Devney Preuss
Executive Director, Phoenix Community Alliance (PCA)
Devney Preuss has spent the past 12 years working closely with Downtown Phoenix stakeholders, including the last three years in leadership roles with the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee and the local organizing committee for the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship.
In her role as executive director, Preuss is charged with “enhancing the PCA’s membership platform and integrating the organization’s work plan with DPI’s revitalization and community building mission,” according to Downtown Phoenix Inc. (DPI) President and CEO David Krietor.
“Devney brings to PCA over a decade of connectivity to our overall downtown community of business leaders, residents, government, arts, and education,” said PCA Chairman Mo Stein. “Our affiliation with Downtown Phoenix Inc. makes our coalition broader, enhancing the opportunities for our members to get involved and make a difference. Devney exemplifies the energy and commitment to activate, advocate, and build the Phoenix we want.”
Ms. Preuss also serves as a Senior Vice President of DPI.
Prior to helping bring high profile Super Bowl Central and Championship Campus activities to the Downtown Core, Ms. Preuss had a successful tenure with the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury.
In addition to her background in organizational and event management, Ms. Preuss has cultivated strong working relationships with City of Phoenix senior management and key DPI staff.
Cyndy Gaughan
Director, Membership Services & Special Projects, PCA
As the Membership & Special Projects Director for the PCA, Cyndy manages the day-to-day operations of Membership and serves as the primary liaison for PCA, DPI, and Downtown Phoenix Partnership boards and committees.
As a result of her already accomplished career, Cyndy brings her award-winning, top-tier business development experience to the position and demonstrates daily her relationship development and management skills. She is a team player and a great ambassador for the PCA and downtown.
Cyndy holds an Arizona Real Estate Broker License and Bachelor of Science in Business with management concentration. She currently serves as a board member for the Hance Park Conservancy, and her professional interests include urban commercial infill development and redevelopment, strategic planning, business development, sales, and marketing.
On a personal note, Cyndy is originally from Cleveland, Ohio and has lived in the Phoenix-metro area since 1978. You can often find her performing Irish music live at a pub near you!
Executive Committee
Officers & Committee Chairs
Diane Haller
Partner, Quarles & Brady
Chair: 3-year term ending Dec. 2020
Hance Park Fundraising
Committee Co-Chair
Kurt Schneider
President, LD Schneider & Associates
Vice Chair: 3-year term ending Dec. 2018
Graffiti Hotline Committee Chair
Carol Poore
Private Professional
Vice Chair: 3-year term ending Dec. 2020
Arts, Culture & Public Life Committee Chair
Beau Lane
CEO, Laneterralever
Vice Chair: 3-year term ending Dec. 2020
Devney Preuss
Executive Director
Christina Noyes
Attorney, Gust Rosenfeld
Secretary: 2-year term ending Dec. 2018
Howard Epstein
National Executive, OREO/Real Estate Sales, B of A
Treasurer: 2-year term ending Dec. 2018
Mo Stein
Principal, HKS Architects
Immediate Past Chair
Michael Lieb
President, Michael A. Lieb, Ltd.
Central City Planning & Development
Committee Co-Chair
Billy Shields
Hansji Group
Central City Planning & Development
Committee Co-Chair
Heidi Schaefer
Director, Corporate Taxation, SRP
Education Committee Chair
Larry Lazarus
Partner, Lazarus, Silvyn & Bangs
Hance Park Fundraising
Committee Co-Chair
Lisa Perez
Private Professional
Health & Bioscience Committee Chair
Joel McCabe
COO, Trellis
McDowell Rd. Revitalization
Committee Co-Chair
Dr. Steve Narang
CEO, Banner University Medical Center – Phoenix
McDowell Rd. Revitalization
Committee Co-Chair
Bryan Albue
Attorney, Sherman & Howard
Membership Development
Committee Chair
Rick Naimark
Associate VP for Program Development Planning, ASU
Multi-Modal Connectivity
Committee Co-Chair
Krista Shepherd
Principal, Gould Evans
Multi-Modal Connectivity
Committee Co-Chair
Nader Abushhab
Owner, NBMA Photography
Next Gen Committee Co-Chair
Brianna Verderame
Director of Visual Media, Small Giants
Next Gen Committee Co-Chair
Ruben Alvarez
Managing Partner, Molera Alvarez
Public Affairs Committee Chair
Members at Large
Ruben Alonzo, Executive Director, Community & Municipal Relations, ASU
Jim Lodge, VP, Strategy and Business Development, NRG
Steve Zabilski, Executive Director, Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Board of Directors
Officers
Diane Haller, Chair
Kurt Schneider, Vice Chair
Carol Poore, Vice Chair
Beau Lane, Vice Chair
Devney Preuss, Executive Director
Christina Noyes, Secretary
Howard Epstein, Treasurer
Mo Stein, Immediate Past Chair
Committee Chairs
Carol Poore, Ph.D., Arts, Culture & Public Life Committee
Billy Shields, Central City Planning & Development Committee
Matthew Seaman, Central City Planning & Development Committee
Heidi Schaefer, Education Committee
Larry Lazarus, Hance Park Fundraising Committee
Diane Haller, Hance Park Fundraising Committee
Lisa Perez, Health & Bioscience Committee
Kurt Schneider, Graffiti Hotline Committee
Joel McCabe, McDowell Road Revitalization Committee
Dr. Steve Narang, McDowell Road Revitalization Committee
Bryan Albue, Membership Development Committee
Rick Naimark, Multi-Modal Connectivity Committee
Krista Shepherd, Multi-Modal Connectivity Committee
Nader Abushhab, Next Gen Committee
Brianna Verderame, Next Gen Committee
Ruben Alvarez, Public Affairs Committee
Director Level Members
Chris Anderson, Managing Director, Hines
Victor Burrola, Community Development Officer, Arizona, Wells Fargo
Chris Callahan, Dean, ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Dawn Hart, Co-Managing Director, Principal, Gensler
Chad Kemper, Director of Sales, 12 News/Tegna
Dr. Steve Narang, CEO, Banner University Medical Center – Phoenix
Derek Parker, Business Development Manager, Old Republic Title
Heidi Schaefer, Director, Corporate Taxation, SRP
Krista Shepherd, Principal, Gould Evans
Barbara Snyder, Phoenix Campus Director, University of Phoenix
Jackie Thompson, Community Affairs & Grassroots, Southwest Airlines Co.
Julie Trujillo, Director, External Relations, UA Eller College of Management
Mark Watson, Project Development Manager, Hensel Phelps
Jay Zaghloul, Director, Business Development, NRG
Members at Large
Maria Baier, SVP of Communications and Public Affairs, Phoenix Suns
Terry Burke, President Southwest – Music, Live Nation
Chris Burson, SVP of Commercial Real Estate, Alliance Bank of AZ
Brian Cassidy, President, CCBG Architects
Mike Ebert, Managing Partner, RED Development
Greg Falls, Attorney, Sherman & Howard
Sandra Ferniza, Private Professional
Jay Hicks, Design Principal, Dig Studio
Catrina Kahler, President, Artlink
Melanie LaDue, Gives Back Lead, Tuft & Needle
Kendra Lee, Area Manager, APS
Michael Lieb, President, Michael A. Lieb, Ltd.
Mark McLaren, VP, HDR
Jim McPherson, Private Professional
Tim Sprague, Principal, Habitat Metro
Mark Stratz, SVP | City Leader, Transwestern
Kate Wells, President & CEO, Children’s Museum of Phoenix
Brad Woodman, Office Director/Vice President, SmithGroup
Steve Zabilski, Executive Director, Society of St. Vincent de Paul