Annual Meeting 2023 Voting

Phoenix Zoo Nominating Committee | Proxy Form

Required Question(s)

Proxy Form:

If you wish to have your vote recorded, please complete the proxy form below. Your vote will be forwarded to the Arizona Center for Nature Conservation and recorded. Only one (1) vote per membership will be accepted.

The membership vote presented by this proxy will be voted at the meeting or any adjournment thereof only if the proxy is received no later than November 27, 2023.

Your membership ID constitutes as your signature.

Annual Meeting Voting 2023

New Nominees

Avery Crossman
Avery Crossman grew up in Phoenix going to her favorite place, the Phoenix Zoo. (She even had her 6th birthday party there). Her true passion is animals; animals of all shapes and sizes. She has spent many years volunteering for animal causes so joining the Zoo Board was a natural fit. She is devoted to the conservation and preservation of all species for future generations. She loves looking into the eyes of animals and seeing their pure beauty. Avery Crossman has been practicing Arizona Worker’s Compensation law exclusively since 1994. Ms. Crossman is a State Bar Certified Worker’s Compensation Specialist and is past Co-Chair of the State Bar Worker’s Compensation Section. She has served as a faculty member at the State Bar Seminar on Professionalism and was formally a Judge Pro Tempore for the Maricopa County Superior Court. In her spare time, Ms. Crossman loves to travel in what she calls “Animal Tourism.” She plans trips around the nation to volunteer at various animal sanctuaries. She also has two dogs that call her “mom.”
Kristin Hartman
Kristin Hartman is a fourth generation Japanese-American Arizona native and so proud to raise awareness about wildlife conservation. Her most cherished childhood memories include frequent visits to the zoo with her family and friends. Raising three children of her own has given her a new perspective and the opportunity to continue the legacy and traditions of her childhood at the Phoenix Zoo. She has a background in marketing and development and dedicates much of her time to philanthropy and her three children. She is passionate about traveling the world with her family, allowing exposure to new cultures and wildlife. Trips to Kauai, Ireland, Costa Rica and Japan have contributed to showing firsthand the importance of wildlife conservation to our future generation. She graduated from the U of A with a degree in Marketing and received an MBA from Long Beach State. She worked in college athletics for almost ten years in fundraising and development, including the Sun Devil Club and ASU Foundation. She has been blessed with three beautiful children, Emeri (12), RJ (10) and Rori (8) and is married to Ryan, founder of Avenue North. In her spare time she enjoys playing golf, tennis, hiking, traveling, cooking, dancing, swimming and working out with her family. She is currently a committee co-chair of the Heart Ball for the American Heart Association (since 2020), 2022 winner and 2023 co-chair of Dancing with the Stars for the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona, donors to Child Crisis, Phoenix Rescue Mission and Impact Church.
Rob Mawk
Rob Mawk is a Managing Director - Advisor Trading Technology at Charles Schwab, and possesses nearly 30 years of information technology delivery experience, including leadership of 300+ person organizations and yearly financial budgets in excess of $40M. As an Arizona native, Rob grew up routinely visiting the Phoenix Zoo. He experience living/working overseas exposed him to international approaches to conservation, zoos and ecological studies, including the Mandai Wildlife Reserve and Periyar Tiger Reserve. Rob holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arizona. He has held leadership positions with nonprofit organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America Grand Canyon Council, the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy and the McDowell Mountain Little League. He enjoys mountaineering, hiking, skiing, trail & road running, as well as planning backpacking trips which encourage his friend/family to experience and to conserve the remaining wilderness.
Desmond Wilson
Desmond Wilson got involved in wildlife conservation and education shortly after he became a father in 2013. It was through the process of nurturing a newborn that he realized not only how fragile life is but how he needed to do his part to ensure future generations can enjoy wildlife. Growing up on the small Pacific Island of Guam created his insatiable need to explore and experience the Earth. Through extensive travels around the world, he has had the opportunity to experience all sorts of wildlife and cultures. Desmond has always been fascinated with the experiences offered by zoos and is excited to contribute to that aspect. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Global Business Management from Arizona State University. Desmond spends most of his work time helping entrepreneurs build or expand their companies. He exclusively works on ventures and solutions that have a positive impact and are meaningful to his goals. Desmond is married to his beautiful wife (Jessica), they have three young sons, and a backyard filled with various critters. His sons Jadon, Jason, and Jaxon inspire him to do better every day. Jessica is the support structure that makes it all happen.

Returning Nominees

Marty Barrett
Marty is the owner of 12thRound FIT Boxing gym and training program. He and his team of USA certified boxing coaches strive to improve people's health and well-being by guiding them through whole body training that challenges individuals to "go the distance" in their workouts. Boxing has always been a passion of Marty's. For over 30 years, the fight game has provided Marty with the opportunities to fight competitively and work out with and around 12 champions from Mike Tyson to Floyd Mayweather Junior. Under the tutelage of Hall of Fame fighter and trainer, Floyd Mayweather Senior, Marty has developed highly regarded teaching skills. With the understanding that not everyone wants to be heavyweight champion of the world, Marty teaches "The Sweet Science" to all ages and body types, in a way that is fun and educational, while getting a great workout.
Jean Bingham
Jean grew up in Hudson, Wisconsin, a small town located on the banks of the scenic upper St. Croix River about 30 minutes from Minneapolis/St. Paul. She studied biology and political science at the University of Wisconsin, before finishing her degree at the University of Minnesota. Jean and Barry have been married for over 44 years. They spent the early years of their marriage in the frozen northland of Minneapolis before moving to several other cities during the course of Jean’s career as a banking executive, including Oklahoma City, Phoenix, New York City, Charlotte, San Francisco, and Atlanta. She and Barry fulfilled a lifelong dream of retiring to Scottsdale in 2006. Jean’s passions have always included plants and animals, and there have always been multiple dogs in the Bingham family. She has extended this passion to the Phoenix Zoo where she has always wanted to volunteer since becoming a member in 1987. She hopes to add value to the Board’s efforts by applying her 35 years of business and executive experience in operations, sales, and financial management.
Larry Fink
Larry Fink received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration in 1981, with options in Accounting and Finance from California State University, Northridge. He is a real estate broker, investor and developer for nearly four decades in metro Phoenix. He has owned and managed over 20 real estate related companies. Larry served three years as a board member of the Arcadia Camelback Homeowner’s Association, three years as the President of the Villa Palo Verde Homeowner’s Association and ten years as the Treasurer of the Finisterre Homeowner’s Association. He served as the Treasurer and a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors at Temple Solel and was the Treasurer of the FBI Citizens Academy for four years. Larry also served for several years as an armed posseman for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and was the Co-Chairman of the Paradise Valley Police Department Volunteer Program. He has been a resident in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley for 40 years. Larry is married to a psychologist, and they have two sons, ages 16 and 18. He was first appointed to the ACNC Board in June 2007 and served the full term of 9 years, and has rejoined the Board in September of 2020.
Julie Gable
Julie is the CEO and Founder of BusinessWhys, LLC, a management and IT consultancy that focuses on the WHY to drive ROI. Having spent her entire career in technical and business consulting, she has held leadership positions at Fortune 500 companies (as an Accenture Executive) as well as smaller companies, most recently as COO of TBConsulting in Scottsdale, AZ. Her core capability is driving operational excellence by leveraging her leadership experience in business and technical strategy, product/service development & management, HR, service delivery, customer success, sales, marketing, and portfolio management. Her technical experience includes all roles within the software development lifecycle, building and leading high-performance technical and functional teams, quality assurance, ServiceNow, and project management. In recognition of her commitment to the recruitment and advancement of women in technology, she received AZ Big Media’s Most Influential Women in Arizona (Trailblazer) award in 2021 and Phoenix Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business award in 2022. In her current role, she is fueled by helping clients tackle large, unstructured business objectives and organize them into defined and manageable work units, driving sustained growth. A life-long nature lover, Julie enjoys doing just about anything outside with her husband, two daughters, and dogs.
John C. Norling
Mr. Norling is a Shareholder Attorney at the law firm Gallagher & Kennedy. For over three decades, John has advised businesses, business owners, and individuals on all aspects of their operations, from day-to-day operations to strategic planning. His substantive practice includes commercial transactions, real estate, business organizations, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, federal and administrative compliance, business contract negotiations, and advertising compliance. As part of his practice, John serves as general counsel to the Arizona Automobile Dealers’ Association, Valley Chevrolet Dealers Advertising Association, Valley Honda Dealers Marketing Association, Tucson Chevy Dealers Local Marketing Association, and several other industry-related associations.
Steve Ochoa
As Silver Fern Companies’ new leader, Stephen brings hands-on construction experience and strong oversight in providing cost effective solutions to clients. His passion for demolition and construction started during his time spent in the United States Marine Corps. Stephen enlisted right out of high school and served with 1st Marine Combat Engineer Battalion stationed at Camp Pendleton, San Clemente, California. During his time, he served in “Operation Restore Hope” which allowed him to see a different kind of life in Mogadishu, Somalia. He credits the Marines for providing him the skillset to be an effective and dedicated. Prior to his principal role for Silver Fern Companies and Otago Development, Stephen served in a variety of positions within the firms; including Vice President, Director of Construction and Project Manager. Today, Stephen focuses on business operations while overseeing all aspects of current and future projects. His solid, honed industry experience ensures clients receive the best knowledge and foresight-ensuring projects are designed and constructed seamlessly.
Susie Sherman, DVM
Dr. Susie Sherman graduated from Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine in 1995. She spent a year abroad in Kenya on a wildlife game ranch. She serves on the Board of the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago and on the National Council of the World Wildlife Fund. Susie is a member of the AVMA, Chicago VMA, and the ISVMA. She lives in Glencoe, Illinois with her husband, David, five children, two Abyssinian cats, and three dogs (an English Setter, a Flat-coated Retriever, and a Border Terrier). Susie enjoys running, golf, traveling, and sampling local restaurant fare and spending time in her Arizona desert home.
Kris Yamano
Kris Yamano joined Crewe Advisors as a Partner in 2021. She has over 20 years of experience overseeing the strategic development and delivery of customized wealth planning services to high-net-worth families, closely held businesses, and charitable organizations. Kris spent close to a decade in public accounting where she focused on creating sophisticated income, estate and business transition planning strategies for her clients, and leverages that expertise in her current role to provide a holistic approach to wealth management that aligns her client’s financial goals with their life and values. Kris earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA and her JD / MBA from Chapman University. Kris currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Arizona Center for Nature Conservation (Phoenix Zoo). She is also Chair of the Finance Committee for the Board of Directors for the Arizona Council on Economic Education. In the past, Kris has served as a volunteer advocate for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) where she championed the safety and well-being of a child who was a victim of parental abuse and neglect in the dependency court system. Kris resides in Scottsdale with her family and enjoys reading, traveling, and volunteering in the community.
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