MICHELLE AILPORT

LEAD PEER ADVOCATE-DIGITAL MEDIA OUTREACH

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Advocacy Skill Set: I’m optimistic and a good listener.

Education: Pursuing Bachelor of Arts in Journalism at Arizona State University, member of Public Service Academy's Next Generation Service Corps

Favorite Destination: San Diego, California 

Guilty Pleasure: Netflix binges
Favorite Quote: ”We rise by lifting others.”

Childhood Ambition: I totally wanted to be a chef.
Must Have Gadget: Smartphone
Retreat: I love spending time in nature with a good book!

First Job: Cashier in my high school’s cafeteria

Passionate About: Equality, education, and quality journalism
If I Won the Lottery: I’d probably save it for a rainy day.

Favorite Book: There are so many - I can’t pick just one!
Proudest Moment: I just graduated from high school! It has been awesome seeing how I’ve grown and how much more I still have to explore.

DONNA BARTOS

FOUNDER & CEO

Education:  BA in Communications; Minor in Political Science (Western Maryland College, now McDaniel College), '95. Field study: 40 hour DVRT, 40 Hour SVRT.
Favorite Destination: Hilton Head, SC
Guilty Pleasure: Rice Pudding or Pumpkin Pie
Advocacy Philosophy: Empowerment is not telling a survivor what to do, empowerment is showing them the way.

Favorite Quote: "Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't." Eleanor Roosevelt
Childhood Ambition: Broadway singer/news anchor

Retreat: The pedicure chair
Must Have Gadget: Blowdryer

Favorite Book:  Currently reading "Becoming" by Michelle Obama. Favorite of all-time, The Bible

First Job: Car Hop at Stewart's Root Beer Stand

Passionate About: Root cause prevention

If I Won the Lottery: Finish my Master's Degree studies, pay off mortgage and seed fund a bloom365 endowment 

Proudest Moment: Right up there with giving birth to my three children is opening Blooming Point in August 2017!

ISABELLA DE VLIEGER

LEAD PEER ADVOCATE- PEER ADVOCATE CREW (PAC) LIASION & TRAINER

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Advocacy Skill Set: Public speaking/connecting with others

Education/Training: Currently a senior at PHHS. Completed the ACESDV 40-Hour Peer Advocacy Training.

Favorite Destination: The Netherlands

Guilty Pleasure: Choco Tacos and Grey's Anatomy

Favorite Quote: "I will always be on the side of those who have nothing and who are not even allowed to enjoy the nothing they have in peace" -Federico Garcia Lorca

Childhood Ambition: A surgeon/astronaut

Retreat: Cool weather, lots of trees, and the people I love

First Job: This!!

Passionate About: Dismantling institutional inequality, anatomy/medicine, performing arts

If I Won the Lottery: Pay for college tuition, donate to organizations that help impoverished communities internationally

Favorite Book: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Proudest Moment: Finishing my high school years with a 4.0 and prospects for top colleges :)

CHELSEA HILL

LEAD ADVOCATE

Focus Area: LGBTQ Youth Outreach & Case Management

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Advocacy Skill Set: Empowerment

Education/Training: Public Health and Sociology (NAU, 2016). ACESDV 40-Hour Domestic Violence Advocacy Training

Favorite Destination: Sub-Saharan Africa

Guilty Pleasure: Chipotle

Favorite Quote: “It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.” – Assata Shakur

Childhood Ambition: Help people and make the world a better place

Must Have Gadget: Anything with my favorite tunes on it

Retreat: Africa

Advocacy Philsophy: Respect. Believe. Validate. Empower.

First Job: Working at a Historic Theatre in Downtown Yuma, Arizona

Passionate About: Public Health and Social Change

If I Won the Lottery: I’d pack up and move to Africa and invest all of money back into the continent 

Favorite Book: The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

Proudest Moment: Obtaining my BS in Public Health

SAMANTHA FRANCOIS

LEAD ADVOCATE

Focus Area: Refugee and Immigrant Youth Outreach

Advocacy Skill: Listening skills
Education/Training: BA in Psychobiology/Latin American and Caribbean Studies (SUNY New Paltz ‘14)
Favorite Destination: My hometown - Brooklyn, New York 
Guilty Pleasure: Junk food, pizza!
Favorite Quote: "There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” -Audre Lorde
Childhood Ambition: Doctor, Ambassador for the United Nations 
Retreat: Coffee shops or the beach
Advocacy Philosophy: Support and empower others to speak their truth
First job: Data Entry at GIELLA’s Custom Blend Cosmetics
Passionate About: Health Equity, Immigrant/Migrant Issues, Racial Justice, Intersectional Feminism
If I won the lottery: Pay off my student debt and invest in grassroots organizations
Favorite Book: I don’t have a favorite book, but Rupi Kaur’s “Milk and Honey” is a great one
Proudest Moment: Completing my undergraduate degree

JAMIE LAYMON

ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR

MARLI MAYON

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

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Advocacy Skill Set: Relatable to teens

Education/Training: Pursuing a BA Liberal Studies (ASU, May 2019), ACESDV 40-Hour Sexual Violence Advocacy Training
Favorite Destination: Ireland
Guilty Pleasure: Cheese Pizza and The Office!
Favorite Quote: "I am not free while any women is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” -Audre Lorde
Childhood Ambition: Become President

Retreat: My mom's kitchen
Advocacy Philosophy: Share a personal story with the intention of helping someone else and not yourself.
First Job: Cashier at Portillo's

If I Won the Lottery: Pay off my debt and create a scholarship for first generation students.
Favorite Book:  "A People’s History of the United States" -Howard Zinn
Proudest Moment: Transferring to ASU’s Barrett, the Honors College from Scottsdale Community College

FELICITY WELCH

AmeriCorps VISTA- DIGITAL ADVOCATE

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Advocacy Skill Set: Empathetic listening

Education/Training: BA Global Studies, concentration Healthcare in East Africa/ Womxn and Gender Studies (UNC Chapel Hill, 2017), ACESDV 40-Hour Domestic Violence Advocacy Training
Favorite Destination: Zanzibar, Tanzania
Guilty Pleasure: Chocolate!
Favorite Quote: "You have to love yourself because no amount of love from others is sufficient to fill the yearning that your soul requires from you"- Dodinsky
Childhood Ambition: Firefighter

Must-Have Gadget: Headphones, speaker- something that lets me play my music

Retreat: Quiet place where I can read with a cup of tea
Advocacy Philosophy: Allow others the space to be heard
First Job: Assistant at an European luxury car show

If I Won the Lottery: Pay off my younger sister and I's education and buy my grandmother a house

Passionate About: Inclusivity, Health Equity, Maternal and Child Health
Proudest Moment: Giving my mom my stole of gratitude on my University graduation day

AVIEL WAXMAN

LEAD PEER ADVOCATE-TEEN MALE OUTREACH

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Advocacy Skill Set: Connecting with others one-on-one

Education: Senior at Desert Heights Preparatory Academy and Dual Enrolled at Paradise Valley Community College

Favorite Destination: A waterfall with a beach

Guilty Pleasure: Pizza, iced coffee, and ice cream
Favorite Quote: "All of us sit at the table, like a family—a dysfunctional one, but a family nonetheless."-Suzanne Young, All in Pieces

Childhood Ambition: Professional mountain biker
Must Have Gadget: Camera
Retreat: A book, a camera, some food, and a view

First Job: This!!!

Passionate About: Everyone has a story, no matter the size, it should be heard
If I Won the Lottery:

Education, travel, donate to grassroot projects I feel passionate about, camera equipment

Favorite Book: The Program (series) by Suzanne Young
Proudest Moment: Being runner-up in a TDVAM Design Contest by Break the Cycle and Let's Be Real