Board of Trustees and Staff

Gabriela has over a decade of marketing experience and has worked in the manufacturing, retail, hospitality, arts and entertainment industries. She is passionate about animals, the environment, women’s issues, and health education. Gabriela graduated cum laude in Marketing with an emphasis in International Business from the University of Arizona. She also earned her Masters in Business Administration from the UofA. She enjoys traveling and good food, preferably both at the same time.

Stephen is a professor of sociology at The University of Arizona where he directs the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy. He led the development, in 2001, of the University’s Native Nations Institute for Leadership, Management, and Policy. Stephen has spent much of his professional career working with indigenous populations and organizations in the U.S., Canada and Australia on self-determination, governance and development issues.

Deborah Daun is a storyteller at heart, developing and implementing plans that engage constituencies in the success of the organizations with which she works. Her experience includes public relations planning, branding, media relations, writing, social media, and outreach in the areas of philanthropy, healthcare, education, computer networking, and most recently, bioscience research. Involved with WFSA since its founding, she recently completed her tenure as the Director of Communications at the University of Arizona’s BIO5 Institute.

Alexis, a 6th generation Tucsonan, is currently a senior at The Academy of Tucson High School. Alexis is a member of the National Honor Society, and is heavily involved in volunteer work for various special education events, through the help of her parents, Steve and Kathy. Alexis has been a Unidas participant since the 2010-2011 school year.

Judy is manager of the Immigration Policy Program at The University of Arizona Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy. Raised in Brazil, she speaks Portuguese fluently. A graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School with a master’s in public administration, Judy is an economist with expertise in U.S. immigration policy.

Rachel has been a psychotherapist in private practice for 20 years. She loves her work and is very passionate about people’s ability to change the lens through which they see the world. Rachel has served on the WFSA Luncheon Committee since 2008. Rachel has a son who attends the University of Oregon. “I believe that women are the place we need to start the profound change that this world desperately needs.”

Clyde has worked in the non profit sector since 1987. Through his consulting firm, Clyde Kunz & Associates, he works with a variety of non-profit organizations and currently serves as Director of Development and Campaign Director for the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. He also teaches fundraising in the Nonprofit Management Institute at the Lodestar Center on Philanthropy at ASU. He was named “2005 Outstanding Fund Raising Executive” by his colleagues in the Association of Fundraising Professionals Southern Arizona chapter

Margie worked in the Juvenile Justice system for over twenty years assisting teens to get back on the right track in life. She worked throughout the United States from Arizona to Maine. She has applied many different treatment milieus to aid in the treatment process from tall sailing ships to horse drawn wagon trains. Margie is currently, managing her own business “Homewatch Caregivers of Tucson” where she assists people of all ages to remain in their home where ever their home may be.

Ceila is a 16-year-old junior at The Academy of Tucson who participated in Unidas for the first time in 2010-2011. She is involved with the Eon youth program at Wingspan, which serves the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities. She is also passionate about animals, and hopes to volunteer with the Humane Society.

Sarah is a graduate of the University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law, and currently works as associate general counsel for the Tucson Airport Authority. Prior to joining TAA, she was an associate with a prominent regional law firm and a law clerk at the Arizona Court of Appeals. She is also a member of the board of directors of Emerge! Center Against Domestic Abuse.

Carmen Orozco is currently a senior at Tucson High School and is the Spanish-page editor for the school’s newspaper called Cactus Chronicle, which she’s been working with since 2007. Orozco has been a Unidas participant since the 2009-2010 school year. She also competed with her school’s wrestling team for two years, becoming an All-American in freestyle for both years and a state champion in 2010.

Eileen is an assistant attorney general and serves on several Pima County Juvenile Court committees, including the Family Drug Court Committee. She currently leads the Trusteeship Committee. She has also served on the WFSA Grants Policy and the Grants Allocation Committees and co-chaired the Luncheon Committee.

Claudia is currently attending Pima Community College and studies fashion design. She has been a participant and mentor in the Unidas program and served on the WFSA Luncheon Committee.

Allison M. Vaillancourt, Ph.D., is Vice President for Human Resources at The University of Arizona and teaches in the UA School of Government and Public Policy. She is also a co-principal investigator of a $3.2 million National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant designed to increase the number of women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Allison consults and presents nationally on issues related to leadership, strategic planning, change, human resources, organizational culture and communication.

Roxanne Veliz is a partner at the law firm of Snell & Wilmer L.L.P., where her practice focuses on all aspects of commercial and real estate finance. As a Tucson native, Roxanne enjoys contributing her time to organizations that work to better the lives of women and children in Tucson and surrounding communities

Mimi is a nurse currently working as the Director of Women’s and Children’s Services at Tucson Medical Center. Her focus at TMC has been in assisting the organization in its nearly $30 million financial turnaround.

Nancy holds a masters degree in business administration from the University of Arizona, and spent her career as an investment portfolio manager of trust and pension funds. Since retiring she has been active in the community with the Arthritis Foundation, Catalina Foothills Association, and is a master gardener with the Pima County Cooperative Extension.

Laurel, a Tucson native, is studying Business Marketing and Supply Chain Management through Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University. She is returning for her second year as a summer intern for the WFSA. She has gained great PR experience and found a passion for philanthropic service through her work with the Women’s Foundation.

A Tucson resident since 1979, Laura has spent many of those years advocating on behalf of women as a volunteer for a variety of local organizations. Professionally, she has worked in the criminal justice, behavioral health and education arenas, all of which have given her insights into the challenges women and girls face in overcoming economic, social, gender and political barriers. She joined the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona in July 2004.