News Release
September 6, 2024
Scottsdale Leadership Announces 2024-2025 Board of Directors
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Sept 6, 2024
Scottsdale Leadership, a premier leadership development organization, announces the appointment of its 2024-2025 Board of Directors. Joanna Peyton, Chief Operations and HR Officer, with Accumen, has been elected as the 2024-2025 board president.
“Joanna Petyon has a strong operations background that includes program management, talent acquisition, and process improvement that will allow Scottsdale Leadership to grow to the next level” said Lee Ann Witt, Executive Director of Scottsdale Leadership. “We are excited to work with Joanna and learn from her expansive experience as she leads this dynamic board of directors who are dedicated to Scottsdale Leadership, and to making an impact in our community.”
“This year, our board will strive to create scalability in our growing organization – optimize what we can to make more room for innovation”, Peyton commented. “We have a board of directors with diverse experiences and backgrounds – I know we’ll challenge each other and make this organization even stronger! I look forward to building with this team and leaving the footprint of our core values in everything we do.”
2024-2025 Scottsdale Leadership Board Executive Committee:
President, Joanna Peyton, Class 28; Accumen
Past President, Michael Wills, Class 33; HomeSmart International
President-elect, Merle Reipe, Class 30; SOLVE Talent
Treasurer, Matt White, Class 33; Storefront
Secretary, Erin Gerace, Class 33; Nationwide Insurance
2024-2025 Scottsdale Leadership Board of Directors:
Ann Porter, Class 36; APS
Colleen Katz, Class 34; Pictures in Pixel Photography
Erin Krivanek, Class 37; Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
Jim Kollenda, Class 36; Yucca Enterprises
Karen Armknecht, Class 22; Chicanos por la Causa
Larry Hewitt, Cass 36; Arthur Elliott
Lyric Naquin, Class 35; Grand Canyon Conservancy
Nick Alamshaw, Class 35; Scottsdale Police Department
Stephanie Tippett, Class 36; City of Scottsdale
Jason Glenn, Class 37; Vanguard Global Security
Rachel Tarmen, Class 38; Uplend powered by VIP Mortgage
Rachel Jensen, Class 38; TAG – The Aspen Group
Dan Newhart, Class 38; Fiesta Bowl
Karen Tonkinson, Class 37; Hilton Resort & Villas
Scottsdale Leadership offers a challenging nine-month experiential program providing powerful learning
opportunities through expert-led learning days and high-impact community projects for gaining personal
and professional growth. Graduates have gone on to serve on the Scottsdale City Council, boards and
commissions and in leadership roles for many corporate and non-profit organizations. Scottsdale
Leadership also focuses heavily on giving back to the community through volunteering, and it’s “Project
Lead It Forward” program which assists dozens of community and non-profit organizations in meeting
unfulfilled needs. Scottsdale Leadership is a non-profit organization and has graduated over 1,400
individuals since 1986.
