Irene Agustin
Interesting fact: Irene got to hang out and have drinks with her favorite band, Better Than Ezra.
Irene Agustin is an enthusiastic and resourceful nonprofit professional with over 11 years experience in program and fund development. Currently, she is the Director of Fund Development for Central Arizona Shelter Services, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower men, women and children with diverse needs to end their homelessness and serves as Arizona’s largest provider of homeless shelter and supportive services. Irene holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Creighton University (Omaha, Nebraska) and Master of Social Work from Saint Louis University (St. Louis, Missouri) with a concentration in administration and community development. As a self-proclaimed “nonprofit lifer,” she has worked program and fund development for a variety of organizations including The Salvation Army (in Nebraska and Missouri), American Liver Foundation—Missouri Chapter and Crisis Nursery (Phoenix, Arizona). Irene participated in the inaugural class of ASU’s Generation Next Program, former Board Member of Dress for Success Phoenix, and volunteers and supports the Arizona Animal Welfare League, the nonprofit where she adopted her puppy, Mickey. Irene enjoys spending time with her dog and boyfriend, hiking, traveling, exploring, bowling and watching any program on Bravo and HGTV.
Maureen O’Brien
Programs Team
Interesting fact: Maureen once jumped out of a moving train in Nice, France.
Maureen O’Brien is the Manager for Individual Giving at the Musical Instrument Museum. Maureen’s previous experience includes positions in NYC as the Assistant Director of Development at Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Director of Development at Midori & Friends as well as roles in Wisconsin with the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Madison Repertory Theater, National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, and Wisconsin Music Educators Association. Maureen is a Core Team Member of Emerging Arts Leaders Phoenix, a Co-Founder of Classical Revolution PHX, and serves as a legislative liaison for Arizona Citizens for the Arts. In addition, she is the founding flutist of the Siroccan Winds wind quintet and sings in the soprano section with the Scottsdale Choral Artists and Arizona Musicfest Festival Choir. In 2011, Maureen was selected to join Valley Leadership Class 33 and was nominated for the ATHENA Young Professional Award of the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. Maureen graduated with distinction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning a BA with majors in music performance and French and a certificate in Western European Studies. Maureen enjoys mentoring, speaking French, discovering new restaurants, watching foreign films, reading, and traveling.
Eric Daugherty
Programs Team
Interesting fact: Eric is an avid poker player.
Eric Daugherty is Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager for M&I Bank. His role includes meeting the banking needs of the nonprofit sector. Eric has been in banking for 13 years and holds a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Business & Spanish and a Master of Nonprofit Studies from Arizona State University. Eric is also a graduate of Valle del Sol’s Hispanic Leadership Institute-West. Eric enjoys the night life, running, swimming, and plays Texas Hold Em.
Laci Lester
Programs Team
Interesting fact: Laci will eat just about anything from a street cart, including deep fried crickets.
Laci Lester is a Program Manager with Public Allies Arizona in the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation. She has lived in Arizona for 16 years and recently completed two 10-month terms of service as a Public Ally before being hired. Laci is an Adult Degree Program student at Prescott College. She plans to receive her Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology in Spring 2011.Laci’s nonprofit experience is largely rooted in youth leadership having volunteered with Anytown Arizona and working for the Civic Leadership Institute program hosted by Northwestern University and John’s Hopkins University. She also has a background in healing arts with certifications in massage therapy and yoga.
Terry McManus
Membership Team
Interesting Fact: Both of Terry’s parents are blind and have for several decades been involved in nonprofit leadership and advocacy; he credits his education and career choices to his early and persistent exposure to the nonprofit sector.
Terry has been a continuous member of YNPN Phoenix since 2008, and became a member of the YNPN Phoenix board of directors in the summer of 2010. He is currently Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at TGen Foundation in Phoenix, Arizona. Before joining TGen Foundation, Terry was the Executive Director of Institutional Advancement for the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Terry began his fundraising career as a college intern on the campaign to elect Congressman Ron Klink to the U.S. Senate. Terry then worked for Pittsburgh City Councilman Alan Hertzberg until 2004 when he joined the United Way of Allegheny County, where he managed corporate giving campaigns and the Alexis de Tocqueville Society major gifts initiative. Terry holds a Bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Master’s degree in nonprofit studies from Arizona State University.
James Plotnik
Communications Team
Interesting Fact: James lived in Italy for two months studying Art History, is a certified scuba diver, has summited more than 10 Colorado 14ers, has ridden his bicycle 545 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles in the AIDS/LifeCycle, skydived twice and been snorkeling in underground caves in the Yucatan.
James has a passion for adventure and travel. After being laid off from his position as an Account Executive at TecMarc Technology Services at the end of July 2011 he is seeking employment in the adventure travel industry. His goal is to help people live their dreams by providing them with amazing travel experiences that broaden their cultural and environmental awareness while having fun and pushing their limits (please send James an email at james.plotnik@gmail.com if you can connect him with anyone in that industry!). While James lived in Denver, CO he served as a Director of Development for a nonprofit that provided education to gifted children in grades k-12. James has served on the board of several organizations including the American Marketing Association Colorado Chapter, the University of Colorado Denver Marketing Club and the Between Friends Young Professionals Group in Chicago, IL. James holds a Bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Colorado, Boulder and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Colorado, Denver.
Hugo Polanco
Programs Team
Interesting Fact: Hugo chose his name in the third grade. Hugo is not his real name nor his middle name. He abhors his real name and does not go by it, nor does anyone in his family call him by it.
Hugo came to the nonprofit sector as a profession by starting as a volunteer. Making a living while helping others soon became his dream career. He is now pursuing a degree in Nonprofit Leadership and Management at Arizona State University, and starting a new role with St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance as the Site Specialist for the Kids Cafe, a program the prepares and distributes about 3,000 meals daily to hungry children. Hugo loves to do photography as a serious hobby, as well as cook vegan meals for all his friends.
Sam Richard
Vice President
Interesting Fact: Sam proposed to his wife on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the inauguration of President Obama.
Sam is the Director of Community Engagement at the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, an organization dedicated to serve, support, protect and promote the nonprofit community in Arizona. He has been a member of YNPN Phoenix since 2008 and joined the board of directors in 2009. As an Eagle Scout, Sam learned the foundational elements of community service – which inspired him to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector. A brief stint in the business world – as a Store Manager for Starbucks Coffee Company – firmly solidified his desire to work in and for nonprofit organizations. Sam holds a Certification in Nonprofit Leadership from American Humanics and a Bachelors of Science in Nonprofit Leadership & Management from Arizona State University. He also serves on the City of Phoenix Encanto Village Planning Commission, the board of directors at the YWCA Maricopa, and on the NB|AZ Nonprofit Advisory Council. Sam and his wife, Kim, live in Central Phoenix with their two kitties, Lucy & Ethel.
Shawn Rudnick
Membership Team
Interesting Fact: Shawn was once held up while working at Subway as a teenager.
Shawn Rudnick currently works for Phoenix Children’s Hospital as a Behavioral Health Tech. Shawn also serves as the Board President of Trips for Kids Southern Arizona, an organization dedicated to helping at-risk youth experience the benefits of the outdoors through the joy of mountain biking. These positions continue his extensive history of working with Arizona’s children and families. Previously, Shawn worked at Sojourner Center, a domestic violence shelter, and volunteered for the East Valley Child Crisis Center, Habitat for Humanity and in youth sports. Shawn graduated from Arizona State University with a Masters of Nonprofit Studies and enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, baseball and politics.
Steven Rust
Treasurer
Interesting Fact: Steven has tried many times, but sadly cannot whistle.
Steve is the Data Resource Specialist for the Rodel Foundation of Arizona. He provides support primarily for Rodel’s MAC-Ro Math Initiative. He handles correspondence, database operations, procurement and program metrics for MAC-Ro while providing support as needed for Program Administrators. Hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Steve studied Public and Nonprofit Administration at Grand Valley State University. From his position at “The Initiative,” Steve furthered his skills in contact and database management which have proved to be crucial for the MAC-Ro Initiative. Steve enjoys spending his free time volunteering, mountain biking and playing with his dog, Bella Sue.
Jathan Segur
Finance Team
Interesting fact: Jathan once caught Dengue Fever in the jungles of South America and lost 3 days in a feverish coma!
Jathan Segur is National Bank of Arizona’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. He also serves as the Chairman of the NB|AZ Nonprofit Advisory Board and founded the NonprofitsMatter banking division. Since joining National Bank of Arizona in 2005, Mr. Segur has quickly risen through the ranks and has held multiple positions including Regional Sales Manager and Director of Business and Specialty Banking. In his current role, Mr. Segur creates, executes and monitors sales, marketing and public relation strategies. Additionally, he develops policies for the bank’s corporate giving program. As an active volunteer and community leader in the Valley, Mr. Segur serves on the board of Valley Forward, the Phoenix chapter of Young Nonprofit Professionals Network and chaired the Keogh Health Connection First Friday event. He also sits on the Advisory Council for ASU Lodestar Center’s Innovation in Philanthropy and volunteers as a committee member of the Arthritis Foundation’s Oscar Night America. Mr. Segur was recently named one of AZ’s Finest for 2010 by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Jessie Singer
Secretary
Interesting fact: Jessie has jumped 10,000 feet in the air from a moving plane, yet still remains deathly afraid of heights!
essie Singer is the Executive Director of Dysart Community Center. Dysart Community Center serves the low-income and at-risk population in the Northwest Valley through youth development programs and adult basic education. After attending the 2011 YNPN National Conference in Grand Rapids, Jessie is confident that young, emerging leaders are destined for greatness! Jessie is also a Board Member for Leadership West (graduate of Class 15) and a graduate of Hispanic Leadership Institute – West. You may see Jessie around town as she is participating in Fresh Start Inspired Leaders Program, Social Venture Partners Fast Pitch, and is in ASU Lodestar’s Generation Next Leadership Academy, Class 4. Jessie completed her undergraduate at the University of Arizona. Go Wildcats! She is also currently pursuing her Doctorate and is seeking to study nonprofit hiring practices to understand the value of experience versus education. She hails from the Northwest suburbs of Chicago and will forever support her Cubbies! In her free time she enjoys traveling, salsa dancing, meeting new people, and playing with her dogs.
Aaron Stiner
President
Interesting Fact: Aaron took a year off of college to help open a brand new, two-sheet ice hockey rink and proshop in East Lansing, Michigan, where he became one of the rink’s regular Zamboni drivers!
Aaron is a YNPN Phoenix founding board member and served as Board Vice President from 2008 to 2010. While he has been a volunteer since he was a kid, Aaron began his professional nonprofit career with Valley of the Sun United Way in 2002, where he worked for six years as a workplace campaign manager, project director and finally as a major gift fundraiser. After leaving United Way, Aaron spent a year with the Arizona State University (ASU) Lodestar Center, where he was responsible for launching their Advancing Philanthropy program. Aaron now serves with Catholic Charities Community Services, managing Paths of HOPE – financial education, personal empowerment, group mentorship and volunteer income tax assistance programs – in Maricopa, Yavapai and Coconino counties. Aaron received his Master of Nonprofit Studies (MNpS) from ASU and his final applied project, “Nonprofit 2.0”, focused on how nonprofit organizations can utilize online social media tools to advance their missions. He received his BA in Marketing from Michigan State University.
