Search
DONATE

Board of Directors

The Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence


Officers

President
Julie Euber
CEO
SARSEF

Julie Euber is CEO of SARSEF. In this role, she builds and supports
a strong community of staff, board members, partners, and supporters that can strategically bring SARSEF closer to its mission
of creating Arizona’s next generation of critical thinkers and
problem solvers through science and engineering. Previously, she served as TGen’s Manager of Education and Outreach where she increased the community’s working knowledge of genomics and educated, trained, and inspired the next generation of researchers and physicians. She holds a BA in Anthropology and English with a minor in biology from Indiana University and earned her MA in Anthropology with a focus in Bioarchaeology from Arizona State University.

Julie is an alumna of City Year New York and the American Express Leadership Academy at the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation. She was President of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Phoenix in 2020, received a Tucson 40 under 40 award in 2021, graduated from the Greater Tucson Leadership Lead Tucson program in 2022, and was a Flinn-Brown Fellow with the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership at the Flinn Foundation in 2022. Currently, Julie serves as board president of the Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence, a member of the Leadership Council for ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation, a board member with the Arizona Natural History Museum Foundation, and treasurer of Birdability.

Treasurer
Lisa Murphy
Accounting and Human Resources Director
GCON, Inc.

My personal mission has always been to serve. Starting my career
in the government and nonprofit sectors and then moving to a for profit Construction Company to serve as the VP of Accounting and HR was a big leap later in my career, but it’s been a growth opportunity I couldn’t have fathomed. Find the employer and leaders who match your ethics and personal vision & mission and never stop learning and growing.

GCON is a dynamic, full-service construction management
company serving a diverse portfolio of clients across the US, including high-tech/mission critical to healthcare, education,
office, industrial, retail, and more.

Secretary
Amy Flynn
Technology Continuity and Resiliency, Assistant Vice President
 Wells Fargo

Amy is a technology professional with twenty years of nonprofit experience, touching administration, operations and programs.
After roles in various Arizona nonprofits, including as Head of Technology and COO, she made the jump into work at a for-profit
in fintech. While a tough decision, her service at AZCase allows
her to continue to give back to the Arizona community. In her
free time she enjoys traveling with her two kids and trying to
keep up with a high energy cattle dog.

Board Members


Bethany Taylor
President
Good Works Grant Writing

Early in her career, Bethany Taylor realized that volunteering on the weekends alone did not give her the personal satisfaction she was seeking, so she left her job in the entertainment industry and made the switch to the nonprofit sector – and she has never looked back. For more than 20 years now, Bethany has worked as a fundraiser, starting as a major gifts officer for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, later heading up development for the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Arizona State University, and then serving as the Chief Development Officer for Make-A-Wish® Arizona. In 2011, Bethany launched Good Works Grant Writing as a way to support a variety of nonprofits in their fundraising endeavors. She feels blessed to have had the opportunity to work with dozens of nonprofits since launching the company, helping them fuel their GOOD WORKS in the community. Since its inception, Good Works Grant Writing has secured more than $85 million in government, corporate and foundation grants for our clients. Bethany has earned her Masters in Nonprofit Students from Arizona State University, a bachelor’s in communications and in history from the University of Tennessee, and a certificate in fundraising from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Manny Padia
Recreation Administrator
City of Glendale Parks and Recreation Department

Manny Padia has been playing in parks and recreation for more than 20 years. He’s served as a clinical assistant professor at Arizona State University, has worked in several municipalities and is an adjunct faculty at Glendale Community College. He is currently working in the City of Glendale as a Recreation Administrator.

Manny graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Recreation & Tourism Management and from Northern Arizona University with an M. Ed. in Educational Leadership. He is a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional and served a one-year commitment as an After School Ambassador for the National Afterschool Association.

Kari Taylor
Program Coordinator, Schools
Read Better Be Better

With more than a decade of experience in out-of-school time and youth development, Kari Taylor brings deep expertise in program quality, accreditation, and organizational growth. As a Pathway to Accreditation Guide at the Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence, Kari supports programs across the state in navigating the accreditation process, strengthening sustainability, and meeting high standards of quality. This work includes providing tailored technical assistance, professional development, and guidance on eligibility for enhanced quality rate reimbursements through DES contracts.

Kari currently serves as a Program Coordinator with Read Better Be Better, where they support literacy and leadership programming for youth. This role builds on her extensive experience in youth development through ICAN and Playworks, as well as her background in education, bringing a strong foundation in program quality, SEL, and engaging learning environments to support youth growth and academic success.

Previously, Kari served as Director of Programs at ICAN: Positive Programs for Youth, where they led a diverse portfolio of youth development programs across multiple sites. In this role, she guided long-term strategy, built and coached high-performing teams, strengthened curriculum and data practices, and partnered across departments to align programs with organizational goals, funding requirements, and community needs. Her leadership helped improve program consistency, staff retention, and outcomes for youth and families.

Earlier in her career, Kari held program leadership roles with Playworks Arizona and supported in developing a nationally used afterschool leadership curriculum now implemented in more than 1,200 schools. She also brings experience as an elementary educator, grounding their work in both classroom practice and systems-level thinking.

Kari is passionate about helping afterschool and youth programs thrive by empowering leaders, strengthening operations, and ensuring that high-quality programming is accessible, sustainable, and responsive to the communities it serves.

Stephen Wright
Attorney
Snell and Wilmer

I am a commercial real estate and corporate attorney at Snell and Wilmer with a practice dedicated to guiding clients through complex real estate transactions, development projects, leasing agreements, and the formation of private equity funds and syndication vehicles. I also assist with SEC compliance, ensuring investments meet regulatory standards. As a proud Arizona native and graduate of Saguaro High School, I am deeply connected to the local community and passionate about contributing to its growth through my work. 

Cynthia Garcia
Human Services Supervisor
City of Tempe Kid Zone

Brian Carrico
Director of Programs
ICAN: Positive Programs for Youth

Emeritus Board Members

JoAnne Hilde
Facilitator
The Education Coalition

Ruth Solomon
President
Pima County JTED Governing Board