Meet Us

PRESIDENT Lisa E. Platt	FOUNDER Linda M. Herold
DIRECTOR 2015 Laura Malamud   WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2014 Marie Lopez Rogers 2013 Michelle R. Dionisio 2012 Elaine Scruggs 2011 Pat Horton 2010 Candace Hunter Wiest 2009 Karen Wellert, CSA	AMBASSADORS 2015 Linda Tingstrom Ann Van Kerkwyk Sarah Weddle   PHOTOGRAPHER Michele King Bruen
PAST DIRECTORS Laura Malamud – 2014 Laurie Castillo – 2013 Phyllis C. Brown – 2012 Linda Cavanaugh – 2011 Kelly Ettenborough – 2010	Sharon Levinson – 2009 Kate Cox – 2008 Victoria Bushnell – 2007 Karen Wellert – 2006 Sharon E. Ravenscroft – 2005
PAST AMBASSADORS Julie Carpenter – 2014 Linda Tingstrom – 2014 Jennifer Cameron – 2013 Laura Malamud- 2013 Pamela Prine- 2013 Barbara Kendrick – 2012 Pamela Prine- 2012 Laura Malamud- 2012 Patricia Leupp – 2011 Mayra Ciribassi – 2011 Jeannie Drobina – 2011 Norma Richardson – 2010 Beverly Stokes – 2010 Laurie Castillo – 2010	Elizabeth Hartigan – 2009 Patty Thompson – 2009 Paulette Goldman – 2008 Christine Siler – 2008 Sharon Levinson – 2008 Karen Luu – 2007 Kate Cox – 2007 Amy Lindsey – 2007 Lynn Williams, CSA – 2006 Jennifer Burns – 2006 Emily Fourmy Cutrer – 2005 Victoria L. Bushnell – 2005

---

West Valley Women is a division of The Platt Company

---

Bios:

 

Laura Malamud

2015 Director, 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.

 

---

Linda Tingstrom

Sew What! Creative Interiors

2015 Ambassador, West Valley Women

I am a farm girl from the Midwest and grew up with 4 sisters.  I spent 23 years with a major airline and worked at O’Hare International Airport and then Sky Harbor International Airport.  I moved to Arizona in 1984 and have one married daughter that lives in Phoenix.  I have 20 successful rewarding years with Sew What! Creative Interiors helping people create beauty in their homes.  A big part of my life is giving back.  I love volunteering with Gabriel’s Angels.  We take pet therapy to abused and at risk children.  I am an avid hiker, line dancer, world traveler, and love my Zumba classes.

 

---

Ann Van Kerkwyk

2015 Ambassador, West Valley Women

 

 

---

 

---

Michele King Bruen

President, StraightLine Publishing

Volunteer Photographer, West Valley Women

Michele King Bruen is the President of StraightLine Publishing, a woman-owned editorial services business in Surprise. Michele specializes in proofreading and editing for various documents and webpages, graphic design for logos and marketing materials, and mobile notary services for the West Valley.

Previous positions include Editor and Analyst at SAIC, Climbing Instructor at REI, Piano Instructor, Church Pianist, Executive Administrator, Retail Sales Specialist, and Background Investigator for a Federal Government agency.

Michele is originally from Virginia where she received her B.S. in Computer Information Systems from Strayer University. She moved to Arizona in 2010 and married her best friend and true love, Chuck Bruen, in August 2011. They were married in Vegas on the 21^st anniversary of the day they met. Chuck & Michele live in Surprise with their dog and cat. Michele enjoys CrossFit, running, poker, hockey, hiking, shooting, winemaking, gardening, and photography.

.

 

---

Lisa E. Platt

President, West Valley Women

An event management specialist and entrepreneur, Ms. Platt is the founder and CEO of The Platt Company, a business concierge firm that works with small organizations and busy professionals. Under this umbrella, Lisa has successfully worked with networking organizations for over 15 years serving as manager, administrator and now President/Owner of West Valley Women.

Additionally, Lisa serves as the Executive Director for the Arizona Homeopathic & Integrative Medical Association (AHIMA), the state association for Arizona’s Licensed Homeopathic Physicians, MD(H) & DO(H)’s. Her responsibilities include coordinating details for monthly lectures, special workshops and semi-annual dinners, maintaining membership records, sending weekly newsletters and meeting reminders, working closely with our lobbyist and president on legislative projects and serving as the liaison between the Association and Licensing Board.

In 1996, Ms. Platt founded Errands Galore, a personal concierge firm working with busy professionals. Many of her clients were small business owners who needed reliable help with specific business projects on a part-time contract labor basis.

In 2006, Lisa earned her Distinguished Toastmaster Award, She loves animals, enjoys musicals and comedies, relaxing on a quiet beach and is equally comfortable wearing a pair of jeans or cocktail attire. She adores her two nephews and spending time with family and friends.

---

 WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2014

Marie Lopez Rogers (D)
Maricopa County District 5 Supervisor
Board of Supervisors
Marie Lopez Rogers

From humble roots, to community activist, to civic leader. Marie Lopez Rogers is an Arizona native, born to migrant farm workers who taught her the value of hard work and the importance of giving back to our community.

As a child, Marie picked cotton in the fields of Avondale, South Phoenix, and Goodyear in order to help support the family. Her father challenged Marie to strive for the American Dream by pursing a college education. While they toiled in the cotton fields, Marie’s father said, “If you don’t want to be working in this heat, you better stay in school.” Through sacrifice and determination, Marie became the first in her family to attend college.

Inspired by her mother’s caring and charity, Marie served the communities of southwest Maricopa County for many years as community activist and in the social service field. Marie went on to cofound the Hispanic Leadership Forum, a nonprofit organization that has awarded many scholarships to university-bound students with Education majors, in hopes that they would return to the West Valley to teach in neighborhood schools.

Since 1996, Marie has led the City of Avondale – first as City Council member and for the past 10 years as the first Latina Mayor – with forward thinking ideas and smart economic development that have created quality jobs, safe neighborhoods, and stronger schools. Under Mayor Marie’s leadership, Avondale has been named “Best Places to Live” by CNN Money and is among the fastest growing cities in America.

Marie served as President of the National League of Cities and as Mayor served on the League of Arizona Cities & Towns’ Executive Committee, where she has received a Distinguished Service Award and served as President of the Arizona Women in Municipal Government. Mayor Rogers also served as Chair on the Maricopa Association of Governments and was Chair of the Maricopa Association of Governments Economic Development Committee.

Marie and her husband, Eddie, have three sons and six grandchildren.