Leadership Team

Leading Us in the Right Direction

From our Executive Team to our Board of Directors, Big Brothers Big Sisters has a compassionate and dedicated group of individuals on our side that are willing to do whatever it takes to help change children’s lives for the better.

Teresa Strunk
Board Chair
Teresa has been passionately serving Big Brothers Big Sisters for nearly 15 years, first as a Big Sister in Washington State, then serving on the Young Professional Council of BBBSAZ after moving to Phoenix in 2009. Teresa served as YPC President before being elected to the Board of Directors in 2014.  She has served on the Governance Committee, as Marketing Committee Chair, and she Co-Chaired the 2018 Big Night Out Gala.  

In addition to her role with BBBS, Teresa and her husband, Casey, own a boutique benefits & HR consulting firm, Strunk Insurance Group. Teresa & the SIG team are committed to providing their clients the expertise and resources they need to develop and manage a successful employee benefits program.  Teresa also loves spending time as a family with Casey and their two young daughters, traveling, fitness, cooking, & spending time with good friends.

Laura Capello
President & Chief Executive Officer

Laura Capello joined Big Brothers Big Sisters in May 2011 as Vice President of Marketing and Development and is very familiar with the agency as she served in a similar capacity from March 1998 until Feb 2005. Prior to her return to the organization, she served as the Manager of Community Relations and Special Projects at the Arizona State University Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation. She also worked as a consultant for four years helping several nonprofit and for-profit clients with their marketing and special events needs, including Mesa Arts Center, the Celebrity Fight Night Foundation, The Arthritis Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Chaparral Suites, Eight, Arizona PBS and Luke Air Force Base.

Laura believes giving back is one of the most important things she can do, so she continues to stay active in her community. She is currently a board member for Seeds for Autism, an organization that provides a path from " learning to earning" for young adults with autism. She also recently became an inaugural board member for the Young & Empowered Women's Association, whose mission is to provide professional development and networking opportunities to a diverse group of rising female leaders that are passionate about service, career advancement, and empowering others. She is a member of Valley Leadership Class XXV and stays involved with its Leadership Institute and programs as well as Charter 100.

She was named as one of the "Most Admired Leaders" from Phoenix Business Magazine in 2019, and as a "Difference Maker" from TIAA in 2018. She has also been recognized as a Sun Devil 100 for the last 3 years. This award recognizes ASU Alumni who run or own their own business.

Laura earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. She resides in Mesa, Arizona, and loves to spend time with her family.

Board of Directors

*Note: All Board Members are voting members and vote regularly during board meetings

Teresa Strunk
Board Chair
Executive Committee Chair
VP & Employee Benefits Consultant
Strunk Insurance Group

Mike Suriano, CPA
Chair-Elect
Chief Financial Officer
Southwest Foodservice Excellence, LLC

LeAnn Rudolph
Treasurer
Finance/Audit Committee Chair
Partner
Eide Bailly LLP

Kim Wagie, MBA
Director, Business Data Management
Arizona Public Services Co.

Sara Begley
EVP & General Counsel
Copperpoint Insurance Companies

Nick Boggs, MBA
Founder
rise & thrive, LLC

David Bones
Vice President
The Kenrich Group LLC

Shane Carlin
Recruitment Committee Chair
Consultant
Point B

Amy Colburn
VP Client Services
OH Partners

Christopher Dang
Partner
Quarles & Brady

Tracy Dick
VP of Brand Strategy, Integrated Marketing and Public Relations
Leslie's Pool Supplies

Camille French, MBA
Program Committee Chair
Founder & Principal Consultant
Amerisource HR Consulting Group LLC

Kate Hickman
Secretary
SVP, Treasury Management Sales
Alliance Bank of Arizona

Jennifer Holsman Tetreault
Assistant General Counsel Field Operations, West and Northwest
US Foods

Caleb Jay, JD
Senior Counsel
Arizona Diamondbacks

Todd Leach
CEO
Rhino Innovations Group

Matt Manoogian
Co-Owner/Founder, Realtor
Good Company Real Estate

Karie Montague
Chief Executive Chair & Key Executive Chair
Vistage International

Adriana Murrietta
Executive Director
Pharos Foundation

Howard Nute
USE Properties Member

Summer Oliver, MBA
Asst. Vice President
Macerich

Chris Roode
Chief Operating Officer
StateServ Medical

Michael Sabetta
Senior Vice President/Senior Private Banker
UMB Private Bank

Clarence Stallings
Vice President and Managing Director
Fidelity Investments

Thiru Thangarathinam
Founder & CEO
MST Solutions

Bruce Weber
Governance Committee Chair
President/CEO
Weber Group

Brian Wempen
National Sales Manager
Cox Media

Brian Wood
Founder
Mars Coaching

Advisory Council

Jon Bohnert
Managing Partner
Grindstone Associates

Latasha Causey
Director of Recruiting
U-Haul International, Inc.

Pam Giannonatti
Corporate Affairs Manager
Fry's Food Stores

Sue Glawe
Vice President
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

Paul Horton
Chief Meteorologist
KPHO CBS 5

Dr. Larry Johnson
President
Phoenix College

April Lane
Founder
Phoenix Home Rentals, LLC

David Lujan
Vice President for Economic Progress
Children's Action Alliance

Barbara Ralston
Leadership Consultant
BJRalston Consulting

Lisa Schmidtke
General Manager
Allison+Partners

Dr. Christine Wilkinson
Senior Vice President
& Secretary of the University
President & CEO of the ASU Alumni Association
Managing Director, Trustees of ASU
Arizona State University