Meet the Team


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 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.


Gina Trotter - Sr. Vice President of Operations
Gina has been a part of the BBBSAZ team since August 1996 and has served in a variety of roles including working directly with matches, recruiting volunteers, and developing special programs. She graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelors in Psychology and earned her Masters of Public Administration from the University of Phoenix. Gina is a member of Class II of the ASU Lodestar Center Generation Next Leadership Academy and earned her Program Manager Certification through Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in 2012.
A Big Sister herself, Gina understands the power of mentoring and how it touches lives. She has been matched with 4 Little Sisters over the course of 20 years, with her longest and most recent match lasting 9 years. She is proud to be a part of the BBBSAZ mission and believes that helping children realize their potential is essential for a community to thrive.


Debbie Smith - Vice President of Impact & Innovation
Debbie Smith has been a part of the BBBSAZ team since September 2007 and has served in a variety of roles including working directly with matches, recruiting volunteers, and facilitated various training's for volunteers, parents/guardians and staff. She graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelors in Family Studies and Nonprofit Leadership and Management. Debbie also completed the Generation Next Nonprofit Leadership Academy through ASU Lodestar Center. Debbie is a Big Sister through the site based program and strongly believes in the power of mentoring.


Jessica Whitney - Vice President of Development & Marketing
Jessica Whitney has been with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona since 2008. Her initial role included organizing and executing all fundraising events from Paul's Car Wash to the annual Gala. After serving as a Big Sister to two different Little Sisters, Jessica's passion for the mission of BBBS continued to grow. Jessica now directs and oversees all fundraising, recruitment, and marketing activities.
Before becoming a team member at BBBSAZ, Jessica worked as a corporate Event Planner. She managed travel arrangements, accommodations, and events for clients bringing anywhere from 5 to 1,500 guests into the Phoenix area. She thoroughly enjoys detailed work and is never afraid to get her hands dirty. Jessica holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the Hugh Downs School of Communication at Arizona State University. Jessica was named one of Phoenix Business Journal's Top 40 Under 40 in 2017. She was honored to be recognized as a Sun Devil 100 in both 2021 and 2022. Jessica served a two-year term as the Diversity Chair for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and is the current AFP Greater Arizona Chapter President 2022.
When she is not out networking and fundraising, Jessica is at home with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs. She loves trying new restaurants, watching movies, and singing as loudly as possible.


Andrea Petrof - Director of Community Based Engagement
Andrea Petrof has been a part of the BBBS of Central Arizona team since August 2001 and has enjoyed working in all areas of the agency from Events, Marketing, Community Relations, Quality Assurance, and Program. She is also considered the "IT guru" when it comes to BBBSAZ database management. As Director of Community Based Engagement, Andrea oversees the Intake and Enrollment staff, as well as our Parent Engagement Manager.
Andrea is a proud Arizona State University Sun Devil and graduated in 1997 with a Bachelors's in Communication and a minor in Business. Andrea is an alumni Big Sister to Kaycee. The pair were matched 12 years and consider each other family now. Andrea continues to see the impact that mentoring has on a day-to-day basis.


David Reynolds - Director of Donation Center
David joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona in February of 2017 and has enjoyed serving in many roles in the Donation Center. David oversees a staff of drivers that collect clothing donations from our communities and partnerships across the Valley. With our long-standing partnership with Savers thrift stores, the donations collected are converted into funding that supports the mentorship programs within the Agency. David also serves as the Building Manager of our new facility, the Nute Family Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentorship Center which was opened in January of 2022.
Originally from Buffalo, New York, David attended the State University of New York at Buffalo and earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics in 1999. David brings over 20 years of logistics leadership experience to the Donation Center.


Jolie Armstrong - Director of Community Based Programs
Jolie joined the BBBSAZ family in 2005 and served in her role as a Bilingual Program Specialist until 2010. She returned in 2021 and has since held several roles including Big Futures Program Specialist, Big Futures Program Manager, and Director of Community Based Programs. Jolie has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Arizona State University and a Masters of Science in Psychology from the University of Phoenix. She has been a Big Sister to four Littles in the Site Based and Community Based Programs. Jolie has a passion for Trauma Informed Care and believes in the power and impact that mentoring has on the youth and families that are served through the agency.


Morgan Titus - Director of Big Futures Program
Morgan Titus joined the BBBSAZ team in July 2019. She has served in a variety of roles including working directly with matches supporting a caseload, managing events and training for Bigs as well as improving match retention. She now oversees the Big Futures Program supporting High School Littles reach their full potential for their future whether it be Employment, Enlistment or Enrollment.
Her understanding of the power of mentorship grew during her time as a Peace Corps Volunteer serving in North Macedonia from 2016 to 2018. Learning Macedonian [almost] fluently, she taught English to underserved populations, hosted English clubs and authored a USAID grant to support the multicultural efforts in her city. Morgan’s passion for photography and videography allowed her to create promotional materials for businesses in villages across the country that didn’t have the means to do so otherwise as well as secure funds from donors to improve road conditions related to child safety.
Originally from Minnesota, Morgan graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Child Advocacy from Winona State University in 2015. She completed the American Express Nonprofit Leadership Academy through ASU Lodestar Center. Morgan is a Big Sister who enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, paddle boarding or camping, is an avid reader and any time she can spend with friends and family.


Patrick Phillips - Director of Community Outreach
Patrick is excited to bring his 15+ years of customer service and leadership experience to the BBBSAZ Team. As a former small business owner in the Valley, he understands the importance of building strong and equitable relationships in order to truly raise all ships. In his role as Director of Community Outreach, Patrick oversees all volunteer recruitment efforts. It is his goal to connect with residents and businesses of Maricopa & Pinal county to find a match for every Little. He is a strong advocate for youth protection and believes that every child deserves to be seen and heard. In his down time, you’ll find him out on a hike on South Mountain, kayaking down the Salt River, or looking for the next big culinary adventure with his life partner Caila.


Susan Wiltfong - Director of Grants Administration
Susan brings more than 25 years of experience in helping Arizona youth to her current position as Director of Grants Administration. Before joining Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona, she worked at the Phoenix Crisis Nursery, Boswell Hospital Child Development Center and the Nebraska Child Crisis Center. Susan has a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and the Family from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (Go Big Red). Having been a Big Sister in college Susan learned early on in her career the positive impact having a mentor can make in a young person's life.
Through her tenure with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona, she has held many different positions within the organization including case management, staff supervision and grant coordination. Susan feels privileged to work with the dedicated staff and volunteers at the agency. Susan is married to her husband Tom and has two children, Allison and Phillip.
Administration
Alberto Noeggerath
HR & Operations Admin
anoeggerath@bbbsaz.org
602-393-4115
Renessa James
Receptionist
rjames@bbbsaz.org
Shelly Zanardo
Executive Assistant to CEO, Office Manager, Board Liaison
szanardo@bbbsaz.org
602-393-4123
Shirley Shauver
Administrative Assistant/Receptionist
sshauver@bbbsaz.org
Development & Marketing
Aimee Johnson
Special Events Manager
ajohnson@bbbsaz.org
Alma Albarran
Marketing Manager and
Graphic Designer
aalbarran@bbbsaz.org
Dany Dean
Community Outreach Specialist
ddean@bbbsaz.org
Holly Erickson
Development/Marketing Assistant
herickson@bbbsaz.org
Jessica Whitney
VP of Development and Marketing
jwhitney@bbbsaz.org
480-236-6476
Noelle Bish
Community Outreach Specialist
nbish@bbbsaz.org
Patrick Phillips
Director of Community Outreach
pphillips@bbbsaz.org
602-393-4132
Susan Wiltfong
Director of Grants Administration
swiltfong@bbbsaz.org
Thomas Shull
Development Manager
tshull@bbbsaz.org
Program
Ana Ridenour
Volunteer Community Relations Coordinator
aridenour@bbbsaz.org
Andrea Petrof
Director of Community Based Engagement
apetrof@bbbsaz.org
602-393-2906
Ashley Doyle
Big Futures Program Specialist
adoyle@bbbsaz.org
Bobbi Nez
Sr. Program Specialist/Tribal Partnership Coordinator
bnez@bbbsaz.org
602-769-7463
Carrie Emmons
Big Futures Program Specialist
cemmons@bbbsaz.org
Cathy Gutierrez
Big Futures Program Specialist
cgutierrez@bbbsaz.org
Danielle Young
CB Match Support Specialist
dyoung@bbbsaz.org
602-393-2909
Debbie Smith
VP of Impact & Innovation
dsmith@bbbsaz.org
602-393-4136
Ed Stokes
Sr. Big Futures Program Specialist
estokes@bbbsaz.org
Eliza Eckman
Enrollment & Matching Specialist
eeckman@bbbsaz.org
Elsa Rodriguez
Community Relations Coordinator
erodriguez@bbbsaz.org
602-393-4119
Erika Tapia
Site Based Program Specialist
etapia@bbbsaz.org
Eva Siler
Sr. Program Specialist/LGBTQ Coordinator
esiler@bbbsaz.org
Genesis Orozco
CB Match Support Specialist
gorozco@bbbsaz.org
Gina Trotter
Sr VP of Operations
gtrotter@bbbsaz.org
Jennifer Booth
Sr. Big Futures Program Specialist
jbooth@bbbsaz.org
602-393-2912
Jessica Macias
CB Match Support Specialist
jmacias@bbbsaz.org
Jocelyn Bogar
Site Based Program Specialist
jbogar@bbbsaz.org
Jolie Armstrong
Director of Community Based Programs
jarmstrong@bbbsaz.org
Kaycee Torres
Community Based Program Manager
ktorres@bbbsaz.org
Kaylin Wojciechowski
Enrollment & Matching Specialist
kwojciechowski@bbbsaz.org
Maria Rosas-Granados
Enrollment & Matching Specialist
mrosas@bbbsaz.org
Martha Guzman
Parent Engagement Manager
mguzman@bbbsaz.org
Morgan Titus
Director of Big Futures Program
mtitus@bbbsaz.org
Natasha Krizan
CB Match Support Specialist
nkrizan@bbbsaz.org
Priscilla Ramos
Big Futures Program Specialist
pramos@bbbsaz.org
Sandra Galache
CB Match Support Specialist
sgalache@bbbsaz.org
Tyshaya Lowe
Enrollment & Matching Specialist
tlowe@bbbsaz.org
Clothing Donation Center - 602-230-8900
David Reynolds
Donation Center Director
dreynolds@bbbsaz.org
Nicholas Sullivan
Donation Dispatch
nsullivan@bbbsaz.org