John W. Lewis recently completed a 3-year church assignment as Mission President in Cambodia. Prior to the mission assignment, John served as the President/CEO of the PHX East Valley Partnership, and he has returned to that assignment as of January 2022. The PHX East Valley Partnership (PHX EVP) is a regional coalition of community, business, educational, and government leaders whose goal is to provide leadership and support in specific areas of focus.  

Other prior community and work assignments include: Mayor of Gilbert, Arizona (2009-2016), Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Board, Greater Phoenix Economic Council Board, Arizona League of Cities Executive Committee, Maricopa Association of Government (MAG) Regional Council member, and MAG Economic Development Committee (Chair). He currently serves on the Arizona State University Research Park Board. In his work career, he was employed by Apollo Group for 18 years in various executive leadership assignments and by Ernst & Young for nine years as a Management Consultant. With his wife LaCinda, they are the parents of eight children and twenty-two grandchildren. They reside in Gilbert, Arizona.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Kerri Ann Ronquist is the owner of All About You Placement and Senior Resources. She is a Board-Certified Patient Advocate, a Certified Placement and Referral Specialist, a Certified Dementia and Alzheimer’s Practitioner, and a Certified Senior Advisor®. Her early career with seniors included helping build a hospice company from the ground up and working for home health agencies and mobile physician groups to reach underserved communities.

To honor her late father, Kerri Ann founded All About You in order to support, advocate for and educate those who “don’t know what they don’t know” within the medical, senior care, and resources arena without any restraints.

A proud graduate of Gilbert Leadership Class 27, she remains a dedicated, enthusiastic, and active participant in her community. She is married to her best friend, and together they have two sons, two daughters, a smart, strong, and sassy 5-year-old granddaughter, and two fur babies.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Alexa Tieu Whippo (she/her) is a Communications and Multimedia Consultant for Deloitte in Gilbert, Arizona, following 18 years working in sports broadcast media. She has worked in radio, marketing, print, digital media, and broadcast television. She previously was employed at Bally Sports Arizona, FOX Sports Arizona, FOX Sports Digital Media, and ESPN. 

Alexa currently serves on the University of Oregon Alumni Association Board of Directors as a proud alumna of the UO. She also is a member of the Women Empowered committee for the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and an active member of the Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM) and the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA). Alexa lives in Gilbert with her husband and their four children.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Katey McPherson brings experience in school leadership, prevention, and organizational change with 25 years as a secondary school teacher, guidance counselor, and PK-12 school administrator. Katey’s educational career focus is on student and teacher social and emotional wellness and supports. She has worked diligently on several youth mental health initiatives and laws, delivers professional development to learning communities with a focus on creating adaptive coping skills and resiliency, and speaks to students to increase their awareness and education in digital citizenship/social media responsibility. 

Katey currently serves as the Director of Professional Development for Bark for Schools, an artificial intelligence app that protects over 5 million children while they use personal and school-issued devices.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Vickie graduated Summa Cum Laude from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Associate in Administration of Justice with an additional Certification from Phoenix College in Aviation and Aeronautics. Vickie has worked for the Gilbert Police Department for more than 20 years, assigned to the Crime Prevention and Community Affairs Unit. Working in this position, Vickie has spearheaded such programs as; the Blue Line Holiday Drive, which has helped thousands of underprivileged families by delivering gifts over the holiday season. Prior to Gilbert, Vickie began her service work as a volunteer City Commissioner, City Council Candidate, and Police Volunteer in Scottsdale. Ms. Faber has authored two major police programs that have been implemented in police agencies nationwide. 

Vickie has served as a Governor-appointed Director for the State’s Citizen Corps Council as well as her current service as President-elect for the Arizona Crime Prevention Association since 2007, a non-profit group that provides law enforcement, business owners, and citizens resources, training, and network opportunities focused at reducing crime in the state. Vickie has had several of her authored articles published nationally, been a guest speaker at both local and national engagements, and was even in an episode of Animal Planet/Phoenix Cops in April 2017. 

For ten years, Ms. Faber served as an animal foster for Maricopa County Animal Care and Control and, during that time, re-homed more than 150 abused, neglected, or abandoned animals. When not working, Vickie is a professional Sprint Car driver together with her partner, Ben Cluff, and enjoys spending time with her two dogs, Porter and Leo. 

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Meredith Hestand is the Chief Nurse Executive Officer for Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, a position she’s held since 2020. Her leadership ensures consistent and high-quality standards of patient-centered nursing care: managing all nursing resources, developing nursing policies and programs to comply with established standards, and implementing long-term strategic goals and objectives for the organization. Meredith has been a Registered Nurse for 23 years, the last 18 with Dignity Health. She joined Chandler Regional Medical Center as a staff nurse in labor and delivery, was promoted to clinical supervisor, and left the East Valley for two years to manage St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center’s labor care areas. She returned to Chandler Regional as Director of Maternal Child Health, and then she assumed the role of Senior Director of Maternal Children Health for both Chandler Regional and Mercy Gilbert.

Meredith has master’s degrees in nursing and business administration and is working on her doctorate in nursing practice. She also has a nurse executive board certification through American Nurses Credentialing Center and a graduate certificate in clinical ethics from the Alden March Bioethics Institute. She’s been twice nominated for the Arizona March of Dimes Nurse of the Year and was recognized with Dignity Health’s Acts of Humankindness Awards in 2016 and 2017. Meredith has been married to her husband, Brandon, for 20 years, and they have two children, Ravyn (18, ASU College of Nursing) and Carter (14). In her free time, Meredith enjoys downtime with her family and playing the piano, as she has since she was six years old. 

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Delmer Geesey is the Pastor of Life Community Church in Gilbert, AZ, and the President of Leading Edge Academy, a multi-campus charter school. Delmer was raised in the East Valley and has been a Pastor for almost 50 years, pastoring Life Community Church for 32 years. Delmer has two grown children who are both married, he has six grandchildren, and he resides in downtown Gilbert with his wife on their urban farm.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Jän Simon is the Owner of Foundation Insurance Services, specializing in insurance for business and personal clientele. He has been a member of the Gilbert Community since 2003. Originally from Washington State Jän moved to Arizona in 1999. Jän just completed serving six years on the Board of Directors for the Gilbert Leadership program, with one of those as the Chairman, currently serves as Chairman of the Planning Commission for the Town of Gilbert, serves on the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Chamber Foundation Board of directors currently where he just took over as Chair to the Board and is an active Board member with Gilbert Talks and TedX Gilbert.

He is the proud father of four adult children. His two kids, a daughter and son from his previous marriage, and his fiancé Christine has two from her previous marriage. Jän feels that what sets him apart from others in his field is his desire to connect on a personal level with each of his clients and employees. Understand their “why” so he can strive to be a better solution for their insurance needs.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Troy Swope is one of Footprint’s founders and has served as its Chief Executive Officer and director since 2013. Prior to co-founding Footprint, Mr. Swope served as the sustainability director of Sprig Technologies, a product research firm, a senior vice president of Unisource Worldwide, Inc., an industrial products distributor and logistics provider, and in a variety of roles at Intel Corporation, starting as an intern, spending significant time in Asia, and ending as an Engineering Manager. Mr. Swope completed the Global Executive Leadership Program at the Yale School of Management in 2020. 

In the past two years as CEO Mr. Swope was named to Newsweek’s 2021 Greatest Disruptors list, a Business Intelligence Group Sustainability Hero of the Year, Phoenix InBusiness people who are making a difference 2021, and a Mountain Desert Finalist for E&Y’s 2020 Entrepreneur of the Year. Additionally, Footprint was selected as a 2021 CNBC Disruptor 50 company, won Conagra’s 2021 Supplier Excellence Award in the sustainability category, was named a Fortune 2020 Change the World company, and named one of Fast Company’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies. 

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Adam Baugh is a partner at Withey Morris, PLC where he has been practicing land use and zoning law since 2007. He is an experienced problem-solver with a talent for removing obstacles that impede development. He regularly works with city councils, planning commissions, and neighborhood groups in representing landowners, developers, and businesses in building their communities.

Adam, along with business partner Jason Morris, host Dirt To Development, a podcast featuring insane stories and insights from industry experts, city staff, and intriguing community personalities.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy