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 change the future for people with autism and/or intellectual/developmental disabilities (A/I/DD).

First Place Global

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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Center Leadership

Natasha
Grant Holmberg

  • MNLM, CESP, ACRE
  • Director, Employment & Workforce Development
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brad herron-
valenzuela

  • Director, Education and Training
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Tom
Ortega

  • Director, Mulzet Center for Expression
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Toyosi
Adesoye

  • Associate Director, Applied Research
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Josh
Munoz

  • Associate Director, Public Policy
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Research & Policy

Avery
Mickens

  • Research & Public Policy Writer
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Taylor
Mooberry

  • Applied Research & Public Policy Administrator
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Abby
Salinero

  • Ph.D.
  • Research Coordinator & Data Analyst
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Creative & Communications

Mary Ann
Bashaw

  • MIM
  • Communication Specialist
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Angel
Jimenez

  • Graphic Designer
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Alyssa
Land

  • Senior Graphic Designer
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Jessica Montesano

Social & Digital Content Creator
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Development & Administration

Michael Bognanno

  • Development Coordinator
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Kenneth Bold

  • Accounting & Finance Operations Manager
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Cris
Carillo

  • Technology Support Coordinator
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Renée
Greene

  • Executive Coordinator & Board Liaison
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Maddison
Hughes

  • Public Policy & Operations Coordinator
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Kayla
Ladd

  • SHRM-CP
  • Human Resources Generalist
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Thomas
Saenz

  • Accounting & Finance Associate
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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
  • First Place AZ & First Place Global
  • 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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Lorenzo
Romero

  • President, BASIS Educational Ventures 
  • Cruz's Dad
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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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