Az Business and AZRE magazines announced the publications’ lists of the Most Influential Women in Arizona of 2022 including, Emily Nachlas, chief risk officer, Western Alliance Bancorporation. In celebration of the 11th anniversary of the Most Influential Women program, azbigmedia.com is profiling one of the Most Influential Women of 2022 each day leading up to the Most Influential Women of 2022 dinner and reception.

READ ALSO: The Most Influential Women in Arizona Business for 2022

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The Most Influential Women for 2022 will be honored at a reception on August 25 at Chateau Luxe in Phoenix. For sponsorship information, email Amy.Lindsey@azbigmedia.com. For information about the event honoring the Most Influential Women, email Lynette.Carrington@azbigmedia.com or click here. To buy tickets, click here.

Emily Nachlas, chief risk officer, Western Alliance Bancorporation

BACKGROUND: Emily Nachlas is chief risk officer of Western Alliance Bank, where she oversees the second line of defense risk management teams and processes. With two decades of experience across leading financial institutions, Nachlas actively lends her time and talent to serving on several boards and councils, including the Mid-Tier CRO Council of the Risk Management Association, and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences.

SOURCE OF PRIDE: “Being a mentor to a wide range of colleagues in and out of the banking industry is the single-most significant point of pride in my career. Whether they’re struggling with how to ask for a well-deserved promotion or how to overcome a challenge, empowering peers, providing a different point of view or helping to navigate change provides incredible fulfillment as you see colleagues grow and succeed.”

SURPRISING FACT: “Nothing gets me more than furry little faces looking for their forever homes. I’m so proud to have fostered more than 50 small dogs since 2016. I’ve only just recently foster-failed, which resulted in welcoming two adorable terrier puppies who have now joined my two senior standard dachshunds.”

SOURCE OF INSPIRATION: “I’m inspired by Judy Sheindlin (Judge Judy), who is a brilliant, no-nonsense, straight talker. She rose to the top at a time when it was rare for a woman to be so successful in what was a male-dominated field. She is fact-driven, plays by the rules and is realistic, which helps her find the truth, while also having a heart.”

Most Influential Women in Arizona Business for 2022

Dr. Suzanne Bentz, Red Mountain Weight Loss

Stephanie A. Bivens, Bivens & Associates

Rachel M. Bond, MD, Dignity Health

Suzanne Boyles, City of Buckeye

Alaina Chabrier, SRP

Margaret Chamberlain, OneAZ Credit Union

Rachel Davis-Schultz, CopperPoint Insurance Companies 

Jennifer Delgado, Burch & Cracchiolo

Brigitte Finley Green, Engelman Berger

Lin Sue Flood, Hospice of the Valley

Christine Gannon, BrightWorks Consulting

Karen Hoffman Tepper, PhD, Terros Health

Dawn Jones, Intel

Lisa Lovallo, Cox Communications

Lyndel Manson, Arizona Board of Regents

Carli Ann McClure, Grant Thornton

Karla Morales, Arizona Technology Council

Emily Nachlas, Western Alliance Bancorporation

Breanna Naegeli, PhD, Grand Canyon University

Shar Najafi-Piper, PhD, Copa Health

Christina Noyes, Gust Rosenfeld

Grace O’Sullivan, Arizona State University

Reena Rastogi, MD, Phoenix Children’s Hospital

Sara Regan, Desert Financial Credit Union

Karen Roch,  Credit Union West

Lisa Rulney, University of Arizona

Melanie Smihula, Edkey Sequoia Schools

Sherry Stotler, Valleywise Health

Lynn Toler, TV judge and host 

Kelli Tonkin, Enterprise Bank & Trust

Telle VanTrojen, Geneva Financial

Ruth Veloria, University of Phoenix

Amy Walters, Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Annabel Whiting, PNC

Reine Yazbeck Hamilton, Wells Fargo 

Sandra Zebrowski, MD, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

Most Influential Women in Commercial Real Estate for 2022

Morgan Betancourt, project director, Okland Construction 

Keri Davies, partner, LevRose Commercial Real Estate

Alicia Hardwick, leasing manager, Prologis

Michelle Heeb, president and CEO, Forward Tilt

Dani Huval, business development director, Chasse Building Team

Bev Jensen, regional operations manager, Colliers

Carrie Kelly, executive director, Arizona Association for Economic Development

Alexandra Loye, executive managing director, Cushman & Wakefield

Stephanie Maderazzo-Hughes, CEO and COO, Canyon State Electric

Nancy McClure, first vice president, CBRE

Kathleen Morgan, managing director, Newmark

Vicki Robinson, senior vice president, JLL

Heather Skinner, vice president of global real estate, JP Morgan Chase

Angela Watson, president and CEO, Shepley Bulfinch