After a national search, Yavapai Community College Foundation announced October 14 that it had chosen alumna Nicole Kennedy as its new Chief Development Officer

After a national search, the Yavapai Community College Foundation announced October 14 that that it had chosen alumna Nicole Kennedy as its new Chief Development Officer. A Prescott resident, Kennedy earned an Associate of Arts degree from the College. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Management from Northern Arizona University. She founded the Prescott Area Women Who Care organization in 2017, a “philanthropic group of women from all backgrounds who employ the #Powerof100 to make an impact in our community.” She is a Board Member of the Northern Arizona Dream Center.

Since September 2022, Kennedy has been self-employed  as a private consultant.

Her extensive experience includes serving as CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Arizona since 2019, working as an insurance broker while operating her own business (2008-2015), and spending a brief stint as Resource Development Manager for Phoenix Crisis Nursery (2013).

Rodney Jenkins, Vice President of Yavapai Community College Community Relations and Student Development, welcomed Kennedy, stating, “Nicole is a visionary leader with a proven track record of excellence. We are excited to have her lead our Foundation in close partnership with the College.”

Richard Hernandez named interim Executive Director

Yavapai Community College Foundation Executive Director Mary Talosi resigned her position September 9, 2024.  No explanation regarding her resignation has been offered as yet by the Community College.

Richard Hernandez was named interim Executive Director while the Community College conducts a national search for a new Executive Director.

Ms. Talosi was hired in May 2021.  At that time Dr. Lisa Rhine, President of Yavapai College, said:  “With the unanimous support of the Foundation’s Executive Committee, the decision to support Mary Talosi as Executive Director was easy. Her leadership and commitment to the College and the community are immeasurable.”

Ms. Talosi had worked as the Foundation’s interim Executive Director for six months prior to May 2021 when she was hired as its Executive Director.

Online registration closed by September 18 as event appears sold out

Yavapai Community College has posted a warning on its website about fake $150 tickets being sold for the Verde Valley Campus Wine and Dine event to be held Saturday, October 19. Only tickets purchased through the Community College Foundation will be honored.

 It is noteworthy that the College has also closed online registration for the event as it has apparently already been sold out. 

The following were the announcements found on the Community College website:

Funds will go to benefit the Del E. Webb Family Enrichment Center on Prescott Campus

The Yavapai Community College Foundation reported that it had raised a total of $50,000 because of District Governing Board member Ray Sigafoos’ $25,000 30-day matching grant donation challenge.  The funds will go to help with scholarships and operations of the Del E. Webb Family Enrichment Center (FEC), which is located on the Prescott Campus.

Ray Sigafoos

The matching funds came from individuals and the Margaret T. Morris Foundation.

The FEC is a child development center located on the Prescott campus. The Community College describes it as providing “a safe, nurturing, child-centered program that focuses on promoting children’s learning. As a laboratory school, the FEC provides a setting for Yavapai College early childhood education students to develop the skills and competencies necessary for careers with young children.”

Although all events are scheduled for the Prescott Campus or Prescott area, east county residents are encouraged to attend

Yavapai Community College’s Foundation has unveiled an exciting lineup of events scheduled for September. The activities will take place within the picturesque Prescott Campus or the surrounding Prescott area.

One of the highlights is the “Dollars for Scholars” Fun Run, slated for Saturday, September 23, with a kick-off time of 8:00 am. This run will take participants on a journey through the beautifully upgraded trail encircling the Prescott Campus. Thanks to substantial investments by the Community College, the trail has undergone substantial enhancements, now boasting a level of quality that warrants its distinction as “stroller friendly.” It’s also important to note that this event warmly welcomes both canine companions and their owners.

The event has received sponsorship from both the Foundation and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), a prestigious international Honors Society dedicated to students attending two-year college institutions. PTK stands as a beacon, acknowledging and celebrating students’ exceptional academic accomplishments, while simultaneously fostering their growth as both scholars and leaders.

In a collaborative endeavor, the Yavapai College Honors Program (CHP) has joined forces with PTK. CHP, renowned for its commitment to nurturing students on multiple levels—academic, social, emotional, and intellectual—extends a wealth of educational opportunities and scholarship incentives to high-achieving individuals. This partnership creates an environment where excellence is not only recognized but also nurtured, shaping the leaders and scholars of tomorrow.

Registration for the event is 7:00 a.m. with a variety of registration fee options.  For information call (928) 776-2259 or visit the website by clicking here. 

Mark your calendar for any or all of the September events, as they promise not only an enjoyable experience but also an opportunity to support educational initiatives through Yavapai Community College’s Foundation. Your active participation will make a meaningful difference in the lives of scholars and the entire community.

Interested donors or fundraising groups can visit the Yavapai College Choral Tour Fund and pledge any level of support. The opportunity to contribute to this fund ends December 31, 2022

Students from Yavapai College’s Master Chorale and Chamber Singers are traveling to New York City in March 2023  to perform Verdi’s “Requiem” at Carnegie Hall.  They will be part of a 250 person chorus to perform the “Requiem.”

The Yavapai Community College Foundation has launched a fund drive to help them cover the cost of travel and accommodations.

Professor of Choral Music Dr. Joshua Harper on the fund website explains that:

“The opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The history of this iconic performance venue along with the opportunity to sing one of the most famous musical works is an experience that is unparalleled for students. This specific work is one that requires extremely large forces, the sort of work we would not produce at the College. In traveling to NYC, we can experience this work as an ensemble along with musicians from around the country.”

The College website reports that are already 32 students signed up for the trip. It notes that “traditional-aged students in particular struggle to find money to pay for tours like this. A donation will help students join once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

You may visit the fund website by clicking here or going to https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/YCChoralFund22.

Among the three new members added to the Foundation Board was Spectrum Healthcare Chief Executive Officer April Rhodes  from the Verde Valley.  Verde Valley’s Valerie Wood was elected to another one-year term as Foundation Chair

Foundation President Valerie Wood

The Yavapai Community College Foundation announced in a May 19 press release that it had added three new members at its May meeting:  The three new members added were:  Spectrum Healthcare Chief Executive Officer April Rhodes; Dr. Linda Mast, Associate Dean for the School of Health Sciences from Northcentral University; and APS Executive Jeff Spohn.  Valerie Wood was also elected to another one-year term as Foundation president.

Both Ms. Wood and Ms. Rhode have roots in the Verde Valley. 

“It is an honor to be a part of the Yavapai College Foundation leadership, especially during its 50th Anniversary,” YCF Board President Valerie Wood said. “I look forward to continuing the momentum in support of Yavapai College by enhancing educational, cultural, social, and economic opportunities in our community.”

New Board Member April Rhodes  has a master’s of advanced study in marriage and family therapy from Arizona State University and a master’s of business administration from University of Arizona. She is a licensed associate marriage and family therapist. She is chairperson for the Arizona Council of Human Service Providers and holds seats on the Yavapai County Board of Health, Prevent Child Abuse Arizona, Health Current and Mental Health Corporation of America.

In off hours, she spends time with her children, Alina, Tony and Logan. Her husband, David, was recently elected Yavapai County Sheriff.

New Board member Dr. Linda Mast is  Associate Dean for the School of Health Sciences from Northcentral University.  Northcentral University was founded in 1996 with the goal of offering higher education to working professionals around the world, and is an affiliate of the private, nonprofit National University System based in La Jolla, California. All of its courses are offered on-line.

Dr. Mast holds a Nursing degree from the University of Maryland; an MBA, with a health care concentration, from Western New England University; and a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Jeff Spohn is an  18-year employee of Arizona Public Service. He is an APS Director of Distribution Operations and Maintenance. He has worked with the Prescott Valley Economic Development Foundation, the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Yavapai County. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forest Resource Management from West Virginia University.

Grew Yavapai Community College Foundation over ten years to $16 million before resigning in December 2020; largest endowment of its kind among community colleges in Arizona

Paul Kirchgraber

The Prescott Unified School District (PUSD) Education Foundation announced that it selected Paul Kirchgraber as its new Executive Director. Kirchgraber replaces Tami Phillips who resigned the position in December.

Kirchgraber resigned his position at the Yavapai Community College Foundation in December 2020.  During his ten-year service to the Community College, he helped grow the foundation’s endowment to $16 million. This made  it the largest endowment of its kind among individual community colleges in Arizona.

Throughout his career, Kirchgraber has served in senior level development roles with organizations such as the University of Southern California (USC), Arizona State University Foundation (ASU), American Red Cross, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America and Special Olympics.

As a former adjunct professor at two universities, Kirchgraber designed and taught courses in grant writing, public administration and public relations. He is a frequent contributor at national fundraising conferences conducting workshops on a variety of nonprofit topics.

Source:  Prescott Unified School District (PUSD) Education Foundation press release January 19, 2021.

Total of $17,480 donated; goal was to raise $15,000

The on-line crowdfunding campaign for the Southwest Wine Center set a goal of raising $15,000.  When it ended the campaign  November 15, it had exceeded its goal by $2,480.  According to a report from the fundraising  website, there were 32 donors who contributed to the effort.

Cyber-thieves apparently made  a  ransomware attack; attack discovered but not before some of donor/alumni  data was exposed

The Yavapai Community College Foundation was recently  made aware that its third-party vendor, Blackbaud,  who stores alumni and donor data, “discovered and stopped a ransomware attack, but not before some of its data was exposed.”

The data possibly taken by the cyber-thieves was that of donors and alumni. 

The ransomware attack occurred between February 7, 2020, and May 20, 2020. On July 16, 2020, Blackbaud, Inc. notified the Foundation that it had experienced the ransomware attack.

Following below is a statement from the Director of the Foundation that contains details of the incident. It was obtained by the Blog August 19, 2020.

In keeping with our commitment to transparency, the following notice is being provided to all Yavapai College Foundation constituents who may be potentially affected by a data breach.

Yavapai College and the YC Foundation were recently made aware that one of our vendors experienced a data security incident that involved information related to our alumni and donors. We take information security and the proper use of any information we collect very seriously. The information below explains the incident and data involved (as explained to us), and best practices on what you can do to protect yourself.

What Happened?

On July 16, 2020, Blackbaud, Inc. notified us it had experienced a security incident. Blackbaud is one of the largest providers of customer relationship management systems and is used by 25,000 non-profits and higher education institutions worldwide.

Presently, our understanding is that the vendor discovered and stopped a ransomware attack, but not before some of its data was exposed. According to Blackbaud, the bad actor obtained the data to extort funds from the company. This incident occurred sometime between February 7, 2020, and May 20, 2020.

Blackbaud has been working with law enforcement, and they believe the data has been destroyed by the cybercriminal, and no data was shared with other parties. The company has retained the services of data security experts to monitor the dark web as a precautionary measure and reports it has not seen any indication of the data being shared on that medium. Blackbaud’s official statement may be viewed at https://www.blackbaud.com/securityincident (please note that this link will take you to the Blackbaud website). The vendor has put in place measures to prevent something like this from happening in the future.

What Information was Involved in the Incident?

Blackbaud informed us that the cybercriminal did not access credit card information, bank account information, or social security numbers. However, the data may have contained general information such as names, contact information, and relationship history (e.g., gift history, membership information) with the YC Foundation.

What is Yavapai College and the YC Foundation doing?

We are notifying you out of an abundance of caution. The safety of your data is of the utmost importance to us. We are working with Blackbaud as it investigates the issue further so we can properly understand what information has been potentially exposed. Because of the number of institutions involved, it has taken the vendor additional time to share specific details with each entity. We will share further information with impacted constituents as needed and appropriate.

What can you do?

We consider this incident as another reason for you to remain vigilant and monitor your accounts for suspicious activity. Also, we would recommend heightened awareness related to email phishing campaigns. Please note that Yavapai College and the YC Foundation will not ask for any sensitive information via an unsolicited email or phone call. For your convenience, a list of helpful resources is below:

How to Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams

• https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams

• https://www.occ.gov/topics/consumers-and-communities/consumer-protection/fraud-resources/phishing-attack-prevention.html

10 Things You Can Do to Avoid Fraud

• https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0060-10-things-you-can-do-avoid-fraud

Credit Reports

• You can obtain a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies once every 12 months at http://www.annualcreditreport.com, calling toll-free 877-322-8228, or completing an Annual Credit Report Request Form and mailing it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348.

More Information

The protection of your information is taken very seriously by the YC Foundation. Please know that this data breach wasn’t the result of the YC Foundation’s carelessness or neglect, but rather a cyber attack on our database vendor.

We are sorry this incident involving our vendor occurred and regret any inconvenience it may cause you. Hopefully, your trust and support of the Foundation is reassured due to our prompt response and transparency.

Should you have any further questions or concerns regarding this matter, please contact the YC Foundation at foundation@yc.edu.

Regards,

Paul Kirchgraber
Executive Director
Yavapai College Foundation