay is the founder and CEO of Charity Charms, a B2B boutique wholesale jewelry company specializing in custom logo branded jewelry.

Her professional background includes retail department store buyer and wholesale jewelry business owner before she started Charity Charms. She considers Charity Charms the perfect blend of fashion and compassion.

Kay has a passion for creating marketing campaigns around products that brand important causes in a memorable way. She frequently partners with organizations that emphasize philanthropy, awareness, and building a better community. Kay sees the importance of empowering other women and helping them to build their careers.

Connect with Kay on LinkedIn and follow Charity Charms on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About 3C Amplified

3C Amplified puts the spotlight on change makers in our communities. Listen in as we share how businesses, nonprofits and community minded individuals are connecting, creating and collaborating to amplify their impact and create positive change in the world.

Want to be part of the conversation? Join us in The 3C Community! Our members create together a collection of stories, experiences, and practical ideas for taking action and implementing change through collaboration and community partnerships between individuals, businesses and nonprofits.

About The Host, Jacqueline Destremps

Jacqueline Destremps is a creative marketing strategist and founded Another Hand Advantage, LLC in 2014 to help community minded small business owners and nonprofit professionals move forward more confidently with their marketing strategy. After graduating from Arizona State University with a degree in Psychology, she has spent her professional career working in both the nonprofit and for-profit sector.

She now enjoys being self-employed and the flexibility it provides to allow more time to volunteer, serve on nonprofit boards, choose pro-bono projects, run 100+ Women Who Care Valley of the Sun (which she co-founded in 2014) and travel the world. Jacqueline believes in creating connections between businesses and nonprofits in the community to stimulate growth and collaboration.

Follow AHA on Instagram and Facebook and connect with Jacqueline on LinkedIn.

Michele Rebeor with Michele M Rebeor Consulting Dawn Hocking with The Centers for Habilitation and Anne Gill with Tempe Chamber of Commerce E8

May 27, 2020 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

Michele Rebeor with Michele M Rebeor Consulting Dawn Hocking with The Centers for Habilitation and Anne Gill with Tempe Chamber of Commerce E8

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Michele Rebeor with Michele M Rebeor Consulting Dawn Hocking with The Centers for Habilitation and Anne Gill with Tempe Chamber of Commerce E8

During this episode of Collaborative Connections Radio Show and Podcast, a few common themes were echoed throughout the show. One important thing for people to understand is that building and sustaining relationships is the key to success for businesses and non-profits alike. We also all agreed that collaboration and communication will help pull us through these unprecedented times.

If you are a Tempe resident, business owner, leader in the community or have a passion for non-profits, check out this episode of Collaborative Connections Radio Show and Podcast hosted by Kelly Lorenzen, with KLM Consulting. Featured guests included Anne Gill, President of the Tempe Chamber of Commerce, Dawn Hocking, Development Director for The Center for Habilitation and Michele Rebeor, Fundraising and Philanthropy consultant.

Michele M Rebeor Consulting (MMRC) specializes in supporting nonprofits of all sizes, budgets and resources through the evaluation, identification and implementation of innovative practices that maximize their current and prospective donor relationships using meaningful and intentional philanthropic opportunities. Our guidance enhances a nonprofits current resources to build more deliberate practices that will garner increases in contributions, donor loyalty and sustainable giving. Additionally,

MMRC offers a unique and rare insight into the transformative role of women in philanthropy. Applying a decade of hands-on expertise we prepare, educate, and advance organizations to effectively establish and incorporate practices that recognize the significant role and substantial impact women have on the future of philanthropy.

Michele Rebeor has enthusiastically served the nonprofit sector for more than 28 yrs. as a development professional & consultant specializing in innovative practices to maximize donor relationships, with meaningful, intentional, realistic, efficient & sustainable strategies. She has also developed a rare, niche expertise in women focused philanthropy drawn from the passion, skill & success she discovered through a decade of leading female investors as the director of ASU Foundation’s Women & Philanthropy program.

Since 2016, through her own consulting firm and as the Arizona-based consultant for CCS Fundraising, Michele been coached clients of all sizes with customized services that encompass women-focused philanthropy, creating sustainable development and donor engagement strategies, as well as testing and advisement for capital campaigns; all resulting in new heights of engagement and contributions for non-profits.

Committed to her profession – she has been an active member in the Greater AZ Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) since 1998 and is currently serving on the Board and as the Chair of the AFP Professional Mentor Program. Additionally, she participates as a volunteer for the AZ Air National Guard’s 161st Air Refueling Wing Copperheads Care Family Support Program, a variety of animal programs and for the the annual Ironman Arizona.

Originally from Upstate New York, Michele has lived in Arizona since 1988. She is an Ironman triathlete, competitive rower, and avid animal lover. Hoyt, her long-time significant other is a Commanding Officer and refueling pilot for the Arizona Air National Guard. They enjoy international and local traveling whenever possible – especially taking their camper and dogs for off the grid excursions to simply enjoy the outdoors.

Connect with Michele on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

TCH is nonprofit which provides support for individuals with disabilities. Our mission is finding creative and innovative ways to provide hope and purpose for individuals with disabilities.

Dawn Hocking has been changing the lives of people with disabilities for 29 years.

As Director of Development she is responsible for community outreach, writes grants, and oversees volunteers to ensure individuals with disabilities live a full meaningful life.

She is a Relationship Builder, Advocate, Instigator of fun, Creative thinker, Resource connector, Mentor and graduate of Tempe Leadership Class XXVII.

Follow TCH on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

The Tempe Chamber serves as the voice of business, a catalyst for economic growth, and a champion for a strong community.

Anne Gill, IOM, is the President & CEO of the Tempe Chamber of Commerce. Anne is an innovative nonprofit leader recognized for her work in business advocacy, organizational excellence, development and community outreach.

Anne serves on the boards of the Western Association of Chamber Executives, Arizona Chamber Executives (Past Chair), Tempe Tourism Office, Tempe Leadership Council, Rio Salado Foundation, Friends of Public Radio Arizona, and Rio Salado College President’s Community Advisory Council.

Anne is a graduate of the US Chamber Foundation’s Institute for Organization Management, and recently completed their Business Leads Fellowship. She holds a B.A. in International Business.

Follow the Tempe Chamber on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About the Show

Kelly Lorenzen started the “Collaborative Connections” show to bring her clients and favorite charities together to meet each other, connect and collaborate in life and business. She hopes to build a stronger community one show at a time.

About Our Sponsor

KLM Consulting is a business concierge and project management firm. They help small business owners and non-profits build, brand and brag about their businesses.

About Your Host

Kelly Lorenzen, CEO of KLM Consulting, is an award-winning entrepreneur with over 15 years of business-ownership experience. She is also a certified project management professional.

Kelly’s expertise is in business development, customer service, marketing, and sales.

Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn, and follow KLM Consulting on Facebook.

Jonathan Brimer with Select Shades

May 24, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Jonathan Brimer with Select Shades

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As a child, Jonathan Brimer turned his bedroom into a boutique department stores, with pricetags on everything from stuffed animals to a stereo. “Customers” – aka his parents – would come “shop” with Jonathan ringing up purchases on an adding machine and transacting with Monopoly money. At age eight, Jonathan consistently won fundraising challenges at school. At age ten, he ran a successful lemonade stand. Suffice to say, he’s always had an entrepreneurial spirit.

After declaring initially as a meteorology major, Jonathan later graduated from Florida State University’s Dedman School of hospitality and subsequently spent twelve years with Marriott International in a variety of roles. The dream of business ownership never died.

In 2014, Jonathan jumped at the opportunity to develop and grow a business niche that brought together both retail and the hospitality industries: boutique sunglass gifting experiences at corporate and incentive events. Since then, the company he now co-owns – Select Shades – has grown into five retail stores in three states and has traveled the world delivering custom, interactive sunglass experiences at meetings of all sizes and formats with nearly $3 million in revenues in 2019.

Always seeking personal and business growth while intensely dedicated to staying true to core values, Jonathan and his business partner, Jason are excited to see their Atlanta-based Select Shades organization thrive, create jobs, and create opportunities for travel and experiences for his team members.

Follow Select Shades on LinkedIn and Facebook.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

How Jonathan got his start
What sets Select Shades apart from Sunglass Hut
Why Jonathan chose to open a sunglasses store
The events side of your Select Shades
What Select Shades is passionate about as an organization
How Select Shades is evolving during COVID19

About Our Sponsor

Follow OnPay on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Katie MacKenzie with Open Hand Atlanta

May 15, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Katie MacKenzie with Open Hand Atlanta

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Brought to you by OnPay. Built in Atlanta, OnPay is the top-rated payroll and HR software anywhere. Get one month free at OnPay.com.

As a key member of the Resource Development Team, Katie MacKenzie works primarily with upper level individual donors to Open Hand Atlanta, maintaining a special focus on developing, identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding Major Gifts to ensure philanthropic goals are met.

Open Hand helps people prevent or better manage chronic disease through Comprehensive Nutrition Care™, which combines home-delivered meals and nutrition education as a means to reinforce the connection between informed food choices and improved quality of life.

Connect with Katie on LinkedIn and follow Open Hand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

What Open Hand is
The growth of the organization over the years
The nutrition programs and services Open Hand offers
The impact on the local community
How individuals or groups can get involved with Open Hand

About Our Sponsor

Follow OnPay on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Gene Kansas with Constellations

May 9, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Gene Kansas with Constellations

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Brought to you by OnPay. Built in Atlanta, OnPay is the top-rated payroll and HR software anywhere. Get one month free at OnPay.com.

In his 20+ years in Atlanta commercial real estate — and inspired by a colorful, deep-fried, parade-filled, culturally rich upbringing in New Orleans, LA — Gene Kansas has garnered a reputation as a champion of historic preservation, adaptive reuse, community building, and storytelling through the built environment.

Each Gene Kansas project aims to blend an appreciation of culture and history with creative, responsible, and vital refashioning that brings new relevance to space and how it is used by clients, neighborhoods, and the city.

The founder and CEO of Gene Kansas | Commercial Real Estate, Gene leads with passion and purpose, with the ability of looking forward and a mindset of giving back. Company accomplishments include: the historic preservation of the Atlanta Daily World Building in Sweet Auburn, named the #2 Preservation Win by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2014; the catalytic marketing and design contest that helped save the Clermont Hotel; and his creative repositioning, value creation, and leasing for Amsterdam Walk, Historic Commercial Row, and Sweet Auburn Curb Market.

Gene is also the creator and founder of Constellations, “where stars come together to shine,” a civic, social, and culturally-based workspace in the re-imagined Southern Schoolbook Building on Auburn Avenue. Through that, Gene Kansas | Commercial Real Estate is the only firm in the city of Atlanta to serve as owner, operator, broker and developer of a shared workspace. Constellations won the ARC Award of Excellence in 2018, an Atlanta Urban Design Commission Award of Excellence in 2019, and was a finalist for ULI’s Award of Excellence in 2019. Constellations also gives Gene the opportunity to serve people two of his favorite things: free coffee, and free fresh-baked cookies.

Among many accolades, Gene received an Atlanta Magazine Groundbreakers Award in 2017, as well as the 2016 Ivan Allen, Jr. Legacy Award from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He was also named an Atlanta Business Chronicle “40 Under 40.” As the creator and host of the award-winning radio program Sidewalk Radio, Gene spent five seasons exploring life in the modern city through the lens of history and the context of community interviewing 270 leaders in Atlanta and beyond. Gene holds a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship from the University of Arizona, and a Masters of Science in Digital Media from Georgia Tech.

Gene is married to DeAnna Kansas, and the couple have a son, Levi, who adores among other things: baseball, baking, art, and the Atlanta Botanical Garden, where Gene serves on the Board of Directors.

Connect with Gene on LinkedIn

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

What a cultural developer is
Constellations and the historic preservation of Atlanta
Constellations is in the birthplace of the civil rights movement. What does that mean in terms of “caring for others”?
Transitions amidst Coronavirus and future plans for GKD