Who We Are

Community volunteerism has always been important to Barbara. Her service and leadership have included President, Valley Big Brothers/Big Sisters; Treasurer and Board Member, Valley of the Sun United Way; and Board Member, Girl Scouts of America. Barbara currently serves as a Board Member of Desert Mission and is a member of Arizona Women’s Forum. In Assistance League of Phoenix, Barbara has served in many leadership positions, including her current one as Board Chairman. In our behalf, Barbara is also an avid and highly successful fundraiser.

Barbara earned her degree in Business Administration from St. Mary’s College. She is married to Dennis Hood, retired CEO, Fry’s Food Stores. Together, they enjoy their family of 5 children and 10 grandchildren.

Susan Frank is the Past President and Chief Executive Officer of Desert Schools Federal Credit Union, now known as Desert Financial Credit Union, under her leadership, Ms. Frank oversaw regulation and the tremendous growth and expansion of digital services.

In retirement, Susan has served on the Boards of Valley of the Sun United Way, Arizona Coyotes Foundation and Assistance League of Phoenix (ALP). Susan is also the current Chairman of the Desert Financial Foundation which aids Valley nonprofits.

In addition to spending time with family and friends, Susan has enjoyed in-depth travel to all parts of the world.
Susan received her Bachelor’s Degree from the State University of New York and her Master’s in Business Administration from New York Institute of Technology, with additional graduate work completed at Hofstra University in New York.

Susan is a native of Needham, Massachusetts. She attended  Russell Sage College and Albany Medical College, School of Physical Therapy, and was an Infant & Child Physical Therapist.   Susan has spent many years working in her childrens’ schools in various capacities including PTA President, Treasurer and Brownie Leader.  She has also served on the Board of her HOA and was a member of Child Christ Society in Milwaukee, and a member of Charity League in Birmingham. 

Married for over 50 years, Susan and her husband moved to Phoenix Arizona in 2013.  Together they have three children, nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.  She joined Assistance League of Phoenix in 2016. She has worked in the Operation School Bell program, the Membership Committee and Gala Committee and joined the Board in 2019.

Janet is former educator from the Mesa Public Schools District.  She taught both Business and Computer courses for over 30 years.   Currently retired, she has served on the Board of Directors for Desert Financial Credit Union since 1991 and joined Assistance League of Phoenix in 2014 as member. She has served on the Membership, Celebration of Caring, and Investment committees, and was elected to the Board in 2019. 

A native to Arizona, Janet attended Arizona State University and received BA in Business Education and MA in Secondary Education.

Judy became a member of Assistance League of Phoenix in 1985. She has held numerous chapter board positions including President (1989-90) Secretary, Treasurer and VP Marketing and is currently serving her third year back on the chapter board. 

In 1992 she was invited to serve on a national committee and was elected National President for the years 2003-2005. She has served on numerous national committees over the years, one of her favorites being chapter board training.  

Patsy, now retired,  has enjoyed a long and distinguished career working in economics and markets. One of her major achievements was co-founding Pathlight Investors, which later joined the EP Wealth Advisors group in 2019. A graduate of Utah State University with a major in Economics, Patsy is was a member of the CFA Institute and Phoenix Society of Financial Analysts.

Over the course of her career, she has been recognized for her accomplishments by leading financial publications such as Barron’s. In 2009, she was honored as one of the ‘Top 1,000 Financial Advisors’ and in 2007 and 2008 as one of the ‘Top 100 Women Financial Advisors.’ The Phoenix Business Journal also named her among the Top Women in Business in 2012.

As significant as these accomplishments may be, she is most proud of her family. Sadly, her husband passed away in 2020. However, they were blessed with two wonderful sons and four grandchildren, all of whom are a source of pride and comfort to Patsy.

Chris Orkild provides customized investment management and advisory solutions for high net worth individuals, families and organizations, including endowments and foundations, as part of an overall personal wealth management strategy. He joined the BMO Private Bank in 2018 and has over 24 years of experience in the financial services industry.

Chris earned an MBA and BBA from George Washington University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA) designation, and he is also a Certified Investment Management Analyst.

An elected Board Member of the Shemer Art Center, he also serves as their Treasurer. In addition, he served on the Phoenix CFA Society Board from 2001-2009, and held the position of President in 2007.

Chris makes his home in Phoenix with his wife Tracey. They have two children.

Joanne is currently the Executive Director for two meeting and hospitality industry associations: 

Meeting Professionals International/Arizona Sunbelt Chapter (MPI) and the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International/Arizona Chapter (HSMAI), a position she has held for over 35 years. In 2014 she was recognized by the Arizona Society of Association Executives (AzSAE) as the Association Executive of the Year.

She was recruited into Assistance League in 2019 by her mom, Peg Winter, an active member since 2008. Her passion is the Annual Celebration of Caring, a committee she has been assisting with since before even joining AL. She brings her experience and knowledge of association management and meeting & event planning, along with her many contacts in the industry.

Joanne is a native Phoenician and currently resides in Central Phoenix along with her husband Jeff and several fur babies. When not working, she loves spending quality time with family and friends and loves to travel whenever she has the opportunity.

Sara serves as Corporate Communications Director at Kitchell, a commercial builder/developer with operations in Arizona, California and Texas. At Kitchell she oversees internal and external communications, working closely with Kitchell’s operating companies on employee engagement, media relations, social media outreach and community relations. Prior to joining Kitchell, she was principal of BJC Public Relations, a longstanding pillar in Arizona’s public relations industry until its acquisition in 2016. Sara is passionate about the Valley and as a native Phoenician believes strongly in giving back to her community. She has served on several nonprofit boards, including the Phoenix Police Foundation, the Herberger Theater Center, the University of Arizona Phoenix Alumni Board of Directors, First United Methodist Church Foundation and the Valley Leadership Board of Directors, among others. She has been recognized by Arizona Commercial Real Estate Magazine as a Most Influential Women in Commercial Real Estate (2018) Phoenix Addy Woman of the Year finalist (2018), Phoenix Business Journal 20 Names to Know in Advertising & Marketing (2017) and was named a Phoenix Business Journal Forty Under 40 (2006). Sara received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Arizona. She resides in Central Phoenix and has three (almost independent) adult children

Emma has been associated with Desert Financial Credit Union since 2002, when she was employed as a Business Development Representative. During her employment, she has led several credit union initiatives to reach underserved clients. These include grass roots outreach, innovative communication strategies and partnerships to meet the agency’s business goals. She is admired and respected by her colleagues for her willingness to take on challenges. In recognition of her accomplishments, she has been named the recipient of several awards, including the Phoenix Business Journal’s 2013 Diversity Champion and the Mountain West Credit Union Association’s Community Impact Award.

Prior to assuming the position of Assistant Vice President for Community Relations in 2014, Emma served as the Director of Community Development for Desert Financial Credit Union.

A graduate of the University of California at Berkley, Emma’s first professional positions involved developing youth advocacy and violence prevention programs in California.

Born in New York City and raised in Oradell, New Jersey, Mark moved to Arizona in 1991 to attend Arizona State University. After graduating from ASU, Mark returned to the East Coast, where he worked in production for the Fox News Channel in New York City. Mark decided to return to Arizona a few years later and has lived and worked in North Scottsdale ever since.

Mark is currently an active Realtor who primarily focuses on flipping properties. He also manages the day to day operations of the Goldberg Family Foundation, a private foundation that makes grants to several Phoenix based charities.

Mark has a passion for helping today’s youth and feels honored to be a part of the Assistance League of Phoenix’s mission. Mark is married to his wife, Nicole, and has two boys, Brody and Blake. In his free time you can find Mark on the golf course, at a poker table, or spending time with his family.

Anita Helt is the Vice President and General Manager of ABC 15, KNXV-TV, the ABC affiliate in Phoenix. Previously, she served as President & General Manager of KXTV, Sacramento and prior to that, spent more than a decade as Vice-President of Marketing and Programming for KPNX -TV, the NBC affiliate in Phoenix. As a news anchor and reporter, she received multiple local awards for her reporting and marketing work.

A long time Valley volunteer, Anita has supported and served in leadership capacities with organizations such as the Phoenix affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Helping Hands for Single Moms, YWCA, St. Mary’s Food Bank, Junior League of Phoenix and National Charity League. She has also served as president and is currently on the board of the Carole Kneeland Project for Responsible Journalism and on the endowment board of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

A graduate of the University of Washington, Anita received her degree in communications/broadcast journalism. She and her husband, Kip, who works for the Phoenix Suns, have a daughter, Lauren.

Frank began his career at Honeywell as a project engineer developing and implementing computer systems running industrial plants such as Refineries, Chemical Plants, Power Plants and others. He moved in the management roles in Sales, Marketing, Business Development, and Strategic Planning.

Moving eight times with Honeywell he learned all aspects of the business. One assignment was in Hong Kong where he and his family lived. He traveled extensively in Asia setting up joint ventures and managing affiliates. He then moved to headquarters to become VP and GM for the division responsible for a $2.5M business.

After leaving Honeywell he started up a business with three partners involved in developing software applications for the materials processing industries. He was board chairman for 10 years. The $20M business was successfully sold thereafter. Frank has been volunteering with the AARP Tax-Aide program for 12 years. This service provides free income tax preparation to low-income seniors. Frank was in charge of the 10 Phoenix centers providing the service for four years. Frank is married to his lovely wife Mary, has three children, and five wonderful grandchildren.

An attorney with Snell & Wilmer, Anne’s practice concentrates on employee benefits, including compliance with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Anne advises clients on matters ranging from tax-qualification of pension and savings plans to benefits and compensation issues in connection with corporate transactions. She also assists clients in correction of violations under the Department of Labor and Internal Revenue Service correction programs. Additionally, Anne contributes to Snell & Wilmer’s SW Benefits Blog, offering analysis and commentary on employee benefits and executive compensation matters.

Anne earned her J.D., with distinction, in 2002 from the University of Iowa College of Law. She is a member of the State Bar of Arizona, American Bar Association, and the Western Pension and Benefits Council, Phoenix Chapter. She has held several positions of leadership within these organizations, including a term as President of the Western Pension and Benefits Council.

A community servant as well, Anne has served on the Board of Directors of UMOM New Day Centers, Inc. since 2012.

Bob Nanberg is Regional Vice President, for HDS,INC., a company that specializes in personalized apparel and promotional products, corporate apparel, and printing.  HDS offers a range of services that include comprehensive program design, management and distribution services.

In 1998 Bob was recruited as CEO for Team Shops division of The Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, Arizona Rattlers and Phoenix Coyotes to improve the solvency of this division.   Bob’s retail consulting services have been instrumental to improvements at Phoenix Art Museum,  Arizona Highways Publications, The Anaheim Angels and Hokkaido, Nippon Baseball Club of Sapporo, Japan.

As a strong supporter of community service Bob has served on the following boards, The Salvation Army, Phoenix Suns Charities, The Arizona Humane Society, The Children’s Museum of Phoenix founding board, Valley Youth Theatre, Boys and Girls Clubs of Scottsdale, Anti-Defamation League.

Bob Holds a degree in Finance and Marketing from Northern Illinois University. He and his wife Cheryl live in Scottsdale and have 2 grown sons and 3 grandchildren

Born and raised in Arizona, Dr. Jim Rice served 46 years in public education as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent, all for the Alhambra Elementary School District in central Phoenix.

After retiring from Alhambra, he directed the Principal Initiative for the Rodel Foundation of Arizona until June of 2013. During the period of 2013 to 2016, he filled two interim superintendencies, first with the Gilbert Public Schools, and then with the Union Elementary School District. Dr. Rice is currently a Board Trustee for Grand Canyon University.

Dr. Rice and wife Jackie have two children, Jamie and Jason, and four grandchildren. 

Mr. Wissink is a founding Board member and Chief Executive Officer of BHHS Legacy Foundation and of Legacy Connection, the Arizona nonprofit fundraising affiliate of BHHS Legacy Foundation. This foundation was formed in 2000 as a result of the sale of Phoenix Baptist Hospital and Arrowhead Community Hospital, plus other Arizona and Florida affiliates of Baptist Hospitals and Health System. The Foundation’s primary community mission is to provide philanthropic funding for nonprofit organization projects and programs in Greater Phoenix and the Northern Arizona Tri- State Regions. Legacy Connection’s major focus is to fundraise for elementary school children from low-income families to provide medical and dental health services, plus back-to-school o thing and school supplies.

Prior to his current position, Jerry served as president and CEO of Baptist Hospitals and Health Systems. A native of Iowa, Jerry holds an MBA degree from the University of Iowa and completed his hospital administration graduate work at St. Louis University. He and his late wife Nancy have three children and seven grandchildren. Jerry has been an Arizona resident since 1981.