Board of Directors
Dr. Patrick Kennedy, M.D. (Chairman). Has practiced OB/GYN in Glendale for over 25 years, and is actively involved in several charitable foundations. Term of service, 2001-2009.
Dr. Bob Root, Ph.D. (Vice Chariman) Former Chairman of the Board of Sun Health Corporation. Former chairman and board member for several non-profit corporations. Supporter and sponsor of many charitable endeavors in the Phoenix area, including The United Way. Term of service, 2004-2009.
Mr. Thomas Joyce (Treasurer). Chartered Financial Consultant and the President and Founder of Coordinated Financial Services, Arizona. Mr. Joyce is a Registered Principal of FSC Securities Corporation, A Registered Investment Advisor. Term of service, 2001-2009.
Mrs. Nancy Root (Secretary). Retiree. Active supporter and sponsor of many charitable endeavors, including The United Way. Term of service, 2001-2009.
Mrs. Sharon Harper. President and CEO of The Plaza Companies. Trustee and board member of many non-profit corporations and foundations. Member of several legislative and civic commissions and task forces. Term of service, 2001-2009.
Mrs. Doris Lawson. Parent/Advocate for her 42-year-old daughter who has Down Syndrome. Founder of the Molly Lawson Foundation, which provides charitable funds to organizations providing programs and services in the areas of health and recreation for people with disability. Term of service, 2004-2009.
Mr. Michael O’Hara. President and CEO of O’Hara and Associates. Mr. O’Hara is a Certified Public Accountant with extensive auditing experience. Term of service, 2004-2009.
Mrs. Veronica Ragland. Administrator, Arizona Department of Economic Security. Mrs. Ragland is a licensed attorney who performs special projects for DES. Currently, Mrs. Ragland assists the Divisions of Child Support Enforcement and Developmental Disabilities, and serves in a dual role on the DES Service Integration Project as a DES Director-appointed Parent Advocate and DES Partner. Mrs. Ragland is the mother of 2 daughters, the youngest of whom has Down Syndrome. Term of service 2006-2009.
Mrs. Ellie Rio. Business Process Consultant, McKesson Corporation. Other McKesson experience includes VP Marketing, VP Six Sigma, Rx / HHC / OTC Product Mgmt, Change Leadership / Project Management for several major system implementations and corporate acquisitions. Mrs. Rio is the sister-in-law of Alex Rio, special needs adult. Term of service 2006-2009.
Dr. Joseph Rogers, Ph.D. Founder, former President, and Senior Scientist for Sun Health Research Institute, a nonprofit biomedical research center for studies of aging and age-related disorders. Dr. Rogers is the father of a young woman who has Down Syndrome. Term of service, 2001-2009.
Mr. John Roach. Director of Business Services for Sun Health Research Institute, responsible for administering business operations of a biomedical research facility, including managing grants and financial departments and ensuring full compliance with OMB and GAAP regulations. Chairman and board member of several organizations. Term of service 2009.
Mrs. Sharon Smith. Former Vice President Pre-Paid Card Operations for American Express 1986-2006, responsible for operations and strategic planning and management of groups of 700+ employees and a $70 million annual expense budget. Specific areas of expertise include significant business reengineering with specific focus on organizational readiness, quality improvement, cycle time reduction, and unit cost reduction. Broad experience in creating organizational cultures with high employee satisfaction and expertise in building an effective leadership team, as well as demonstrated skills in developing long term strategic plans. Term of service 2009.
Mrs. Jackie Stanley. Director of City of Peoria Rio Vista Recreational Center and Exercise Facility. Former Recreation Supervisor, City of Peoria, specializing in programs for individuals with disability. Term of service, 2001-2009.