2024 WISE AZ WOMEN OF INSPIRATION NOMINEES
Please only vote for 1 inspiring woman. Read more about each nominee below.
Click here to vote!
Hilary Adams
Sr. Director, Event Experience
Phoenix Raceway - NASCAR
Learn more about Hilary’s Nomination:
How does Hilary Adams exhibit Leadership?
Hilary has been with Nascar for over 11 years. In my time with Hilary, I have seen nothing, but hard work and dedication come from her. She is the "boots on the ground" kind of Director. She is side by side with her constituents. She leads by example, showing her team in order to thrive in the EVENT EXPERIENCE, you have to be fully committed and work for results. She has been dedicated to creating the best experience for the fans and creating a work environment for her team that is challenging and rewarding.
Kayla Branderhorst
Director of Compliance - Football
Arizona State University - Sun Devil Athletics
Learn more about Kayla’s Nomination:
How does Kayla Branderhorst exhibit Sportsmanship/Fair Play?
Kayla works tirelessly to help the Sun Devil Athletics football program navigate the always changing NCAA rules landscape. College athletics is rapidly evolving, and Kayla has done great work keeping up with those changes and providing the football program the information it needs to stay up to date. In a male dominated world, Kayla has held steadfast in her integrity even though there are times when she is put in difficult positions. Situations arise where Kayla needs to provide quick answers to complicated fact patterns. Kayla has done a remarkable job researching the topics and providing answers built on integrity to the football staff over the past 18 months. She is always striving to help provide the answers the football program wants to hear while never compromising her integrity. Her dedication to ASU and the Sun Devil Football program is unmatched.
Chantel Carlson
Senior Director, Business Operations
Phoenix Raceway - NASCAR
Learn more about Chantel’s Nomination:
How does Chantel Carlson exhibit Impact?
Chantel's contributions to community engagement and business development at Phoenix Raceway have significantly impacted Arizona's sports and events industry. She is progressively strengthening STEM and DEI initiatives, fostering inclusivity and attracting a broader NASCAR audience. Her hard work has bridged the gap between the racetrack and local organizations, boosting visibility and encouraging partnerships. Known for her enthusiasm and positivity, Chantel energizes her colleagues. Her dedication to the sport and community has taken Phoenix Raceway to new heights, impacting the industry's growth and development in the Valley.
Rheana Coon
Owner & Event Designer
Design Mode
Learn more about Rheana’s Nomination:
How does Rheana Coon exhibit Community Engagement?
Rheana exemplifies the essence of community spirit through her unwavering dedication, innovative initiatives, and impactful outreach efforts. As a prominent figure in the community, Rheana has consistently demonstrated a profound commitment to uplifting those around her. Her leadership in organizing community events, workshops, and charitable activities has not only brought people together but also fostered a strong sense of belonging and mutual support. Rheana’s ability to identify community needs and mobilize resources to address them is truly remarkable. She embodies the true spirit of service and inspires all who have the privilege of working with her.
Tina Givens
Senior Director Human Resources
Arizona Cardinals
Learn more about Tina’s Nomination:
How does Tina Givens exhibit Impact?
Tina joined The Arizona Cardinals Football Club in April of 2022, as our Director of People Operations, and started making an impact immediately. Tina worked to create the HR infrastructure across several affiliate organizations as it related to building out the HR team and creating policies, procedures, documents, systems, programs and more. Due to her contributions and increased scope, Tina was promoted to Sr. Director one year after joining The Club. In her second year, Tina helped reinvent and transform our culture starting with listening sessions across the organization to understand the needs and interests of our many diverse team members. Tina has been a critical co-pilot to developing our cultural ecosystem through establishing our purpose, vision, values, and behaviors while finding ways to integrate them into the employee lifecycle. In addition, Tina is always looking to increase our employee value proposition to attract and retain world-class talent. As a result of her outstanding efforts to create a “best place to work”, The Arizona Cardinals have been able to attract and retain exceptional talent.
Kalie Jonovich
Assistant Director, Major Gifts
Arizona State University Foundation, Supporting Sun Devil Athletics
Learn more about Kalie’s Nomination:
How does Kalie Jonovich exhibit the attribute Impact?
Kalie is the consummate professional that has dedicated her career to building deep relationships to solicit financial support to enhance the lives of student-athletes. In the last year she has personally raised almost $2 million at ASU, with a large portion of that in support of our female athletic programs. Kalie attacks every day with infectious positivity that impacts all who are lucky enough to work with her. She is always the first individual that is looking to support, champion, and help others to achieve greatness.
Lacey Probst
Director, Stadium Operations
Arizona Cardinals
Learn more about Lacey’s Nomination:
How does the Nominee exhibit the attribute Leadership?
Lacey serves as a role model, inspiring others, promoting inclusivity and diversity, and advocating for positive change. Lacey exemplifies the spirit of WISE by helping other women in sports to excel and grow alongside her mentorship and encouragement. Lacey works in operations but never hesitates to lend an ear, hand or valuable input to make my department and myself better. Lacey was a former collegiate softball player who knows the value of true teamwork and hard work. She is an inspiration to myself and so many others by how she handles stressful situations with ease and makes those around her more calm. From the final four, Super Bowl, concerts and the ever changing upgrades, Lacey is the calm and credible voice you look to. Lacey will speak others’ praises in their absence and defies and strong boss woman! I’m so grateful to get to work with Lacey on game days but so happy to know her and have her in my girl boss network forever! I want her to receive the praise and recognition she deserves.
Jamie Roberts
Sr. Director, Membership Experience
Arizona Diamondbacks
Learn more about Jamie’s Nomination:
How does Jamie Roberts exhibit the attribute Innovation/Contributor?
Jamie joined the Arizona Diamondbacks as a Season Ticket Services Account Executive nearly 17 years ago, and has steadily climbed the ladder to her current role as Sr. Director of Membership Experience where she leads a team that services our season ticket holders. Her creativity, passion, and ingenuity has resulted in the D-backs being recently recognized as offering the best season ticket holder experience in MLB – a perennial best practice factory that has teams across the country, and from multiple sports and leagues, contacting her on a regular basis to pick her brain. Her innovation has extended beyond her role as a service director however as she also co-leads our D-backs Women employee resource group, helping establish it as one of the most successful ERG’s in baseball and empowering women in sports. In 2023, she convinced Major League Baseball to host an annual Women in Baseball Workshop at league meetings each May, which has prompted women from all areas of the baseball world to connect with her as a mentor and establish their own women resource groups at their respective teams. Jamie breathes innovation in everything she does, has never settled for “that’s the way it is” or “that’s the way we’ve always done it,” and is a true pioneer in the Arizona sports world.
Ashley VanOchten
Director of Corporate Partnerships & Strategic Projects
USA Pickleball
Learn more about Ashley’s Nomination:
How does Ashley VanOchten exhibit the attributes Community Engagement & Leadership? (Two Nominations)
Ashley has a true servant's heart. During her time at the Coyotes, Fiesta Bowl and USA Pickleball she has gone above and beyond her Corporate Partnerships role to truly give back to the community. She leads by example and more importantly leads with her heart. She is always the first one involved in wanting to give back and leave a positive impact in the community, but more importantly of the people she works with. Beyond work- Ashley is very dedicated in volunteering and making an impact on the lives of the Special Olympics of Arizona athletes through her work on the Special Olympics of Arizona Young Professionals Committee. If that wasn’t enough, she also pours her heart into Miracle League of Arizona where she volunteers weekly. Ashley uses her platform and her voice to give voices to those who don’t need it and truly spreads the word that the only disability in life is a bad attitude. She leads with her heart first and through everything she does and touches, she leaves a positive impact, especially those in the community.
Ashley truly exemplifies a Women of Inspiration in all areas of her life. In her role at USA Pickleball, she has accomplished bringing in several new partners in less than a year in her role while going above and beyond at being involved in voluntary organization events. Ashley has shown that being in the sports industry can take you on many different paths for teams and organizations, but each place she has worked you know she has left it better than she found it. Through my experience working with Ashley at the Fiesta Bowl, she always had a “can-do” attitude and a positive energy that everyone wanted to be around. Working late hours cleaning up the stadium or setting up for a youth football clinic in the Arizona heat, she always had a smile on her face and a willingness to help. Ashley has become a true inspiration to not only myself, but so many other young women. Everyone she knows and has worked with will have only positive things to say about her and her work ethic. She is always putting 110% effort into any task that is given to her which makes her the perfect person to work with partners, vendors, athletes, and colleagues, but also makes her a true Women of Inspiration in the sports industry.
Susan Wilcox
CEO/Founder
Pivot
Learn more about Susan’s Nomination:
How does Susan Wilcox exhibit the attributes Achievement, Longevity/Consistency? (Three Nominations)
The service, culinary industry requires incredible grit, perseverance, and dedication to a higher calling of service. It epitomizes humility and grace, both of which Susan Wilcox embodies in spades. Susan understands the long game, knowing she is not going it alone, understands her and her Team's skills and talents as they trust in Susan's servant Leadership ensuring no one gives up regardless of the adversity, obstacles and inevitable moments of failure, transforming all into advantages and opportunity. Susan Wilcox has created and grown a business in a male dominated world. Rising up to face the multiple challenges, naysayers and competition. Applying creative out the box ideals, embracing a path of grace, strategy and understanding the road ahead is forever changing. Susan is a role model to fellow female competitors, entrepreneur's, reminding us that resilience and determination can lead to incredible achievements.
Susan started her journey into entrepreneurship almost 30 years ago with The Herb Box, bringing beautiful, healthy food to her local Scottsdale neighborhood. What originally started as only a catering company, grew into a multi-faceted powerhouse with the addition of two restaurants and a market. Susan's love of health and nutrition along with her enthusiastic and creative mind, led her to start Pivot Culinary Management, bringing her passion of 'food as fuel' into the world of professional sports. Since its inception, Pivot Culinary Management has taken the world of Major and Minor League baseball by storm, using this strong start as a catalyst to also launch into basketball, hockey, football and even professional online gaming. Pivot Culinary is now nationwide, serving delicious, macro conscious and well-balanced meals to professional sports teams, whether they are at home or traveling, and even conquering full training facility takeovers. Susan's grit and tenacity has helped pave the way to fuel and strengthen professional athletes across the United States, and continues to gain traction day by day, solidifying her stance in the world of professional sports for many, many years to come.
Susan's innovative spirit led her to establish Pivot Culinary Management, a company solely focused on providing athletes with high-quality, wholesome food. Understanding the importance of culinary education, Susan also initiated instructional classes for players, enabling them to learn the art of cooking nutritious meals themselves. This hands-on approach not only improves their diets but also instills a sense of self-reliance and awareness about the impact of food on performance and health. Susan's perseverance, passion, and commitment to long-term goals drive her to make a significant impact in the sports industry. Her dedication is evident in the value she provides by offering athletes easy access to whole foods and alleviating the workload for sports dietitians and performance coaches, giving them more time to focus on athletes and winning games. She deeply respects the discipline and endurance required for athletes to excel, qualities she embodies in her own work.