A life of service
Yuma County women work to improve their communities
Editor’s note: This story first appeared in the September/October edition of BIZ magazine, a publication of the Yuma Sun. Due to the length, the story is being published in several parts. This is the third and last part.
Yuma County is full of women who have chosen to work in public service or in the nonprofit world. They could be working in the private sector, but many of these women have chosen to serve their communities by working in government or holding elected offices.
Some head nonprofit organizations, small and large, whose sole mission is to make the lives of those who live in the community better. They lead employees and members. Many of them have raised a family while doing it, and others still juggle family and work.
In this edition, we profile some of these amazing women. We invite you to get to know them better.
VERONICA SHORR
Veronica Shorr, regional director of Arizona Community Foundation of Yuma, graduated in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in social work and hasn’t looked back since. A few years later she earned a master’s in social work with an emphasis in community development.
Her first public service job was at a domestic violence shelter in Tucson. She soon moved into prevention programs at Child and Family Resources.
What have been the challenges and rewards?
Working in public service means that you work with your heart on your sleeve. The challenges lie in seeing so much need, yet very limited services. Let me tell you this, Yuma County is full of passionate people who wake up every day and decide to make Yuma a better place for all. Seeing their work and their passion for their cause makes me want to work harder to continue to support them.
What advice would you give young people and women interested in public service?
Always make time for yourself. Public service can be overwhelming. It’s one of those jobs that you don’t just forget about at 5 p.m. when the work day ends. It’s something that you carry with you at all times. Self care is so important.
How do you juggle family and work?
Delegate, delegate, delegate! It’s a work in progress for me, but I’m slowly finding that accepting help from others is a-okay! I want to do it all on my own, I can do it all on my own, but I am so lucky I don’t have to. I have a great co-worker who helps lighten my load at work, I have a great partner who helps me with our children and a great family who is always there to support me with dinner, school pickups, girl nights and lovely lunches.
Jenny Torres, community development director for the City of San Luis, has worked for nonprofits and local government in Arizona and California for 15 years.
Why and how did you start?
I started my career in the nonprofit sector 23 years ago, focused on enhancing the lives of low-income residents by providing housing opportunities. As part of my professional growth, I worked for the private sector for eight years in financing and development of affordable housing for low-income communities. This experience triggered my interest to work for the public sector and address a wider range of community needs.
I finally understood that my heart and passion was in the public sector. After 13 years of working in local government, I have been able to obtain financing for infrastructure projects, recruit businesses and engage in civic organizations representing our community.
What have been the challenges and rewards?
One of the biggest challenges in working for the public sector is public perception. Citizens expect the public sector to provide and maintain a good quality of life for its residents. When there is lack of funding, projects experience delays or there is misinformation, citizens lose confidence in the public sector employees. Overcoming the perception with constant communication with its residents and ensuring that professional staff are working in the best interest of the community is key to maintaining trust from citizens.
One of the biggest rewards in working in the public sector is the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our residents. The impact can be through revitalizing downtown, building infrastructure improvements, providing affordable housing and a safe community or enhancing their quality of life. Public employees play a small role in advancing projects and programs that achieve the community vision and affect the lives of every resident in the community.
What advice would you give young girls and women interested in public service?
Education is the foundation for professional growth and key to be competitive in any profession. Set goals and stick to them no matter how much time it takes. When challenges arise, view them as opportunities for professional growth. Participate in civic organizations and above all, hold the public interest first.
Yuma Municipal Court Judge Jeanette Umphress has been in public service in some capacity for more than 35 years.
Why and how did you start?
I started working at the Yuma County Jail in the 1980s. My father was an Arizona highway patrol officer and I needed a good paying job as I had two small children. My next position was with the Colorado Springs County Attorney’s Office as a legal secretary, followed by working at the Yuma County Attorney’s Office. I then went to work for the Yuma Police Department in 1991 as a court liaison officer and ultimately became an employee of the Yuma Municipal Court. I was the head of security for the court for 18 years and then was blessed with being elected as the associate judge for the Yuma Municipal Court in 2011.
What have been the challenges and rewards?
The challenges and rewards – I could go on for hours. The greatest challenge for women in public service is the inherent and ingrained belief in the roles of men and women that are present from birth. Old beliefs and prejudices abound to this day. You have to prove yourself at every step and not let your emotions get in your way. People will say and do very hurtful things, sometimes without even knowing or realizing that they are doing so.
One of the biggest challenges is balancing your work life with your home life. I see this dynamic changing slowly in our society today and it makes me very happy and hopeful that this trend will continue.
The rewards have been greater than I ever could have imagined. I have had a very good life, have raised wonderful productive and confident children, I have had the security of having a steady paycheck and wonderful benefits that come with being a government employee.
I love my position as a judge and I feel that my life has truly been enhanced by the opportunity to serve the community in this position. I have the opportunity to try to steer people in the correct direction, guide them through their challenges and offer advice and encouragement every step of the way.
Being a judge is not only about punishment. It is an integral part of the system, but only a part. There are so many other working cogs that make the system the best in the world.
What advice would you give young girls and women interested in public service?
My advice for young women considering going into public service is GO FOR IT!! Believe in
yourself, because you have wisdom and experiences that will enhance people’s lives, and even if you never know that you changed someone’s life, it is true. Put yourself out there, you will be surprised at all of the love and encouragement you will receive by just trying and having the courage to risk being unsuccessful and to risk being hurt. It will be worth it in the end.
KAREN WATTS
Karen Watts was elected November 2017 to the Yuma City Council by five votes. “This is a personal example of how every vote counts,” she noted. She continues to serve on the council and also on the executive boards of the Yuma
Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Yuma Crossing Heritage National Area.
Why and how did you start?
I got a sense of community with the volunteer hours spent at my children’s grade school. The hours spent with the other families, kids and teachers was a rewarding experience, and I believe it was the
start of the trajectory of my life choices.
In 1998, Amberly’s Place, a family advocacy center for victims of physical or sexual assault, was unable to find a physician willing to help them with forensic medical exams. At that time I was working in pediatrics and understood the need. I was not shy about volunteer work. I was able to step up and complete the training on my own. I have been working with Amberly’s ever since. This work has led me to be more aware of my community and sense of duty.
I continued to work in private practice and added on substance abuse work that eventually led me to providing medical services to the Crossroads Mission detox unit.
This type of work made me more aware of what our community’s advantages and disadvantages are. I have always been aware of what is going on locally and nationally. I always felt women’s voices were lacking in all areas of leadership and government. So
finally I caved to requests to run and put forth my convictions to run for office and not wait for someone else to do it anymore.
I believe in a diverse representation and encourage women to step out of their comfort zone like I did and get more involved in community programs, commissions, boards and politics. Our voices need to be heard more.
What have been the challenges and rewards?
I believe being a positive role model for other girls and women is the best way to encourage others to become interested in public service. I believe my own children have shown an interest in civic pride from learning and, most importantly, enjoying volunteering at an early age.
What advice would you give young girls and women interested in public service?
My biggest advice to young girls/women is to persevere in the goals that matter to you. That has always been my saving grace. No matter what I do in the future, I am very proud and
humbled to serve my community. I hope to continue my public service to the community I love.
Shara Whitehead, director of the Yuma Community Food Bank, first entered public service in the 1970s and recently since 2007.
Why and how did you start?
In 1973 Mary Cordery, then manager of the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce, hired me to be a receptionist and tour guide. As an impressionable young divorced woman with a small daughter to raise, I saw Mary’s ability to create and manage relationships, which is a building block to all things, as a skill that you cannot learn in school.
At this time, the chamber functioned as the hub for all things business, with a robust economic development department along with the Caballeros de Yuma as ambassadors to connect with businesses interested in bringing their industry to Yuma. Tourism was booming with the Caballeros hosting the San Diego Padres spring training and building the Civic Center for baseball, and the tourist dollars flowed into the local economy.
I had several years working with Frank Deason and Jo Thompson with the Yuma County Fair before moving into for-profit business. Years later, Mary and the Caballeros later separated to a standalone 501c6 nonprofit entity and continued to draw tourists but also began the philanthropic side by taking proceeds from events to award to other nonprofits, as well as a scholarship program for local awards.
In 2007, Mary was talking about retirement and asked if I would be interested in working with her until she retired. As the executive director for the Caballeros, she managed every aspect of the organization from event planning to fiscal responsibility for 40-plus years and to this day continues to be an inspiration.
In 2012, the late Mike Ivers, then CEO for the food bank, made me an offer to work with him, and here I am, grateful to all that inspired me to be the best possible servant.
What have been the challenges and rewards?
Revenue vs. donations was a definite challenge, and seeing the positive impact of service into our community continues to motivate me as a reward.
What advice would you give young people and women interested in public service?
The impact of Arizona nonprofits has grown dramatically with over 20,000 organizations, so it is a growing field and worthwhile in so many ways that are not tangible. Remember that you do this in service of others; the byproduct is how you meet the mission of the organization.