Board of Directors

 

Yvette Katsenes, President 
    Community Leader

Tracy Decker, Vice President 

     BDO Seidman, LLP

Wimberly Doran, 2nd Vice President

     State of Arizona Land Development
Stephanie Handley, Secretary

     Champion - Commercial Real Estate 
Rocchina Oesterling-Post, Treasurer
     Deloitte Tax, LLP

Pamela Georgelos, Past President

      Attorney

Peter Candelaria

    Arizona Public Service

Emily Durette

      Avnet 

 Davy Yee

     The Williams Real Estate Company

Danielle Swiatek

      Homeowners Financial Group

Eric Santiago

     First Things First

Sean Carroll

     Catholic HealthCare West

Lisa Zeschke

      Honeywell

Michael Sapp

      PetSmart

 

 

Executive Team

 

Karyn Parker, Executive Director

Karyn was Phoenix Day's fourth Executive Director from 1996 through 2001 and returns having worked as the Director of Desert/Mission/Marley House and Director of Success by Six with Valley of the Sun United Way. She has prior experince in working as an Executive Director in three local non-profit agencies including Sojourner Center (1986-1994), the Make-A-Wish Foundation (1994-1996) and Phoenix Day. In each of those agencies, Karyn was responsible for developing and implementing "blueprint" programs for our community's most vulnerable children and families including establishing the state's first licensed and accredited childcare center on a domestic violence shelter campus; Phoenix Day's HealthLinks a preventive health program for children and families residing in the neighborhood surounding Phoenix Day; developing new program products such as VSUW's School Readiness Kit which facilitates the establishment of regional school readiness partnerships in Maricopa County and established a targeted approach to school readiness at VSUW focusing on building collaboration and community capacity in the areas of domestic violence and early childhood development. Karyn is a mother and grandmother of two beautiful grandaughters and previously served on the North Phoenix First Things First Council.    

  

Lori Stinson, Center Director

Lori Stinson joined Phoenix Day in August of 2010. Lori is returning to work two years after the birth of her twin girls, who currently spend their days at Phoenix Day.   Between 1996 and 2008, Lori held several positions at FACES, Crisis Nursery's early childhood program.  Beginning as Family Support Manager, she moved to teacher and then Program Director.  From 1991-1996, Lori worked at Tempe Children's Center in progressively more responsible positions.  Beginning as a teacher, she moved on to become a trainer and the Special Needs Coordinator.  Her educational background consists of a B.A. in Psychology from ASU, an M. Ed in Elementaruy Education from NAU and an M. Ed in Special Education from NAU.

Bernice Medina, HealthLinks Director/Outreach & Case Manager

Bernice Medina has been at Phoenix Day since 2005. She provides basic case management and social services for our parents, families, and community as well as maintaining and monitoring the enrollment process and management of enrollment data for children and families. Just recently Bernice was promoted to the HealthLinks Director position, where she oversees the community outreach program that brings awareness on health insurance and health related issues as well as the food basket program with our partnering agency St. Mary’s Food Bank. Bernice obtained her BA degree in Family Studies and Child Development with a minor in Psychology from Arizona State University in 1998. Bernice also holds a certification in Translation from the Arizona State University since 2007. Before coming to Phoenix Day Bernice worked at Chicanos Por La Causa - Early Childhood Development Program as the Family Services Coordinator for 6 years. Bernice is also certified in the New York State Family Development Training and Credentialing Program (FDC), an initiative that provides frontline workers with the skills and competencies needed to empower families.

Ann Polunsky, Development Director

Ann joined Phoenix Day in August of 2008.  Ann has worked in the non-profit arena in Phoenix as both a professional and volunteer for the past 40 years.  Her most recent positions have been as grant writer for Florence Crittenton and as Executive Director of Deer Valley Education Foundation.  She has extensive experience in writing grants, planning events and public relations. Ann has a B.A. in Education from State University of New York (SUNY) in Albany, N.Y. and an M.A. from the same university in Social Studies.  She taught high school for several years, taking time out to raise her four daughters.