Yvette Gonzales, Carole Kauffman elected to Experience Matters board

Insurance industry leader Yvette Gonzales and Carole Kauffman, now retired, who was a Vice President and Officer at Trellis, formerly Neighborhood Housing Services of Phoenix, have been elected to three-year terms on the Experience Matters Board of Directors.

Through personal connections with Experience Matters, Gonzales and Kauffman became fully engaged with the mission of the Valley-based nonprofit that matches retired professionals with nonprofit organizations to build capacity and support meaningful social-purpose projects through services that include Encore Fellows, Service by Design, RSVP and AmeriCorps.  

“When I worked at Trellis, we hosted several Experience Matters Service by Design volunteers,” Kauffman said.  “We were helped with our HR policies and were so impressed with their expertise.  Now that I am retired, joining the board is one way for me to show my appreciation.”

Kauffman, who lives in Phoenix, spent 12 years with Trellis.  Previously, she had been Director of Resource Development with a nonprofit working with severely mentally ill adults in Phoenix, and also worked at American Express and Samaritan Health System.

Gonzales, who also lives in Phoenix and who has more than 30 years experience in the financial services and insurance industry, had served as Chief Information Officer at CopperPoint Insurance.  She also currently is a member of the UMOM New Day Centers board of directors.

“Experience Matters changes people’s lives in deeply rewarding ways, matching talent with need in ways that transform people and organizations,” she said. “I am proud to serve Experience Matters and believe wholeheartedly in our mission.”

Rose Law Group adds attorney Olen Lenets

Rose Law Group pc, the largest woman-led law firm in Arizona’s history, is honored and excited to add attorney Olen Lenets to the firm’s Litigation Department. Lenets brings a diverse body of legal experience to RLG that will help the firm serve its clients and grow its litigation and other practice groups.

Lenets has represented clients in real estate and commercial litigation matters. He has also analyzed local ordinances and municipal codes to help clients with permits, licenses and zoning variances. Lenets has worked with a wide variety of clients including homeowners and a marijuana dispensary.

Lenets was born in the Ukraine and lived in Germany and Ohio before his family moved to Arizona. He played on the 2007 State Volleyball Championship team at Desert Vista High School and now plays adult ice hockey. Lenets graduated with honors with a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Arizona. He served as design editor for the “Daily Wildcat’ newspaper. Lenets received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. Lenets was a member of the Criminal Law Society and clerked for Arizona Court of Appeals Judge Jon Thompson. Lenets served a bailiff for the court as part of his clerkship.

Two Ballard Spahr associates among Arizona’s Top 50 Pro Bono Attorneys

Tyler Cobb and Wesley R. Robinson were recognized at the Arizona State Bar Convention on June 27 as two of the state’s top 50 pro bono attorneys. The honor, given by the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education, recognizes attorneys who provide their time and experience to help Arizonans who otherwise would not have access to legal resources. 

Mr. Cobb is an associate in the Finance Department. He is a member of Ballard Spahr’s pro bono committee and an active participant in the Maricopa County Volunteer Lawyers Program’s legal clinic. He also helps coordinate Ballard Spahr’s Wills for Heroes programming in Phoenix.

Mr. Robinson is an associate in the Business and Transactions Department. He counsels small businesses through the Ballard Academy for Student Entrepreneurs (BASE) program, in which he has advised five student entrepreneurs on corporate governance matters. He also advises small businesses through the Co+Hoots Foundation legal clinics, which are designed to promote equity through entrepreneurship. In addition to his pro bono work with small-business owners in need of legal services, Mr. Robinson represents individuals in guardianship matters and participates in the Wills for Heroes program.

“Pro bono work is important at Ballard Spahr, and I am proud of Tyler and Wes for being a major part of our office’s contribution to the overall effort,” said Steve Savage, Office Managing Attorney for Ballard Spahr’s Phoenix location. “It’s great to see our attorneys not only providing excellent service to our clients but to those in need as well.”

Muscular Moving Men & Storage hires VP

Muscular Moving Men & Storage announced that it has hired Jennifer Villalobos its new Vice President of Residential and Commercial Business Development. A new role for the company, Villalobos’ entry comes at an exciting time for Muscular Moving Men & Storage and commercial moving division M3 Commercial Moving & Logistics. The company officially signed on as the first and only moving business partnered with Nike and BSN Sports earlier this month and continues to expand its scope of services throughout the Valley and U.S. 

Villalobos brings a high level of understanding of business development to the Muscular Moving Men & Storage team. A University of Arizona graduate, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish translation and interpretation and a master’s degree in business administration. Her professional background includes business development and operations roles at Nothing but NET, Target.com and CyraCom International Inc.

In addition to her extensive business development knowledge, Villalobos is deeply involved with the community. She serves as a board member at several respected Valley nonprofits, including Prospanica, which empowers Hispanic business professional to achieve their full educational, economic and social potential; Three Precious Miracles, supporting Native American foster children in their quest to find identity, culture and pride; and Latinos Contra el Cáncer, which works to improve the lives of Latinos living with cancer. She is also an ambassador at Arizona Technology Council.