Meet our contributors!
They say, “It takes a village to raise a child.” And the same holds true for a community magazine. It takes a village to engage, entertain and, we hope, inspire the community we serve. That’s our mission, and we could not do it without the help of our valued contributors. They do so much more than just write about our community; they live, work and play in our community. They represent the very best of Prescott’s public and private sectors. And, every other month, they bring us the stories and reports that matter. On behalf of our team, our readers and our advertisers, we thank you!
Dr. Frank Ayers
Chancellor, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Dr. Frank Ayers is the chancellor of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Prescott campus and is responsible for leading more than 2,600 students and 400 employees. Prior to Embry-Riddle, then-Colonel Ayers served in the U.S. Air Force for 26 years. He has logged more than 6,000 flight hours in a variety of aircraft types.
Martha Baden
Manager, Public Services, Prescott Public Library
Martha is library manager, public services at Prescott Public Library. Still enjoying a lifelong love of connecting people with information they need and books they’ll love, she has worked in school or public libraries in four states over the last 20 years.
Debora Black
Chief of Police, City of Prescott
Chief Black was appointed Chief of Police for the City of Prescott in July 2016. Prior to this, she was the chief of police for the City of Glendale, Arizona, where she served since first joining as assistant chief in 2006. Chief Black began her career in 1980 as a patrol officer with the Phoenix Police Department. She has been awarded the Medal of Valor, three Medals of Lifesaving and two Police Chief’s Unit Awards.
Margo Christensen
Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations Ponderosa Hotel Management Services
Margo is Vice President of marketing and public relations for Ponderosa Hotel Management Services, LLC. As well, she serves on the board of directors for the Prescott Chamber of Commerce and the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association. She is also a founding member of the City of Prescott Tourism Advisory Committee.
Jeri Denniston
Center Director, SBDC Yavapai College
Director Jeri Denniston heads a staff of four who serve Yavapai County with free one-on-one counseling in finance, management excellence and marketing. The SBDC gives owners and entrepreneurs access to a powerful network of business tools extending to the federal, state, county and private sectors.
Dennis Gallagher
Founder and President, Prescott Western Heritage Foundation
Dennis is the founder and president of the Prescott Western Heritage Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, whose mission is to preserve and promote our Western heritage. He is also a Western artist/bronze sculptor, and an active volunteer for numerous community events. He and his wife, MaryAnn, have been married 50 years and have resided in Prescott for 10 years.
Jeffrey D. Gautreaux
Attorney at Musgrove Drutz Kack & Flack, PC,
Jeffrey D. Gautreaux is an attorney at Musgrove Drutz Kack & Flack, PC, where he represents clients in the areas of personal injury, wrongful death, criminal law and general civil litigation. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Prescott YMCA of Yavapai County and is President of the Board of Directors of the Forest Trails Homeowners Association.
Juliana Goswick
President & CEO Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters
Juliana remains grateful for the opportunity to introduce innovative ways to connect the community to the YBBBS mission to provide vulnerable children with professionally supported one-to-one relationships. Her five-year family match with Little Brother Bruce (that includes son Jake, an ERAU student, and daughter Julia, a student at Tri-City Prep) is a testament to her deep belief in the YBBBS mission.
Michael Grady
Playwright, Freelance Writer and Storyteller
Michael is an Arizona playwright, freelance writer and storyteller whose plays have included “Lights,” “Past History,” “The Harmony Codes” and “White Picket Fence.” He has written for The Tucson Weekly, Phoenix Magazine and the Phoenix New Times and works in marketing for Yavapai College in Prescott.
Cindy Gresser
Executive Director, The Smoki Museum
Cindy is the Executive Director of The Smoki Museum. Currently, she also serves the City of Prescott as the Chair of the Art in Public Places Committee. She is involved in many community activities including The Rotary Club of Prescott, Prescott Area Arts and Humanities Council and the Prescott Corral of Westerners.
Sandy Griffis
Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association
Sandy is executive director of Yavapai County Contractors Association, and has lived in the Prescott area for 21 years. Sandy has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and an MBA in business with a minor in music from San Diego State.
Sheri L. Heiney
President/CEO, Prescott Chamber of Commerce
Sheri was hired as the President/CEO of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce in January 2017. She moved to Arizona from Michigan, and has over 23 years of chamber professional experience.
Tracey Horn
Owner, Helken & Horn Advertising Agency
Tracey Horn launched Helken & Horn Advertising Agency, Inc. in Prescott, Arizona in 1995 with cofounder Robin Helken. In 1997, in an amicable parting, Tracey retained the already successful agency’s original name. Through the years, Helken & Horn has created more than 1,000 campaigns for local businesses, small and large.
Leslie Horton, MA, MCHES
Director of Yavapai County Community Health Services, County Health Officer
Leslie was appointed Director of Yavapai County Community Health Services of the public health department in March 2017. With 15 years of public health experience, Horton currently works to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of public health services throughout Yavapai County. She is a member of the MATFORCE and Northland Cares boards of directors
Ken Lain
Owner, Watters Garden Center
Ken grew up in Prescott, attended Yavapai College and obtained his degrees from ASU. He married his college sweetheart Lisa Watters-Lain and has four children. His garden advice can be heard each week on the radio. Throughout the week, Ken can be found at Watters Garden Center.
Greg Mengarelli
Mayor, City of Prescott
Greg has lived in Prescott since 1995, and has been the Executive Director for United Christian Youth Camp for the past 23 years. He grew up in small, rural communities in Kansas, and graduated from Kansas State University. He is active in community affairs, and is currently the President of the Prescott Unified School District Board.
Ashlee Mortimer
Ashlee Mortimer, Marketing Manager, Mortimer Farms
Ashlee is very passionate about farming and ranching and sharing the story of food with the public. She is currently finishing her last semester at University of Arizona with a degree in Agriculture Technology and Management with an emphasis in Communication and Leadership. In December, Ashlee plans to continue her position in her family’s business as well as hopefully work for a nonprofit organization sharing the story of agriculture with the public.
Ray Newton
Journalist and Professor-Administrator Emeritus, Northern Arizona University
A veteran of mass media ranging from weekly and daily newspapers to directing writing workshops for the Reader’s Digest, from book editing to book writing — Ray has been there. He is a professor-administrator emeritus from Northern Arizona University, now retired and residing in Prescott with his wife, Patty.
Bill Otwell
City Council Member, City of Prescott
Bill is principal of Otwell Associates Architects, a firm specializing in historic preservation, solar and energy-efficient design and preservation of natural site features. Bill is a native Arizonan. After completion of his architectural degree in 1973, he moved to Prescott and began his career, working for a local architect and later as Assistant Director of Planning for the city. In 1979, he established his own architectural practice in Prescott.
Sheila Polk
President, CEO – Renovations, Your Complete Remodel Resource
Sheila is a native Arizonan, who has served as the Yavapai Attorney for the last 17 years. A career prosecutor, Sheila chairs MATFORCE, the countywide substance abuse coalition, and is the driving stimulus behind the nationally renowned law enforcement course “What You Do Matters: Lessons from the Holocaust.”
Tom Reilly
President, CEO – Renovations, Your Complete Remodel Resource
Both Architect and General Contractor, Tom has been designing and building in Prescott for the past 36 years. During this time, he has served on many committees, including Prescott City Council and Yavapai County Planning and Zoning Commission. Tom continues to serve through Prescott Frontier Rotary while renovating homes in the community.
Harvey Skoog
Mayor, Prescott Valley
Harvey Skoog served as Prescott Valley Mayor from 1993 to 1998, and was again elected in 2004. He was re-elected in 2005, 2009 and again in 2013. His current term expires in December 2018. He was most recently a tax accountant and business consultant and has served in many leadership roles on various industry and government boards.
Marnie Uhl
President and CEO Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce
Marnie has been the President/CEO since 2006 and successfully led the Chamber to a national accreditation through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Federation. She was selected as Prescott Area Leadership’s Woman of the Year 2017 and serves on many professional and nonprofit boards. Marnie has been in the Chamber industry for 20 years.
Fred Veil
Executive Director, Sharlot Hall Museum
Fred is the executive director of the Sharlot Hall Museum. He is a Marine Corps veteran and former Sheriff of the Prescott Corral of Westerners International, he conceived and organized the Western History Symposium. He is a board member of the Arizona History Convention and member of the Tourism Advisory Committee for the City of Prescott.
Tori Ward
ROX Travel, Cruise and Resort Specialist
Victoria “Tori” Ward is a cruise and resort specialist with a master’s degree in political science. She has completed more than 30 certification courses with the cruise and tour industry including the most advanced certification, Commodore, from Princess Cruise Lines. Tori is a member of the Cruise Line International Association.
Prescott Parks & Rec Department
- Samara Rice-Cummings, Recreation Services Administrative Specialist
- Patti Crouse, Recreation Services Administrative Coordinator
- Rick Hormann, Recreation Services Supervisor
- Michelle Stacy-Schroeder, Recreation Services Coordinator
- Kelly Tolbert, Recreation Services Coordinator