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Staff |
Fresh Start Foundations | ||||
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Scroll down or click below for information on our staff.
Sandy Cowen
Previously, Ms. Cowen was President of The Cowen Agency, a marketing communications firm, which she founded in 1973. She has the distinction of being the first woman in Arizona to own a full service advertising agency and later transitioned her firm into a national and international firm specializing in strategic image positioning. She has served as Chairman of the Board or in other significant leadership positions with a number of non-profit organizations: Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, Samaritan Health System, Gladys Taylor McGarey Medical Foundation, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Trends Charitable Fund and Arizona Women’s Education & Employment (AWEE) to name a few. She is a member of Charter 100, the Arizona Women’s Forum and International Women’s Forum and MENSA. Sandy has served on task forces and committees appointed by three Governors and three different Mayors. She has been an Arizona Lottery Commissioner, served on the Phoenix Domestic Violence Commission and organized the first domestic violence research survey in Arizona (1999). She has been recognized by Valley Leadership n 1992 with their Visionary Award, by the YWCA with its Tribute To Women in 2003 and was a finalist twice for the coveted Athena Award.
Ms. Lee has an extensive background in law, which includes work at several local and national law offices, and is trained in the Collaborative Divorce Model. Ms. Lee has conducted parenting seminars and collaborated with parents to establish communication strategies for children experiencing high conflict divorce. She also piloted a multiple intelligence summer camp for lower elementary students. Ms. Lee is a graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Law and received undergraduate degrees in Journalism and Philosophy from Arizona State University. Her combined expertise, integrity and passion for Fresh Start’s mission are instrumental to its success.
Lesa Love
Ms. Love also served as President and CEO of her own marketing consulting business M.T.S. Incorporated, and The Love Group, where she worked with small to mid-level non -profit organizations; to provide marketing, fundraising and public relations consulting. In her work with international organizations, Ms. Love traveled extensively throughout Africa, Thailand, and Cambodia, raised funds, negotiated supplies, and organized relief efforts for Afghanistan and Chechnya; and led national and international campaigns to aid victims and refugees of the Rwandan Genocide, Hurricane Mitch, and the tsunami of 2005. Ms. Love is professionally trained in fundraising, board development, team-based management, marketing, public speaking, media relations, organizational development, international relief and development training, and cultural diversity. Ms. Love has a passion for organizations and causes that advocate self- sufficiency and empowerment for women and children by offering sustainable programs and opportunities to improve their lives. She is honored to be part of the Fresh Start leadership team.
Joseph O'Brien, CPA
Joe O'Brien began his education with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Later, he gained his Masters in Business Administration from the University of New Mexico and his CPA certification from the State of Arizona. Joe's combined experience in auditing as well as financial management is a great addition to the Fresh Start team.
Lenore Parker, Ph.D.
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Our Founders Pat Petznick and Beverly Stewart
Even as young teens, Pat and Beverly wanted to help women, who like their grandmother, suddenly became the whole support of their families. Over the years, the Arizona natives became ardent community activists on behalf of women. In 1992, Pat Petznick and Beverly Stewart were in a position to personally and professionally reach out to women in need. The initial offering was a day of pampering at Rolf’s Salon, then co-owned by Pat, Beverly and Rolf Lohse. The women theorized that a new hair style and personalized make-up were immediate ways to boost one’s confidence and increase self-esteem. Each month 20 women from shelters and social service agencies were invited to “A Fresh Start Day of Beauty at Rolf’s.” This core Fresh Start service remains in place today through Rolf’s Salon as well as through the Self-Esteem Room at the Foundation’s Women’s Resource Center.
Board of Directors Chairs 1995 Sandy Cowen Miller ( 2 terms) 1997 Barbara Ralston (3 terms) 2000 Marlene Klotz Collins (2 terms) 2002 Michelle Kerrick (1 term) 2003 Barbara Hoffnagle (2 terms) 2005 Mary Upchurch (2 terms) |
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Sandy Cowen brings a nineteen-year history with the Fresh Start Women’s Foundation to her role as Chief Executive Officer. As the organization’s first board chair in 1995, she served for two terms. She went on to be the catalyst in the formation of the organization’s mentoring program, which began in 1998 and later was named co-chair of the women’s resource center development effort taking responsibility for program and service design and delivery. She was asked by the board to become Interim Executive Director in December of 2003 and was named Executive Director five months later.
Natalie Young Lee brings to Fresh Start a sincere desire to empower and positively impact the women we serve. Ms. Lee has been with Fresh Start since 2003 where she sat on the Fresh Start Auxiliary Board for two years and served as the chair of the Program Committee. In 2005, she was first hired by Fresh Start as the Legal Program Director. As the Legal Program Director, she developed the parenting through divorce series and collaborated with various community members to establish an internal self-directed center for domestic relations issues.
Lesa Love comes to Fresh Start with more than 25 years of experience in development, marketing and senior leadership of non-profits. Ms. Love previously has worked with local, national and international non-profit organizations, including Save the Family, The Foundation for Blind Children, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach, World Vision, Global Action, Food for the Hungry and Knightsbridge International. 
Joe O'Brien comes to Fresh Start with an extensive background in accounting. His early accounting career began with Ernst & Young (Phoenix) and Peat Marwick Mitchell (Albuquerque). He worked for three non-profit hospitals in New Jersey and started a non-profit consulting practice, Non-Profit Accounting Services, LLC, in that area before moving west in 1998. Until he came to Fresh Start, Joe continued his consulting work focusing on problem-solving and turnarounds with numerous nonprofits. 
Lenore Parker, Ph.D. joined Fresh Start in 2006 and is responsible for Strategic Initiatives related to the work of both the Foundation and the Jewell McFarland Lewis Women’s Resource Center. She was previously President/CEO of Grace Consulting, llc, which is a for-profit company providing capacity building services to nonprofit organizations both locally and nationally.