Year In Review-2024

This year, we have chosen an individual who has truly made a remarkable impact in our community. As an inspiration to everyone around us, this person demonstrates that anyone can achieve anything with the right mindset and unwavering determination. This year, we are honored to introduce Sandra Moraga, our "Person of the Year" Community Specialist at South32. Sandra's diverse background and exceptional abilities make her a great fit for the position.

Her career has allowed Sandra to work with organizations like the City of Nogales, Esplendor Resort, NUSD, and the Santa Cruz County School Superintendent's Office. These invaluable experiences have not only allowed her to establish significant networking relationships, but have also given her profound insights into our community's dynamics.

She has extensive experience in our community, so she has a deep understanding of its needs and aspirations. This understanding allows her to make significant contributions to promoting and supporting our county. Having exceptional skills in networking, communication, and problem-solving, Sandra has been able to meet the needs of our community and contribute to its growth and success.

The extraordinary contributions she has made to the community and her unwavering commitment make her a deserving recipient of such recognition. We are very proud of her as our person of the year, and we hope to see her continue to make positive contributions to our community.

This year, Arizona@Work took the reins as the host of the highly anticipated event of the year. Their job fair, which has experienced remarkable growth and unwavering popularity, continues to serve as a beacon of hope and opportunity for job seekers and employers in the Santa Cruz County community.

"We are thrilled to announce our return, with an unwavering commitment to delivering an even more impactful event. Our main goal is to connect local employers with job seekers who may not be aware of the abundant employment opportunities available in the area. By facilitating these vital connections within our community and helping restore a sense of normalcy, we are dedicated to contributing to the recovery of the workforce," stated Irasema Olvera, WIOA Director.

In a truly remarkable display of dedication, Santa Cruz County Arizona@Work has surpassed all expectations this year. Going above and beyond the call of duty, they have not only organized the event but have also provided free bus transportation from various locations. Taking full advantage of the diverse opportunities available in Santa Cruz County is made easy with this thoughtful gesture. The Santa Cruz County Arizona@Work shows their unwavering commitment to ensuring seamless and enjoyable experiences for all attendees by removing the potential barriers of transportation. 

We are proud to announce Stephanie Bermudez as our Rising Star of the Year, a remarkable young woman whose vision and passion have been making waves throughout our community. As the CEO and founder of Startup Unidos, Stephanie has dedicated over 15 years to understanding the local culture, forging relationships, and earning the respect and loyalty of individuals and organizations at all levels. Her innovative ideas have led to the creation of cross-border communities that foster collaboration and co-inspiration across national boundaries.

Stephanie not only organizes events, provides training and consulting, and conducts research within the Southern Arizona area, but she also establishes entrepreneurial communities and networks. Her tireless efforts have made a significant impact on the region's business landscape.

Beyond her professional achievements, Stephanie is a single mother with a 21-year-old son. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with friends and prioritizes her health and well-being. Her dedication to both her personal and professional life is truly commendable.

Stephanie's exceptional leadership and contributions have not gone unnoticed. She has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including being named a Top 20 Woman of Impact by Tucson Lifestyle Magazine in February 2020, Minority Business Owner of the Year by Inside Tucson Business Women of Impact in March 2019, and the recipient of the TENWEST Idea Funding Larry Hecker and Sherry Hoskinson Bright Futures Award in October 2018. Additionally, she was honored as the 40 under 40 Woman of the Year by the Arizona Daily Star and Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in December 2016.

Stephanie Bermudez is an inspiration to us all, and we are privileged to have her as our Rising Star of the Year. Her dedication, innovation, and unwavering commitment to building thriving communities serve as a shining example for aspiring entrepreneurs and leaders.

The Border Eco team selected Crossroads Nogales Mission as the recipient of their organization of the year. As a result of exorbitant rents and rising food prices in recent years, a large number of people have faced immense financial challenges. Homelessness is a pervasive issue across the nation, and many families are finding it increasingly hard to make ends meet. The Crossroads Nogales Mission, however, stands out among these distressing circumstances for its unwavering commitment to addressing the needs of these vulnerable families.

Our Crossroads Nogales Mission is dedicated to helping individuals and families who are suffering from addiction, homelessness, and abuse, and is a transformative force in our community. Its uniqueness lies in its status as the only homeless shelter and recovery center in South Central Arizona. Among the services offered by Crossroads Nogales Mission are food and shelter, addiction recovery programs, refuge from domestic violence, spiritual guidance, job placement assistance, and housing support, as well as spiritual guidance.

The Crossroads Nogales Mission's mission lies at the heart of all of our efforts: to transform the lives of homeless and distressed individuals through the Gospel's power of transformation. Ultimately, we want to lead individuals away from the perils of homelessness and addiction, and guide them toward lives that are fulfilling and fulfilling. Crossroads Nogales Mission executive director Alejandra Martinez sums up their mission perfectly stating, "Our goal is to transform people from homelessness and addiction into productive, meaningful lives."

For those in dire circumstances in our community, Crossroads Nogales Mission stands as a beacon of hope. Our unwavering dedication and comprehensive range of services strive to uplift individuals and families, giving them the tools and support they need to overcome adversity and achieve their goals. 

 Congratulations to Elizabeth Weatherbie, this year she was selected for our editorial for people who "echo" in Santa Cruz County. Elizabeth is artistic and passionate about the arts. Her passion for the arts has led Weatherbie to go to great lengths to engage the public. 

Patrons of the Arts, Inc., also known as Hilltop Gallery, is a nonprofit organization headed by Elizabeth Weatherbie. In addition to accounting, she also coordinates events and manages the social media accounts for the organization. 

“Considering how many behind-the-scenes duties are handled every day, it's difficult to pinpoint  one key role within the organization. I mostly make sure everything gets done and on time," said Weatherbie. Elizabeth is a pioneer of the arts who brings passion and dedication to everything she does throughout her career. 

“ My passion for the arts is helping the community come together in many ways whether it’s through painting, music or just art appreciation. I would like to continue to help unite our community in these artistic endeavors. Hilltop Gallery is the only nonprofit art venue in our community. We encourage the arts on all levels and with all ages. We have branched out to not just be visual arts, but to include the performing arts, as well. We also offer art classes to all ages,” said the Executive Vice President. We appreciate your dedication to the arts. 

Congratulations to the Santa Cruz County Superintendent’s Office as they were selected this year for hosting the event of the year! Read Across America is an event that takes place every year within our county. Reading across America is an annual event in which Patricia Barraza, from the superintendent's office, invites over 70 to 90 volunteers to read to every public, private and charter school classroom in the county. "It is incredible to see how important student and adult interaction is during these reading sessions. This year was a little tricky to coordinate because of Covid. We had to conduct the readings in the classrooms virtually. It was so nice to see that even though we were faced with a pandemic and challenges, we still had over 75 volunteers for our event and the students were so pleased to have the guests in their virtual classrooms.”

“These wonderful folks make it possible to be able to provide prizes, trophies, cash rewards and a wonderful reception for our nominees. I am also in charge of hosting the day in which we select our Teacher of the Year. It’s a tedious challenging event and one of the largest ones in the County but it’s so rewarding to see how happy our incredible educators are at the end of the night,” said Barraza.

Patricia organizes the Annual Santa Cruz County Teacher of the Year Awards and Dinner event. It takes seven months to plan it from day one to the day of the event. She first starts with the Kick-off Breakfast, which is mostly a notice to sponsors, donors and school administrators that they are starting with the process of honoring our educators. Barraza is also responsible for seeking sponsors and donors for the event. Thank you for going above and beyond to keep our schools, educators and community connected! The Santa Cruz County Superintendent’s Office kept working throughout the pandemic. Your office proved to be true heroes throughout this pandemic. You showed us how valuable you all are to our community!  

It was difficult to select a candidate for this particular category. Everyone we featured for people who “echo” in Santa Cruz County is unique in their field and own way! We felt as a team people who work in the healthcare industry have gone above and beyond to keep us healthy these past couple of years. As a team we felt, Senior Director of Community Health Services at Mariposa Community Health Center in Nogales, Arizona known to the community as Platicamos Salud (We Talk Health). 

Platicamos Salud is an important extension of Mariposa’s clinical services, connecting referred patients to additional education, support and follow-up that is culturally competent and language appropriate. Offering a variety of ongoing health education classes for all community members in locations easily accessible. Platicamos Salud also provides a critical link to the community via its community-based services that partner with other health and social services to serve families and create systems change.

Molina began her employment at Mariposa in 2004 assisting the Director of Platicamos Salud at that time, Jo Jean Elenes. Within 8 months of her employment, she was promoted to Prevention Manager. During her employment with Mariposa, and prior public health experience working with the Border Health Foundation, she developed and managed federal, state and foundation funded community-based programs at the US-Mexico border. 

Patty manages 34 staff members at the Mariposa Community Health Services. At the two story Sierra building, they have the Health & Social Services staff under the management leadership of Yara Castro. Castro primarily manages the women's programs such as the Well Woman Health Check, Maternal & Child Health and Patient Advocacy.

She has implemented numerous health education programs on breast cancer, diabetes, physical activity and nutrition, HIV/AIDS, tobacco use prevention, asthma, environmental health and maternal child health. Molina designed education and training materials on public and preventative health issues, while establishing numerous community-based projects. 

Mrs. Molina facilitated the development of project organizational structure and leadership. She facilitated group processes among community members to help identify needs, gaps in service, existing resources and response strategies. She also serves as the lead in various research projects at Mariposa Community Health Center.

An initiative she is currently working is helping to manage the pandemic,  while continuing to provide the best care. “Our goal is to keep our patients safe, this continues to be our main priority. We are working closely with our local health department to ensure vaccination to all who wish to receive it while continuing to educate on the importance of keeping themselves safe regardless of having received the vaccine. We continue to encourage people to get vaccinated, wear a mask, wash their hands and practice social distance,” said Molina. 

This why we felt as a team that Mrs. Molina is a rising star in the healthcare industry. Congratulations! We wish you continued success. You showed us how valuable you all are to our community!  

 Congratulations to Lutheran Social Service for being selected as the organization of the year! Our community has continued to benefit from the services and support provided last year by your organization. Despite the pandemic, your organization continued to provide in-home care. Your organization has gone beyond helping those who cannot care for themselves. 

"We put our heart into what we do. Many of our Direct Care Workers have worked with us for more than 15 years. We have an excellent team. The purpose of my position is to support the staff in their work, to connect with the community, and to help people in need. “I enjoy making friends in the community and bringing people together,” said Linda Manjarrez Director of Aging & Disability Services. 

“Our care coordinators make sure to find providers for each referral we get, and of course, to make sure they are a good match. We make sure our clients get the service they need with a worker who provides the best care for them. Our Direct Care Workers provide a variety of services to people in their homes, including personal care, housekeeping services, and so much more” said the Director of Aging & Disability Services.

Lutheran Social Services adjusted to the pandemic by keeping their hours of operation and putting new safety measures in place. We appreciate everything you have done for our vulnerable population throughout this past year. You are and will continue to be "heroes."