NONPROFIT EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
MICHELLE MOORHEAD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TEEN LIFELINE
Moorhead has tirelessly worked to prevent teen suicide during her 30-year tenure at Teen Lifeline. As a result of her dedicated and inspired leadership, thousands of youth have called Teen Lifeline’s hotline, talked to a trained teen peer volunteer and found hope, a compassionate listener, connections to life-changing resources, and found the strength to stay alive. Moorhead oversaw Teen Lifeline’s evolution from a program at a large behavioral health facility to its current status as an independent 501(c) (3) organization and an Arizona Qualifying Charitable Organization. She shepherded Teen Lifeline from being a hotline-based program to now having an expanding suicide education and prevention program in schools across Arizona. In 2018, Teen Lifeline’s prevention staff saw more than 334,000 people, up from 115,000 people in 2017.
30 | AzBusiness Angels
DANIEL OPENDEN BECKY RUFFNER PRESIDENT AND CEO SOUTHWEST AUTISM RESEARCH & RESOURCE CENTER (SARRC)
As a young researcher at a world-renowned autism center in California, Openden saw firsthand the progress children with autism could make when guided by evidence-based science. More than 20 years later, that same sense of hope is the cornerstone of his work with SARRC, which under his visionary leadership, proves that children, teens and adults with autism can make meaningful progress and achieve extraordinary outcomes every day when guided by best practice models. Since Openden began his tenure as president and CEO in July 2013, SARRC has achieved national recognition for its efforts to build inclusive communities — PBS NewsHour named Phoenix “the most autism-friendly city in the world” — and the nonprofit has doubled its staff and revenues.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PREVENT CHILD ABUSE ARIZONA Ruffner is the rare visionary who can both perceive bigpicture needs and implement detailed solutions. She is also a galvanizing leader who inspires positive action in service of children and families. Ruffner founded PCA Arizona in 1989 when she saw the critical need for “upstream” services that could prevent child maltreatment before it occurs, rather than solely focus on the aftermath of abuse and neglect. Under her leadership, PCA Arizona now serves more than 60,000 children, families and community professionals annually. In her 30 years leading PCA Arizona, Ruffner has united child welfare professionals, behavioral health specialists, community leaders, educators, parents, foster parents, Court-Appointed Special Advocates, judges, attorneys, and law enforcement to work more effectively to prevent and address child maltreatment.