VYP Board of Directors

1. What’s your favorite thing to do in Phoenix and why?
   My favorite thing to do in Phoenix is go to spring training games and any events/festivals in the springtime!
2. What is your favorite local restaurant?
   Cien Agaves, Gadzooks and The Henry
3. What is your hometown?
   Scottsdale, AZ
4. What is one of your current favorite shows or movies?Chicago Med, rewatching 24, Topgun: Maverick, any Marvel/Avengers movie!
5. If you had a month of free time to learn a new hobby, what would it be?
   Get back into rock climbing
6. What’s your favorite movie theatre candy or snack?
   Cookie dough bites and popcorn
7. If you were handed a plane ticket to fly anywhere in the world, where would you go?
   Italy
8. What was your dream profession growing up?
   Being a teacher!
9. Who in your life has inspired you most?
   My mother and father has inspired me the most! They inspire me to keep going, not give up and follow my passions.
10. What inspires you to be involved with groups like VYP, outside of your normal work responsibilities?
    I am eager to contribute to the overall mission of Valley Young Professionals to drive positive change in my home state. I am excited to join the board, strengthen my leadership skills and lead as a young, female changemaker and entrepreneur. I care deeply about my hometown and want to dedicate my time to inspire and bring together diverse leaders across the valley to become changemaker and trailblazers on societal issues.

What are you hoping to gain from your experience as a new VYP Board member?

I’m hoping to continue to support VYP’s mission by building relationships, assisting in professional development events, and become a positive change maker in our business community. I’m very passionate about mentorship and professional development and helping people achieve their goals. In my professional career, I’ve learned that you cannot expect to advance without training your replacement – so in that sense, I think if I can help develop the future business leaders in the Valley, that would be a significant beneficial gain from my experience as a new VYP Board member.

What opportunities do you see in the future for young professionals in the Valley?

In the recent pandemic, employers were forced to allow employees to work remotely. This did prove to have some success in productivity for most businesses – however, some employees may continue to find remote work a more viable arrangement. Overall, this has changed the business environment and community in comparison to the pre-pandemic model. I think the opportunity for the young professionals in the Valley is to attend the in-person events and take advantage of the access to networking opportunities, educational programs, volunteer projects and behind-the-scene tours. These opportunities will help the young participants learn, grow and develop professionally in their careers.

What experiences and perspectives do you bring to the board that you hope will be valuable to the Valley Young Professionals group?

With more than eight years of public accounting experience, I’ve primarily focused on serving the financial and compliance needs of Native American tribes. As an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, I see the underrepresentation of minorities in the business community. While most people mechanically think of gaming as the primary economic engine for tribes, there is more revenue sources and economic impact than most people realize – e.g. hospitality, construction, and land development. By bringing a diverse perspective on the economic outlook for the State of Arizona and Greater Phoenix Metropolitan, I hope to broaden the VYP and Chamber’s awareness and ensure the commitment to reinforced diversity.

Submit one FUN FACT about you!

A: FUN FACT – I’m a Swiftie!

What are you hoping to gain from your experience a new VYP Board member?

While contributing to the overall mission of VYP, I am excited to join the board as a young professional to gain new skills, strengthen old ones, and build new connections.

What opportunities do you see in the future for young professionals in the Valley?

I see new opportunities for young professionals to engage in important conversations around equal pay, specifically for women and women of color. Other opportunities I see are to include more volunteering opportunities with nonprofit organizations serving the valley and creating a more inclusive organization to include professionals from all backgrounds/career spaces.

What experiences and perspectives do you bring to the board that you hope will be valuable to the Valley Young Professionals group?

Coming from the non-profit world prior to my current role, I can bring creative ways to VYP to create a larger community impact by engaging professionals through volunteering while still allowing for new connections to be made. I care deeply about giving back to my community and when I see a need, I like to find fun and new ways to make change for the betterment of others.

Submit one FUN FACT about you! 

I lived in the Bronx for 2 years, post college, serving low-income seniors and only lived on $280/month! While in New York, I learned to travel on a budget and was able to attend live tapings of over 5 well-known TV’s shows, including SNL!

1. What’s your favorite thing to do in Phoenix and why?
   I love to try new restaurants!
2. What is your favorite local restaurant?
   The Rokerij
3. What is your hometown?
   Hesperia, CA
4. What is one of your current favorite shows or movies?
   My favorite movie/show of all time is the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice. My go-to show is the Challenge.
5. If you had a month of free time to learn a new hobby, what would it be?
   Gardening
6. What’s your favorite movie theatre candy or snack?
   Popcorn
7. If you were handed a plane ticket to fly anywhere in the world, where would you go?
   Any city in Italy that has a beautiful winery and homemade pasta!
8. What was your dream profession growing up?
   A chef
9. Who in your life has inspired you most?
   My Dad! He is the epitome of patience and kindness and I am always striving to be more like him.
10. What inspires you to be involved with groups like VYP, outside of your normal work responsibilities?
    The COVID pandemic changed the workplace for many young professionals. I joined VYP because believe that young professionals (including myself) need networking opportunities more than ever as we return to our versions of the new normal.

What are you hoping to gain from your experience a new VYP Board member?

I would love to fine tune my knowledge and skillsets as they pertain to helping large groups understand and consider multiple perspectives, adapt/change accordingly, and continuously progress.

What opportunities do you see in the future for young professionals in the Valley?

I believe young professionals will have more opportunity to impact the factors that play into Phoenix’s business and cultural landscape, legislation, etc. especially as it pertains to the migration and growth of influential and innovative organizations.

What experiences and perspectives do you bring to the board that you hope will be valuable to the Valley Young Professionals group?

I’m confident that my backgrounds in world-class athletics, military service and enterprise business development, as well as being a POC, will provide unique perspectives and approaches to solving complex problems and creating an environment of comradery, diversity and collaboration.

Submit one FUN FACT about you!  

For a short time, I was a professional fighter for the UFC.

Brittney Effner is a management consulting professional specializing in project management (PM), organizational change management (OCM), and current state analysis. She has experience in various industries, including utilities, financial services, and human resources. Her notable projects include leading training evaluations and assessments for a utility client, developing end-user training for Transmission Operations, and co-leading data conversion and software implementation for a banking client. Brittney holds a BA in Corporate Communications and Public Affairs from Southern Methodist University.

What are you hoping to gain from your experience as new VYP Board member?

Working on the VYP Board of Directors will allow me to help give back to the community while creating lasting relationships that will help improve our local theatre industry for years to come.

What opportunities do you see in the future for young professionals in the Valley?

Opportunities are always there, sometimes we just need to look a little harder for them. Being able to get out and interact with other businesses and professionals while networking is key to cultivating new chances which might not have existed before.

What experiences and perspectives do you bring to the board that you hope will be valuable to the Valley Young Professionals group?

Coming from the performing arts industry, I bring a uniquely creative perspective on many issues and matters pertaining to business, arts, and culture. With my experience in arts leadership, I feel we can all shift to look at VYP from a more broaden lens.

Submit one FUN FACT about you! 

I am color blind.

What are you hoping to gain from your experience as a new VYP Board member?

I am truly excited for this opportunity to serve as a VYP Board member.  I am most looking forward to helping current and incoming Board members develop and implement the vision of the Board, including providing VYP members with highly effective and entertaining professional development opportunities throughout the year.  I am also looking forward to establishing a new partnership between VYP and U.S. Veteran organizations in the Valley to provide additional opportunities for U.S. Veterans to transition from military to civilian professions.

What opportunities do you see in the future for young professionals in the Valley?

To be cliché, the sky’s the limit! The economic growth and performance in this state and this city are some of the best in the nation, and the Valley continues to see the benefits of the company investments and new jobs that stem from that.  Now more than ever, young professionals in the Valley have numerous channels and opportunities to market their skills and services in an environment that reflects a high demand for them.

What experiences and perspectives do you bring to the board that you hope will be valuable to the Valley Young Professionals group?

I have lived and worked in many places around the United States and around the world, including spending my youth in Germany and Romania and later serving in the U.S. military in South Korea and Afghanistan.  These experiences have instilled in me a profound respect for, and a deeper appreciation of, the importance of diversity in all forms (g., nationality, ethnicity, culture, gender, thought) to incorporating programs that benefit an entire community and not just a small subset of that community.  I intend to rely on these experiences to help ensure that VYP continues to represent and have a positive impact on the entire Valley professional community.

Submit one FUN FACT about you! 

I love travelling internationally and have visited about forty countries and all seven continents.

What are you hoping to gain from your experience a new VYP Board member?

As a new member of the VYP Board, I am excited to engage and get more deeply connected to other prominent business professionals across various industries throughout our community. Phoenix is a vastly growing and rapidly evolving business community, so I look forward to serving our community through this new role.

What opportunities do you see in the future for young professionals in the Valley?

As a young, emerging professional here in the valley, I see us in a very unique position – we serve as both mentees and mentors to many, and together, we are making great contributions to the growing business community. As a board member, I aspire to strengthen the network of young professionals across Phoenix, bring more professional and leadership development opportunities to this demographic, and inspire these leaders to mentor and encourage the up-and-coming generation entering the workforce behind us.

What experiences and perspectives do you bring to the board that you hope will be valuable to the Valley Young Professionals group?

As a professional in higher education and an advocate for workforce development, I enjoy learning and knowing as much as I can about all industries and professions. As a performance psychologist by trade, I also thoroughly enjoy all things leadership and professional development, and helping others reach peak performance within their roles.

Submit one FUN FACT about you!

I am married with three young kiddos ages 2, 4 and 6 – so needless to say – I don’t sleep much!

1. What’s your favorite thing to do in Phoenix and why?  
   Try new restaurants. There are new restaurants that are popping up all over town! I especially like to go to other smaller cities in Arizona to try restaurants in areas I wouldn’t go to on a day to day. It gives me an excuse to take a few staycations.
2. What is your favorite local restaurant?
   Carolina’s Mexican Restaurant
3. What is your hometown?
   Pullman, Washington
4. What is one of your current favorite shows or movies?
   New Girl is my favorite show of all time but I also really love The Office. Favorite movie – that’s a really hard one – but I love a good rom-com (Pretty Woman is one of my top favorite movies for sure).
5. If you had a month of free time to learn a new hobby, what would it be?
   I really love to sing – I want to learn how to play the piano so I can learn to sing in tune.
6. What’s your favorite movie theatre candy or snack?
   Popcorn and gummy bears
7. If you were handed a plane ticket to fly anywhere in the world, where would you go?
   I would pretend it is a really long ticket with multiple destinations over multiple months so I would go to Hawaii, India and the Dominican Republic.
8. What was your dream profession growing up?
   To be a veterinarian. I love animals.
9. Who in your life has inspired you most?
   My mom. She was always so resilient and fearless. She always had a way of inspiring change and helping others in ways that I really admired.
10. What inspires you to be involved with groups like VYP, outside of your normal work responsibilities?
    Getting involved in the VYP has been a tremendous opportunity for me to meet some of the best people in Phoenix. Because of that, I have experienced opportunities I would not have had the opportunity to experience without the VYP. I have met incredible leaders and changemakers within the VYP Board and VYP members, but also through the Chamber staff and Chamber members (local companies) in the Greater Phoenix area. If you think joining the VYP will help you with building your business and expanding your networks, you’d be right. But, joining the VYP has also provided me with incredible opportunities with phenomenal people – you just don’t get that with any young professionals group – that inspires me to get involved, you never know who you’ll meet or what you’ll experience next!

1. What is your favorite local restaurant?
   The Parlor or Clever Koi
2. What is your hometown?
   Phoenix! I’m 5th generation Arizonian. 
3. What is one of your current favorite books?
   Chasing the Scream by Johann Hari. It’s an investigative journalistic look at the history of the war on drugs.
4. If you had a month of free time to learn a new hobby, what would it be?
   Rather than learn a new hobby, I would want to spend a month honing my woodworking skills. I currently build furniture, but I would love to be able to remodel a whole house by myself one day.
5. What inspires you to be involved with groups like VYP, outside of your normal work responsibilities?
   The ability to connect with like-minded people across industries, ranks, and professions. But mostly, I enjoy connecting people who together can make great ideas come to fruition.

1. What’s your favorite thing to do in Phoenix and why?
   My favorite thing to do in Phoenix is exploring new restaurants and bars with family and friends. There’s so many new places to try and I’ve barely scratched the surface!
2. What is your favorite local restaurant?
   This is a tough question, but I will say that I’m currently craving mariscos from Playa Hermosa on 16^th and Garfield.
3. What is your hometown?
   Rockford, IL
4. What is one of your current favorite shows or movies?
   I know I’m late to the party, but I just finished the Dynasty series on Netflix.
5. If you had a month of free time to learn a new hobby, what would it be?
   If I had a month of free time, I would work on my salsa and bachata skills. I love watching the pros on the dance floor who make it seem so effortless.
6. What’s your favorite movie theatre candy or snack? Popcorn
7. If you were handed a plane ticket to fly anywhere in the world, where would you go?
   It’s next on my bucket list!
8. What was your dream profession growing up?
   My dream profession growing up was to become an Obstetrician.
9. Who in your life has inspired you most?
   My mom. She was a single mom of three children, juggled a career, and made it to most of our sporting/school events.
10. What inspires you to be involved with groups like VYP, outside of your normal work responsibilities?
    I truly enjoy being around like-minded individuals who not only seek to grow both personally and professionally, but lift others to help them succeed as well.

Lauren is the Director of Community Engagement at the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC). She is an experienced fundraising professional specializing in building meaningful relationships with corporations and foundations, managing grant strategies, and leading a team focused on volunteer support, community outreach, and legacy giving. Lauren is a collaborative leader who actively works alongside her team to advance SARRC’s mission in the community.

Currently, Lauren serves as President of the Greater Arizona Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She previously held the roles of President-Elect in 2023 and Co-Chair of the Professional Mentoring Program in 2021 and 2022. In 2023, Lauren completed Valley Leadership’s Catalyze Program and contributes as a collaborator for the Housing and Healthy Neighborhoods Impact Maker team.

Before joining SARRC, Lauren was the Major Gifts Officer and Director of Development for Corporate Giving at United Cerebral Palsy Heartland. Prior to her transition to the nonprofit sector, she worked as a Registered Nurse Case Manager on the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Barnes Jewish Hospital and provided inpatient care on the Neurology and Neurosurgery Unit at Mercy Hospital-St. Louis.

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Lauren moved to Phoenix in December 2018. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Missouri-Columbia and earned a master’s degree in public health from the University of Arizona in 2017. After moving to Arizona, she transferred her nursing license and, in November 2020, obtained the Certified Fund Raising Executive designation.

Lauren resides in Mesa, Arizona, with her husband Jeff, daughter Lily, and their dog Scout. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis and spending quality time with her family.