Meet Us

West Valley Women is a division of The Platt Company

Bios:

Laurie Castillo, Paramedical Aesthetician, North Valley Plastic Surgery

Director, West Valley Women

Laurie Castillo is a native of Arizona, she attended ASU and Kar’che.  After 15 years with a successful career with American Express, she wanted to make a change.  At age 40, she left a high level position, returned to school and became a Licensed Paramedical Aesthetician and Certified Laser Technician. Laurie agrees this is one of the best decisions she’s made to full fill a passion.  Laurie is also a Permanent Make-up Technician and specializes in the Micro pigmentation for women recovering from cancer.

Laurie volunteers her time to a few different programs including Delta Therapy Dog organization.  She and her Therapy Dog, Deniro, visit local schools. Their goal is to visit hospitals and nursing homes.  Her other dog is  Sissy, and she’s smart too!

Since completing her internship, Laurie works as a Licensed Paramedical Aesthetician and Certified Laser Technician at North Valley Plastic Surgery.  During this time, she has been a member of West Valley Women and our sister group, Women of Scottsdale.  Laurie is grateful for her spirituality, health, skills, friends and dogs.  And try’s every day to stay thankful.

Jennifer A. Cameron, A & C Properties, Inc.

2013 Ambassador, West Valley Women

Jennifer Cameron is a commercial property manager with A & C Properties, Inc. – a full service management company in Phoenix.  She is a licensed real estate sales person who has been in the industry for 20 years, focusing on retail and office management for client owners/developers.  She also recently completed brokerage classes and is well on her way to obtaining a State brokerage license

In 2008 Jennifer and her husband, Gene, relocated to Glendale, where she also currently holds a part-time position as an account representative at Champ’s Auto Repair Service located at 51^st & Peoria Avenues.  Coming “back home” to the West Valley, Jennifer was surprised to see so much positive growth and wanted to be part of the community and action and so she joined West Valley Women in 2011.  She is also part of other Valley business associations such as Metro Business Alliance, AZ CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women), and in the past has worked with City officials of Phoenix and Glendale on various business development and community projects.

Laura Malamud

2013 Ambassador, West Valley Women

Laura Malamud is a long-time communicator, with experience in developing strategic plans and rich content for public relations, employee communications, partnership marketing and social media campaigns. Throughout her career, she has developed and executed effective messaging campaigns for a variety of audiences, including corporate employees, executive management, agency clients and media outlets.

Currently, she is part of the Public Affairs team at Cancer Treatment Centers of America’s^® (CTCA) Western Regional Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona.  Prior to CTCA she worked as Director of Marketing at VIVA Creative, designing and implementing marketing materials and website and social media content. She also spent six years within GEICO’s Communications and Public Affairs departments, working on all elements of the company’s communications and partnership marketing, as well as working as a founding member of GEICO’s social media team.

She received her undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of Arizona, and graduated with a Master’s Degree in Public Relations and Corporate Communications from Georgetown University.

Pamela Prine

2013 Ambassador, West Valley Women

Pamela B. Prine is a Senior Director with Holt Capital Management Group, LLC – a wealth preservation practice in the West Valley that focuses on the growth and protection of client assets.  Pam is a dedicated advocate for women when it comes to money and finance.  She focuses on “women in transition” – whether it be a successful business owner, a widow, single, or married woman who for whatever reason has decided to take charge and move forward in a successful financial direction. Pam has both a professional and personal understanding on the unique issues and challenges that face women.

Pam and her husband Dave have been married for 32 years.  They moved to the Valley 26 years ago where they raised 3 children and are now enjoying their 5 grandchildren.

Pam is active in her church where she has served in many leadership positions over women’s groups, youth groups and even taught on a volunteer basis a religious course for youth 16-18 at 6am every morning for two years.  She is a popular speaker for Women’s Conferences in the community, church and in her profession.  She is currently serving as President of the Advisory Board of the Golden W.H.E.E.L Organization – a women’s group that raises money for scholarships for high school seniors of the West Valley and also supports organizations such Arizona Friends of Foster Children and West Valley Child Crisis Center.  She has always wanted to be a volunteer for Hospice and hopes to be able to make that happen in 2012!

She values the relationship of her clients, friends and professional business partners.

Michele King Bruen

President, StraightLine Publishing

Volunteer Photographer, West Valley Women

Michele King Bruen is the President of StraightLine Publishing, LLC.  Founded in Virginia in 2007, StraightLine Publishing is a BBB accredited, licensed, insured, and certified woman-owned small business located in Surprise, AZ. Michele specializes in research and analysis, technical writing and editing, and desktop publishing projects for telecommunications companies and Federal Government agencies. With her strong administrative and customer service background and attention to detail, she is a capable, analytical professional with extensive experience supporting the telecom industry and Federal Government contracts. Previous positions include analyst at SAIC, climbing instructor at REI, piano teacher, church pianist, executive administrator, retail sales, and background investigator for a Federal Government agency.

Michele spent the first 38 years of her life in various parts of Virginia. She received her B.S. in Computer Information Systems from Strayer University in 2004. She moved to Arizona in 2010 and married her best friend and true love, Chuck Bruen, in August 2011. They were married in Las Vegas on the 21^st anniversary of the day they met in college. Chuck & Michele live in Surprise with their dog and cat. Michele enjoys music, hockey, poker, hiking, camping, shooting, reading, winemaking, gardening, and photography.

Lisa E. Platt

President, West Valley Women

Lisa E. Platt, an event management specialist and owner of The Platt Company, works with small organizations and busy professionals. Lisa specializes in helping clients with data base management, research, coordinating event details from invitations to registration, and other business projects.
Lisa recently earned her Distinguished Toastmaster Award and believes in giving back to her community. Previously, Lisa has volunteered for Friends of CASS, the auxiliary group for Central Arizona Shelter Services, Toastmasters International and soon will be volunteering for the American Medical College of Homeopathy.

Linda M. Herold

Founder, West Valley Women

Linda M. Herold is the President of Herold Enterprises located in Scottsdale, AZ. Herold Enterprises produces WOMEN OF SCOTTSDALE and West Valley Women, monthly meetings designed to connect local women, and includes IDENTITY ARTS, a consulting practice. Linda also writes THE SOCIAL LIFE column for frontdoors Newspaper.

 WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2012

Elaine Scruggs

Mayor, Glendale, AZ

Elaine Scruggs has served as Mayor of Glendale since February 1993.  She joined the Glendale City Council in 1990 when she was elected as the first Cholla District Councilmember.

As Mayor of Glendale, which is home to Luke Air Force Base, Elaine Scruggs led efforts which resulted in state legislation and municipal zoning measures to protect the airspace needed for Luke’s critical pilot training.  Most recently she co-chaired Luke Forward which rallied residents and businesses statewide to show support for Luke Air Force Base to become the training base for F-35 jet pilots and maintenance training.  In August the Department of Defense announced that Luke will be the U. S. Air Force’s new F-35 training center, paving the way for up to 144 aircraft to begin arriving at Luke in late 2013.

Fostering leadership is of great personal interest to Mayor Scruggs. Her desire for a program that would reinvigorate the public’s civic participation and their sense of ownership of local government led to the creation of Glendale University in 1997. Since the program’s inception, over 800 Glendale residents have “graduated” from Glendale University to become community leaders through service to non-profit organizations, appointment to municipal commissions and election to the City Council.

Mayor Scruggs’ commitment to respecting and preserving Glendale’s history and heritage is a priority in her public service.  When the 120-acre Manistee Ranch with its “mansion” built in 1897 was proposed to be razed and replaced with a mixed-use development, Mayor Scruggs formed a task force to save the house and grounds.  The Arizona Heritage Fund rewarded their efforts with the largest grants ever given for an historic preservation project.  Mayor Scruggs was chosen to be the second recipient of the Ruth Byrne Historic Preservation Award for her leadership in sparing the Manistee Ranch house and palm grove from the bulldozers.

Mayor Scruggs is a member of the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Economic Development Committee, member and past Chairman of the MAG Transportation Policy Committee and member and past Chairman of the MAG Regional Council.  In June 2012 Mayor Scruggs received the first MAG Lifetime Achievement Award for Regional Planning.

Mayor Scruggs also serves as a member and is a past Chairman of the Valley Metro Regional Public Transportation Authority (RPTA) Board of Directors; has served as President of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns and continues as a member of the League’s Executive Committee; and has served as Chairman of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA).

In March 2012 Mayor Scruggs was named one of the 48 Most Intriguing Women of Arizona, an official legacy project sanctioned by the Arizona Historical Advisory Commission I honor of our state’s Centennial.

Mayor Scruggs has been recognized by the National Association of Women Business Owners for her support of small business endeavors. She has been honored as one of Today’s Arizona Woman magazine’s Top 100, and in 2003, she accepted their Woman of the Year award.  In 2007 WESTMARC chose Mayor Scruggs to receive the Chairman’s Award for her forward looking leadership.  Her advocacy for youth earned her the Peoria Education Enrichment Foundation 2009 Visionary Award for her contributions to education in her city.  In 2011 Mayor Scruggs was presented with Midwestern University’s COMET Award in recognition of her commitment to community service.