When Singleton Moms began in 2006 Andy and Jody looked to their friends and family for support. Since that time the organization has grown; Andy and Jody branched out into the community and found several talented professionals willing to lend their skills, commit their time and come on board. The success and growth of the organization in recent years is due to the drive of the Board. These individuals have helped Andy and Jody mold Singleton Moms into what it is today. With the time, talents and heart of current and future board members, the organization will mature into an invaluable asset to the community.
Want to be part of Singleton Moms?
Singleton Moms continues to seek out compassionate individuals with various skill sets to join the 2012 Singleton Moms Board of Directors. Currently the organization has 6 open seats available. Qualified candidates will be;
- Passionate about our mission
- Have a willingness to commit time for board meetings, committee meetings, planning sessions, special events
- A Team player - works well in a group
- Someone who listens well, is thoughtful in considering issues
- A strategic thinker with excellent follow through and results driven
- Unafraid of fundraising and community outreach
If you feel you would be a positive addition to the Singleton Moms Board of Directors and wish to find out more information about this unique opportunity to serve single parents with cancer in your community, please contact Executive Director, Jody Farley-Berens at
jody@singletonmoms.org.
The Board
Ginnie Rowe ¦ Chris Gorman ¦ Rickey Martinez ¦ Janet Story ¦ Youlanda White ¦ LoriAnn Harnish ¦ Matt Morales ¦ Theresa Heath
President
Singleton Moms’ President Ginnie Rowe was hooked on helping the unique non-profit once she viewed a presentation by co-founders Jody Farley-Berens and Andy Royal in June 2007.
“Their passion and the cause got to me,” Ginnie said. “It was clear that Singleton Moms was providing a service that was priceless. I immediately wanted to be a part of that…to help provide hope and support where there often isn’t any.”
Born in Waynesboro, Virginia, Ginnie grew up in Argentina and lived in England for 14 years prior to moving to Arizona in 2006. A Gilbert resident with more than 15 years marketing experience, she co-owns DGR Communications with her husband, David, where she works as the firm’s website designer and digital strategist.
A Singleton Moms board member since 2008 and newly-elected President, Ginnie has ambitious goals for Singleton Moms. They include increasing awareness of the non-profit’s support services, increasing corporate sponsorships and personal donor support, and working towards the long-term goal of expanding services statewide and nationally.
“To our knowledge, we may be the only non-profit in the country providing customized domestic, financial, and emotional care to single mothers and fathers with cancer,” she said. “And while the single parents we have helped are strong and inspirational, there is a huge need for even more help. It would be wonderful if some day we did not have a waiting list.”
In addition to serving as Singleton Moms’ President, Ginnie also manages the non-profit agency’s marketing efforts and she spearheaded all work relating to the design, development, and maintenance of Singleton Moms’ website.
In her spare time, she enjoys reading, hiking, traveling, and spending time with family, friends, and her German Shepherd dog, Maverick.
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Vice President
In the two years since Chris Gorman has served as a Singleton Moms board member, he has worked tirelessly to raise funds for the unique non-profit and assist with financial matters.
“I want Singleton Moms to become an organization that has people pounding on the door to give us money and to volunteer because they know we will make a difference in the lives of those we help,” Chris said.
An Arizona native who resides in north Phoenix, Chris began volunteering with Singleton Moms because he wanted to give back to his community and because he believes local non-profits can accomplish more than government or larger non-profits.
“We are about helping the immediate situation and not just hoping for a better future. Our moms and families need help now. A cure will not come soon enough for them, and research will not pay the bills or put food on the table or help their kids with school. Anything we can do to help will make life easier for the entire family,” he said.
Chris said he especially likes the fact that Singleton Moms provides various ways for people to help single mothers with cancer, either through hard work or through financial support.
“There are so many ways you can help,” he said. “Whether you make a donation or volunteer, you’ll help make life easier for these moms. They just can’t get this type of care anywhere else. We have the ability help families come together and enjoy the moments they have, and that is truly rewarding,” he said.
Chris attended Brophy College Preparatory and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Justice Studies and a Post-baccalaureate degree in Accountancy from Arizona State University. A Certified Fraud Examiner, he is one of the owners of Gorman Litigation Support Services, LLC, a Phoenix-based firm of experts in Forensic Accounting, Business Valuation, and Financial Damage Analysis.
“I always wanted to outsmart the crooks and make it harder for them to do what they do,” he said. “Now I seem to be spending my time trying to help people get what they are owed.”
When Chris is not volunteering for Singleton Moms, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Rachel, golfing, scuba diving, skiing and traveling. He also loves to indulge in two of his passions: going to the beach and attending Dave Matthews Band concerts.
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Treasurer
Rickey is another new recruit to the Singleton Moms Board; his desire to get involved stems from his own experiences. “I have a personal kinship for the help and support that Singleton Moms provides its families as it closely mirrors some of my personal past experiences. The help and support that Singleton Moms gives to its families can’t be measured, it really is priceless.”
Born and raised in Arizona, Rickey now lives in the Arcadia area of Phoenix. After attending Kofa High School in Yuma, Rickey went to Arizona State before going on to work in the Hospitality industry, where he has worked for the last 7 years. He is now a Senior Sales Manager, Business Travel for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company here in Phoenix.
Rickey’s goal for Singleton Moms is for us to be able to help out 25 families a month in the next 24-36 months, with a goal of reaching 50+ families a month in the long term. “The parents we help show tremendous courage while battling cancer, while having to raise their children as single parents; these people are true heroes and we need to be able to help more of them. Singleton Moms is a unique organization; driven by people with the willingness and dedication to exceed the expectations of the moms and dads we help. Singleton Moms provides that extra personal touch that makes a world of difference in the lives of the families that they help.”
That’s why Rickey applied to join the Board in early 2011, as he explains. “When my friends mentioned Singleton Moms, it immediately lit a fire in me; I needed to be a part of this organization in any capacity possible. The help and support that this organization strives to provide the families it cares for is invaluable. Having had a past personal experience that closely mirrors what Singleton Moms is doing for these families I was inspired to help this organization.”
When not working, Rickey likes to be involved with numerous other causes that he believes in, such as Autism and Multiple Sclerosis charities here in the Valley. When time permits he likes to get out and play golf, and enjoys traveling with his family.
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Co-Secretary
Janet Story joined the Singleton Moms Board of Directors in January, 2011. For Janet, the decision to get involved with Singleton Moms was a very personal choice.
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer (stage 0) in November, 2009. The diagnosis was a shock, but I focused on all I had to be grateful for – a good job, supportive family and friends, and health insurance which covered most of the costs. I knew that many were not so fortunate. Less than two weeks later, I saw a newspaper article about Singleton Moms. and I decided that I wanted to be involved. I am happy to volunteer with such a great organization and I look forward to continuing our history of outstanding service to single parents dealing with cancer.”
Janet was born in Oak Park, Illinois, but has lived in Arizona almost her entire life. She grew up in Scottsdale, where she still resides today, and went to Saguaro High School. Janet attended Lake Forest College, a small liberal arts college in Lake Forest, IL, graduating with a degree in History. She later attended law school at ASU, graduating in 1991. Janet has had her own law practice for almost 18 years.
Coming from a long line of lawyers, the law was a natural fit for Janet; “I am a 4th generation lawyer, my great-grandfather, grandfather and mother were all lawyers. My practice is focused on working with families who are caring for children from Arizona’s foster care system. I am excited to work on children’s cases; that has turned out to be a perfect fit for me.”
Janet’s long term goal for Singleton Moms is to help build the organization so that we can increase the number of moms we serve. To that end she is committed to growing the Gimme 5 program; a program that has the potential to provide the financial stability we need to add to the services and financial assistance we provide. She is also working on increasing the number of grants the organization receives.
As well as her work with Singleton Moms, Janet is also a volunteer with her church, where she helps with community service projects. She is also the co-chair of National Adoption Day, a large event where about 300 children are adopted every November, and she participates in the Volunteer Lawyers Program. Janet has won numerous awards from the Volunteer Lawyers Program, including Sole Practitioner of the Year (2003), John P. Frank Advocate for Justice Award (2007) and the Children’s Law Center Sustaining Award of Excellence (2011). In 2008, Janet was awarded the “Angels in Adoption” congressional award from Congressman Harry Mitchell.
When not working or volunteering Janet loves to travel; in fact she recently got back from a 3 week trip to Germany. When home she likes to spend time with family and friends, go to movies, and she loves to read.
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Co-Secretary
Youlanda joined the Singleton Moms Board in March 2011, but has been actively involved in our organization since 2008. “I know how hard life can be as a single mother, without the added stress of dealing with a major illness. I responded to a
Michelle’s Clean-up Crew invitation and haven’t looked back since.” Youlanda became a Singleton Moms
Care Coordinator in 2009, and won our 2010 award for Care Coordinator of the year.
Born in Cleveland, OH, Youlanda lives in Mesa and has been in Arizona for 11 years. In 1996 she graduated from Northern Illinois University with a BA in Communication Studies, with an emphasis on Media. After spending 12 years in the Ecommerce world, Youlanda joined PayPal in 2010 as a Global Credit Operations Supervisor where she manages 20 associates.
Youlanda likes the immediate impact that Singleton Moms makes on those we help, and is excited to play a significant role on the Board; “Our efforts directly affect the moms and dads we service, we cut out the red tape that some other big non profits have. We can see the results of our efforts daily, weekly, and monthly. I’m delighted to represent such a fine organization and look forward to our future.”
Youlanda’s goals for Singleton Moms include sourcing a Singleton Moms van to help transport moms or dads who can’t drive or don’t have transportation to their treatments; she also wants to continue to build our corporate network so that we can help more moms and dads for 12 months of service, instead of 9. In the longer term Youlanda would like to see Singleton Moms in a position where we can expand into surrounding states like Nevada, California, Utah, and New Mexico.
A keen hiker, Youlanda regularly runs 10ks and half marathons. She loves reading, music and movies, and gets involved in numerous community service projects. A proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, she’s currently the Vice President of Kappa Eta Sigma Scottsdale, AZ Alumnae chapter.
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Board Member
LoriAnn joined the Singleton Moms Board in January 2011, but had been involved with us for about a year before that. “Seeing the vision of the organization at work, helping people who need a little extra support and assistance during a challenging time prompted me to get involved with Singleton Moms.”
Born in Phoenix and a lifelong Arizona resident, LoriAnn lives in the McCormick Ranch neighborhood in Scottsdale. She attended Alhambra High School in Phoenix, and then went on to study Fashion Merchandising & Marketing, and Sign Language at Phoenix College, before completing a BA and MA in Organizational Management at University of Phoenix.
A meeting & events planner, LoriAnn owns her own event planning business ‘Speaking of Meetings’ which assists non-profits in the organization of charity events. She also works for U.S. Food Service, where she strategically manages the company’s meetings and events. An expert in her field, LoriAnn was recently named one of the six premiere CMM (Certification in Meeting Management) professionals in the country, and will receive a lifetime achievement award in May 2011 from the Arizona Event Industry Awards for her involvement in the hospitality industry.
The pure passion and love for the cause demonstrated by those involved in Singleton Moms inspired her to join our Board. As LoriAnn explains “The services provided by Singleton Moms allow our parents to keep a positive focus on their medical treatments, and lessen the worries of day to day responsibilities and necessities. Our moms and dads are people like you and me, working professionals who now face major illness. Can you imagine facing the possibility of losing your position, or medical insurance, and being single with children?”
LoriAnn hopes that her professional experience as an event planner will help us take our events to the next level; allowing us to raise more funds to further support the parents we assist. “One of my goals is for the Giving Hands Ball to be benchmarked by other non-profits for its objectives and execution. I am very proud to serve Singleton Moms; every moment spent working towards the vision of our organization touches my heart with joy and love.”
When she’s not working or volunteering, LoriAnn enjoys time with her husband. “We love doing car enthusiast related activities, as well as taking road trips across the country. Recently most of my spare time has been focused on remodeling my family home, which we’re making ADA compliant.”
LoriAnn has served and assisted a variety of nonprofit/charity oriented groups over the years; most recently in January 2009 when she was Chair of Wine, Women and Shoes, a three day charity event for the Sojourner Center, an organization that provides shelter and support services individuals affected by domestic violence.
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Board Member
Matt joined the Singleton Moms Board in March 2011; his first involvement with our organization came when he attended our inaugural Giving Hands ball in December 2009. “After attending the ball, I was inspired to get involved with a group that was getting things done, instead of just collecting funds.”
Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Matt lives in the Madison neighborhood in Uptown Phoenix. After attending Brophy College Prep, Matt graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S. Political Science & International Relations, before completing his MBA at the University of Phoenix in 2007. Matt is the State Webmaster and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Government Information Technology Agency; as Matt explains “I have always had a love for technology and politics; I’m fortunate to incorporate both of them in my current position.” Matt is responsible for all ‘.gov’ websites in the State of Arizona, and acts as a technology lobbyist for the Governor.
Matt’s hope is to bring the story of Singleton Moms to a segment of the population that is yearning to be of service to their community. As he explains “Young professionals in Phoenix are raring to be involved, but they don’t always know where to sign up or how they can be of help. My personal mission with Singleton Moms is to bring those people into a volunteer group that eventually develops their own programs in support of this amazing organization.”
The real, tangible support that Singleton Moms offers single parents as they battle cancer is what prompted him to join the Board. “I would like to see this wonderful organization on the day it expands to new cities and states. The people we help are so loving and grateful for what we do; that’s shown by their desire to come back and ‘pay it forward’ to others after they have received support and made their recovery.”
An avid motorcyclist and a self-professed horrible golfer, Matt is also a Judo and laido (1st degree black belt) student. An amateur food critic and dedicated video game player, Matt also volunteers for the Boys and Girls Club of the East Valley, and raises money for Masonic Charities.
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Board Member
Theresa has been actively involved with Singleton Moms since the summer of 2010, although she has been donating to our cause for quite a while. A recent addition to the Board, Theresa is determined to help our organization grow and thrive, enabling us to help more single parents with cancer. As Theresa explains “I was so moved by the difficult circumstances our parents face, I wanted to be a part of helping out. I am honored to be asked to serve on the Board, and I look forward to contributing to the success of the organization.”
Born in the town of Liberal in Kansas, Theresa has lived in Phoenix since 1973. She graduated from ASU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Marketing. Theresa now works as a Senior Director of Business Development for a contract research organization that manages the laboratory component for clinical trials. “I have been in the laboratory industry for 20+ years now; I chose pharmaceutical/medical sales directly out of college - it combined my love of science and business with making a difference.”
Theresa believes Singleton Moms to be truly a one-of-a-kind organization – “It is unique in that it was founded by 2 friends of a single parent (Michelle Singleton) who died of cancer. These 2 women took Michelle’s illness and death as a call to action; they wanted to create a legacy for their friend. It’s also unique in that we surround the parent with the support and services they specifically need, at a very difficult time, during treatment. We have a tremendous network of volunteers built around a number of Care Coordinators, who manage the support and services for each parent. It’s the personal relationship that we build with those that we support that makes Singleton Moms so unique and rewarding.”
Theresa is amazed how everyone involved with Singleton Moms really does pull together to help our Singleton parents in need. “I love the “roll-up-your-sleeves” approach; people pitch in where needed and I really appreciate the person-centered focus. There is a special attention to “Singleton Kids”, which is really important to me. It is all done with a very loving, yet practical and proactive spirit. The families we help are courageous, loving and an inspiration to us all.”
Theresa and her husband, Brady, have two teenage daughters that keep them busy, one is still at home and the other is a freshman in college. Theresa also volunteers as an Adult Youth Worker at her church, where she serves as a chaperone for retreats, etc. “I also travel a great deal for work and often extend my stay when in Europe on business to do some sight-seeing. I like to exercise as much as I can - Yoga, Pilates and lifting weights. I’m also a great cook and love to entertain when I have the time and energy…!
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Past Board Members
We want thank and acknowledge all our past Board Members for all their hard work and dedication, Singleton Moms would not be were it is today without your help.
Kristen Graziano
Victoria Perkins
Susan Gallagher
Craig J. Vom Lehn
Mike Thomas
April Mack
Yadira Cerpa
Bob Royal