AZ Healthcare Summit | Key Contributors

Jacque brings over 23 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, strategic planning, and development leadership to her role as the founder and CEO of Resolute Nonprofit Consulting.

Before founding Resolute nine years ago, Jacque served as the sole development officer for several small nonprofits, leading capital campaigns, major and planned giving initiatives, special events, and annual giving programs.

At Resolute, Jacque and her team partner with mission-driven organizations across various sectors, including arts and culture, human services, rural, and tribal nonprofits, to build sustainable funding systems, strengthen internal capacity, and align funding strategies with their missions.

Her leadership at Resolute is rooted in equity, data-informed fundraising, and systems-level thinking. Her approach emphasizes partnering deeply with nonprofits—not just as a consultant but as a steward of long-term sustainability. She believes in creating resilient funding ecosystems, fostering donor trust, and aligning strategies with mission-driven impact.

Dr. Courtney E. Baker is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Chief of Organizational Health & Experience for the Phoenix VA Health Care System.

As Chief of Organizational Health, she develops system-wide strategies to support a thriving workforce and culture that cultivates occupational well-being, efficiency of practice, and resilience in all staff. She oversees Veteran experience and collaborates across the system to enhance Veteran satisfaction and clinical outcomes.

In addition to her role as Chief of Organizational Health, she is a trauma specialist who spent 8.5 years working in the Phoenix PTSD Clinical Team (PCT), where she served as PTSD Team Lead for 5 years. She specializes in using evidence-based practices to treat PTSD in individual and group formats.

For over 5 years, she has had the privilege of training more than 150 VA staff across the country in Strength at Home, an evidence-based intervention for Veterans who use intimate partner violence behaviors (IPV). Dr. Baker has been heavily involved in VA research and currently serves as a Co-Investigator for two ongoing projects focused on improving the identification of Veterans in PTSD treatment who could benefit from adjunctive support through a partner-assisted approach to Prolonged Exposure.

Marea Bryson is a Talent Management Executive with over 20 years of experience across healthcare, financial services, and higher education. At Banner Health, she leads enterprise-wide talent initiatives that strengthen leadership capability, career mobility, and workforce readiness for more than 55,000 team members.

Since joining Banner in 2020, Marea and her team have launched several system-wide programs, including Banner Rising, Career Pathways, and the Career Management Portal—collectively strengthening internal pipelines and supporting thousands of team members. Her partnership with the Banner Foundation has also secured over $2.7 million in workforce development grants across Arizona and Colorado.

Before joining Banner, Marea led corporate learning at JPMorgan Chase, supporting more than 40,000 employees globally. She is known for building inclusive, high-performing teams and believes deeply in the power of trust, purpose, and connection to drive lasting impact.

Marea holds a B.A. in Communication and a Master’s in Human Resources. She enjoys life in Arizona with her husband and their three children.

Joann Bueno, PHR, brings nearly two decades of experience in apprenticeships and workforce development, topics she is deeply passionate about. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and began her career in marketing and advertising for various multinational brands before transitioning to human resources in the construction industry, where she developed expertise in employee engagement, compliance, training, and talent acquisition.

As a Certified Professional in Human Resources and the current State Apprenticeship Program Director at the Arizona Department of Economic Security’s Workforce Solutions Administration, Joann leads the Arizona Apprenticeship Office in forging strong partnerships with employers, industry leaders, community colleges, CTE districts, and workforce agencies.

Through her leadership, she is helping shape Arizona’s workforce landscape by expanding Registered Apprenticeships, opening career pathways, producing highly skilled talent, and strengthening the state’s labor market.

With more than 25 years of experience in healthcare and leadership, Sunshine Dean serves as the Director of Finance for Devereux Arizona. She oversees all regional financial operations, ensuring fiscal integrity, strategic alignment, and sustainable growth across a broad continuum of behavioral health and human service programs. Her leadership blends clinical insight with financial acumen, advancing mission-driven strategies that strengthen access and impact statewide.

Sunshine’s career is rooted in a diverse foundation spanning clinical and medical operations, business development, contracting, and finance, supported by a long history of leading multidisciplinary teams across complex healthcare environments. This breadth of experience enables her to bridge the gap between operational excellence and financial stewardship, driving both organizational performance and quality of care.

She holds a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Science in Leadership, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Grand Canyon University, as well as an Associate of Science in Nursing from Yavapai College. A licensed Registered Nurse, Sunshine is recognized for her expertise in Medicaid and AHCCCS, organizational development, strategic planning, and integrated care systems.

Guided by a commitment to equity, accountability, and innovation, Sunshine leverages financial leadership to expand access to compassionate, high-quality behavioral health care throughout Arizona.

President Todd Haynie’s roots run deep in the area Eastern Arizona College serves. Raised in Graham and Greenlee County, he is a proud alumnus of EAC.

President Haynie worked in private industry as a producer for the Educational Management Group and as a software engineer for IBM. He has been with EAC for 25 years, having previously overseen both the Enrollment Management and Marketing and Public Relations Offices. He has served as the College’s 22nd president since 2018.

Under his leadership, President Haynie has guided EAC through two comprehensive strategic planning processes, launched initiatives to strengthen academic programming, and transformed the College’s approach to the student experience, focusing on student success. President Haynie’s guiding pillars for his administration are student success, community engagement, and fiscal responsibility.

He is past chair of the Arizona Community College Coordinating Council and serves as a commissioner for the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

Barb Lang brings more than 25 years of executive leadership in behavioral health, public policy, and integrated care innovation.

A trusted advisor to the Arizona Governor and Legislature, she helped advance major laws improving youth and foster care systems, victims’ rights, and healthcare governance. Her leadership has extended beyond state lines, serving on the National Quality Forum Board for Behavioral and Substance Abuse and the CARF national workgroup rewriting standards for crisis services.

Earlier in her career, she expanded access to integrated care across rural and underserved communities in Arizona. Her work earned her the Women in Rural Health Award in 2017. She currently serves as the Public Health Director for Cochise County. In October, she was awarded the Pete Wertheim Public Health Leadership Award.

She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Independent Substance Abuse Counselor, Certified Sex Offender Treatment Specialist, and former State Opioid Treatment Authority (SOTA).

With over 20 years of experience, Melissa is a certified nonprofit professional (CNP) who empowers others through workforce development and program management.

Her strong background in program development, business and education partnerships, and strategic planning contributes to goal achievement and the success of high-performing teams.

As the Education and Workforce Manager for the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation, Melissa facilitates the Healthcare Workforce Collaborative, ensuring positive outcomes on the Collaborative’s initiatives and developing innovative solutions to overcome challenges.

Additionally, Melissa facilitates business partnerships for the Foundation’s ElevateEdAZ program, providing crucial career awareness and work-based learning experiences for high school students.

Jackie Lundblad earned her bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University and her master’s in healthcare administration from Duke University. With more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry, she has worked across a wide range of areas and developed deep expertise in healthcare operations, financial management, operational improvement, and strategic planning.

Over the course of her career, Jackie has spent more than half of her time as a consultant, gaining valuable insights into the inner workings of healthcare organizations. She previously served as Principal in Charge of the Healthcare Practice for Arthur Andersen in Arizona and New Mexico and held senior executive positions with Sun Health Corporation and the A.I. DuPont Institute for Children. She often emphasizes that “the key to a successful operation is cash.”

Outside of her professional life, Jackie’s greatest joy is her family. She and her husband, Peter, have three daughters and two sons, ranging in age from 25 to 37. Together, they enjoy staying active and traveling to favorite destinations such as the beach and Disneyland. Jackie is also a published author.

With over 20 years of experience in higher education and workforce development, Erin McGehean has dedicated her career to guiding students toward careers that provide economic mobility. She began her career in college advising and advanced into leadership and strategic partnership roles. Erin has a proven track record of empowering students to navigate complex educational pathways.

Erin earned a B.A. in Liberal Studies and an M.Ed. in Human Relations, both through Northern Arizona University. She worked for Northern Arizona University for over 14 years and is now a Project Manager at the Center for the Future of Arizona.

With CFA, she is working on the Arizona Pathways to Prosperity initiative, convening partners in education and workforce systems. A passionate advocate for student success, Erin is committed to removing barriers and fostering a culture of opportunity and achievement for all students.

Dr. John Molina is Pascua Yaqui and Yavapai Apache. He is the Director for the Arizona Advisory Council on Indian Health Care, a state agency whose mission is to advocate for increasing access to high-quality health care programs for Native Americans in Arizona.

Dr. Molina has worked within the Indian Health Service system for over 30 years as an OB/GYN physician and Health Service Administrator. He is a graduate of the University of Arizona, College of Medicine, and Arizona State University, College of Law.

He also received an honorary doctoral degree in letters from A.T. Still University of Health Sciences in Kirksville, Missouri, as the founder of Las Fuentes Health Clinic to provide healthcare to his community of Guadalupe, Arizona. His interests are in the alignment of Indigenous Medicine and Western Medicine, and Indian Health Care Law and Policy.

Patti Pastor serves as Career Exploration Coordinator and Instructor at Flagstaff Unified School District, bringing more than 20 years of leadership across education and business.

Formerly Chief Operating Officer of a small business for over two decades, she led hiring and training, financial management, marketing, and community relations, experience that informs her practical, workforce-driven approach to education.

In her current role, Patti advances Career & Technical Education (CTE) and career-connected learning through innovative programming, strong employer partnerships, and hands-on student experiences. She is a founding member of the Northern Arizona Healthcare Workforce Planning Committee and a long-standing partner of the Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA), helping align regional education and workforce priorities.

Patti holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Career and Technical Education and is passionate about creating equitable pathways from classroom to career.

Dr. Sue Roe is principal and senior practice consultant of The Roe Group Enterprises, Senior Consultant of Holistic Nursing Exploration Hub, and facilitator of the Arizona Healthcare Workforce Action Network.

Her focus is on workforce development and enrichment, leadership, holistic practice, competency-based and core curriculum, assessment, and instructional design. She has developed academic, training, and continuing education programs in nursing, allied health, business, leadership, wellness, and research.

She serves in leadership roles in several professional associations and speaks locally and nationally. She authored The Nursing Assistant: Essentials of Holistic Care and is currently co-authoring Caring Holistically: A Pathway to Wellness.

Dr. Roe earned her BSN and MS in Nursing at the University of Arizona and her Doctorate in Administration and Health Policy at Arizona State University. She has received recognition and awards for her professional leadership and accomplishments and is considered a community leader, skillful facilitator, accomplished administrator, and change agent.

Amber Smith is the CEO of the nonprofit Pipeline Connects, formerly known as Pipeline AZ. Amber leads her team to close opportunity gaps and strengthen the state’s workforce ecosystem.

With more than two decades of experience in government affairs, economic development, and nonprofit leadership, Amber has built a career around uniting people and systems to solve complex challenges. Under her leadership, Pipeline Connects is transforming Arizona’s workforce landscape by aligning education, training, and employment systems, ensuring every Arizonan has access to clear and connected career pathways.

Previously, Amber served in leadership roles across business and civic organizations and began her career working for Senator John McCain. She is Chair of the Pima Community College Foundation Board and a founding board member of the Southern Arizona Defense Alliance.

A lifelong advocate for service and community impact, Amber brings both strategic vision and real-world perspective to her mission of empowering Arizona’s workforce.

Before joining the Center for the Future of Arizona, Joseph “Sepp” Sprietsma spent four years working with the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Initiative – Building Healthy Communities.

This four-year, three-million-dollar grant-funded project was based on Collective Impact practices and a formal partnership with the Cochise County School Superintendent’s Office, Cochise County Health and Social Services, the Community Foodbank of Southern Arizona, and First Things First. The initiative used the Cochise Health Improvement Plan to address issues in public health and economic development.

The effort evolved and expanded to include food security, PPE supply chain, community leadership development, and broadening the collective impact network due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Sepp’s educational background includes a master’s degree in education from Northern Arizona University in Higher Education and Community College Leadership, a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Evergreen State College in Cultural Anthropology and Natural History, secondary teacher training from Prescott College, and an Associate of Arts degree from Yavapai College.

Doug Walls is a seasoned economist and the current Labor Market Information Director for the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO).

In his current role, Doug manages a team of economists focused on transforming data into actionable information to support workforce development policy throughout Arizona.

Doug earned a Master of Science degree in Resource Economics from the University of Rhode Island and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics from Western Michigan University.