Guiding Growth

Kayla Kolar has been in nonprofit executive leadership for over 30 years and currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of House of Refuge since Jan. 1, 2021. Prior to that, she was President and CEO of HD SOUTH, Home of the Gilbert Historical Museum, for 15 ½ years, where she led the organization through most of a $2 million capital campaign and a complete rebranding from a history museum to a complex arts and culture nonprofit. Before that, she was the Executive Director for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, the Deputy Director of the Desert Botanical Garden, and a Division Sales Manager with the National Federation of Independent Business. While at the Garden, she chaired the annual Luminaria event and was the lead project manager for a $17 million capital campaign and expansion. 

Kayla holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Illinois State University. She is a graduate of Gilbert Leadership Class XIV, was on the Gilbert Leadership Board of Directors for seven years, is a past president of the board, and is a past recipient of the Gilbert Leadership Award. Kayla is a graduate of the Gilbert Citizens Police Academy. Previously she has served on the boards for the Central Arizona Museum Association and the Museum Association of Arizona ,was a national officer for Phi Beta Lambda, Inc., and is a past recipient of the Chandler Gilbert Community College Silver and Teal Award. Kayla is currently involved in the Gilbert, Mesa, and Queen Creek Chambers of Commerce. She has been a volunteer for such organizations as United Way, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Future Business Leaders of America, and the March of Dimes.

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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

This guest grew up in Clifton, Arizona and holds a master's degree in business administration from WP Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. With more than 25 years experience in Human Resources, she is recognized for her ability to ability to develop people. Today, she serves as the Associate General Manager and Chief Human Resources Executive at Salt River Project, which is the nation's third largest public power utility. She celebrates 31 years of marriage, four children and six grandchildren, all of whom live in 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

This guest was born on the South side of Chicago but grew up amongst a chain of lakes in a small town in Northern Illinois, where she became a competitive water skier. A chance meeting on Valentine's Day in 1995 led her to her husband, Dave, and another chance interaction changed her path from stay at home mom to a successful career in the mortgage industry where she is a top producer for Guild Mortgage and now a mentor to others in the field. Welcome a wonderful professional and great friend, Karen Camblin.

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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

Jason Gillette is CEO of Guild Health Group, a public health firm committed to inspiring safe and healthy communities through emergency response planning and research and evaluation services. Jason’s path to public health formed from various experiences and efforts over the past twenty years. Helping has been a part of what makes Jason, Jason. From providing humanitarian efforts in communities across the globe while serving in the United States Marines, Jason found his place in the service of others. After serving in the Marines, Jason worked for three fortune 500 companies in Nordstrom, JP Morgan Chase, and FedEx where he focused on relationship management and marketing. Jason has a bachelor’s degree in Global Health from Arizona State University.

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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

Christie Boutain has a passion for helping small businesses navigate banking and strategize to achieve their business goals. She has spent her entire career in banking/finance having gained a vast knowledge of banking products/services and built loan support teams, loan policies, and treasury management platforms. She is a Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer with Meadows Bank, a regional community bank. Christie is a small business advocate serving on the board for the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and previously serving as chair for the Small Business Council and Women Empowered committee. She is also part of the current Gilbert Leadership Class 31. Christie believes when our small businesses are successful, our communities thrive. While in Minnesota building her family and career, she also served for many years on the Alexandria Downtown Merchants Association board and Lakes Area Professional Women board. With a philanthropic heart, she has also supported nonprofit organizations in the communities she's lived in.

Christie moved to Arizona from Minnesota in 2016 with her husband, Bryan, and their two children, Bryanna and Jack. Bryanna is a senior at Higley High School and looking forward to graduation and her next path, hopefully using her talent in writing. Jack is a sophomore at Higley High School and recently got his driver's license. He is looking forward to hopefully attending EVIT next year and loves all things IT. They all love experiencing what Gilbert, the East Valley, and Arizona have to offer.

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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

Wills Amstutz is the owner of Windows and Wheels Auto Detailing. He is an Arizona native and grew up in the east valley. Driven by his passion for car detailing, he, and his sister Daniella, started a mobile detailing service in 2012. As the business expanded and through a series of events they opened their first industrial location in 2015. They have since expanded into paint protection film and window tinting all while growing into a team of 6. Wills is motivated to grow their business so, in turn, they can add more jobs and value to their community.

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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

Jeff Breid is an ASE Certified Master Automotive Technician. Jeff began his career in the automotive world at age 18 IN 1992. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer and Owner Operator of CarLife Auto Repair. CarLife has two locations, one in Gilbert and one in Scottsdale. His leadership has led both teams to record-breaking years in 2022. His focus is on technician education, along with ensuring the company has the latest and greatest in tools and technology.

Jeff has been able to train countless technicians in the CarLife organization over his ten years with the company and has been even more impactful to the industry as a whole. His participation with the Automotive Training Institute, the Automotive Service Association, and past employment engagements has contributed to his evolving the industry. His passion for team-oriented structures has been revolutionary to CarLife.

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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

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