The Team

The people who work at, advocate for and volunteer on behalf of First Place AZ are a team of believers unified by a mission to build a better future for people with autism and other neurodiversities.
Photo credit: Jedidiah Woods - jedidiah.life

First Place–Phoenix ​

Executive Team​

Denise
D. Resnik

  • Founder
  • President/CEO
  • Matt's Mom
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Nancy
Ottmann

  • Chief Operating Officer
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Chuck
Heimerdinger

  • Chief Financial Officer
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Community Team​

Lexie
Barraza

  • CTRS
  • Director, Community Life & Wellness
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Rebecca
Bauer

  • ACSM-CEP
  • Wellness Coordinator
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Sean
Pepper

  • Recreation Specialist
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Supports Team

Jessica
Luna

  • MMHW
  • Director, Supports & Mental Health
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Kaleb
Brown

  • Support Specialist
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Employment Team

Natasha
Grant Holmberg

  • MNLM, CESP, ACRE
  • Director, Employment & Workforce Development
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Jules
Hyde

  • ACRE
  • Associate Director of Employment
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Kaylah
McGown

  • Education Coordinator
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Marcy
Laguna

  • Employment Services Coordinator
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Brooke
Moorhead

  • ACRE
  • Lead Employment Specialist
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Jack
Borja Alcantara

  • Employment Specialist
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Education Team

brad herron-
valenzuela

  • Managing Director, First Place Transition Academy
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Development & Administration

Andi Watson

  • Director of Development, David's Mom
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Michael Bognanno

  • Development Coordinator
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Kenneth Bold

  • Accounting & Finance Operations Manager
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Renée
Greene

  • Executive Coordinator & Board Liaison
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Kayla
Ladd

  • SHRM-CP
  • Human Resources Generalist
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Thomas Saenz

  • Accounting & Finance Associate
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Property Team

Stacy Rosenberg

Director of Property Relations
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Luis Chilaca

Maintenance Supervisor

Lupe Franks

Property Relations Administrator

Evans Nyamunda

  • Concierge

Arizona Sausal

  • Concierge
FIRST PLACE AZ​

Board of Directors​

Howard
Sobelman

  • Board Chair
  • Partner Snell & Wilmer
  • Tyler's Dad
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Greg
Wells

  • Board Vice Chair
  • Senior Vice President & Chief People Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
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Mary-Sara
Jones

  • Board Secretary
  • Health and Social Care Leader
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Juan
Salgado

  • Board Treasurer
  • CEO, Phoenix Community Development & Investment Corp.
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Amit
Basak

  • President, Chairman & Co-Founder, Full Potential Solutions
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Evelyn Casuga

  • Director of Community & Economic Prosperity, Center for the Future of Arizona
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David Gregory

Principal & CEO, DAG Health Economics
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Oliver
Harper, MD

  • Family & Geriatric Medicine Physician
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Penny
Pfaelzer

  • Senior Public Relations & Crisis Management Consultant
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Mona
Pradhan Sands

  • Marketing & Communications Professional
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Denise
D. Resnik

  • Founder
  • President/CEO
  • Matt's Mom
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Brigadier General José
D. Rivera, USA, Ret.

  • Senior Operations Executive, U.S. Army General Officer
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Stuart
Savitz

  • Founder, Law Offices of Stuart M. Savitz, LLC
  • Tyler's Dad
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Karen
Starbowski

  • CLU, ChSNC.
  • Financial Planner, MassMutual
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Michael
Trailor

  • CEO, Gold Key Consulting
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