Scottsdale film school one of nation’s best

Scottsdale Community College’s School of Film and Theatre is consistently rated as one of the best film schools in the country by magazines like MovieMaker and Variety. Meet Amanda Embry, chair of the department and the woman directing that success. As Arizona’s film industry expands, Amanda’s students are filling a much-needed pipeline of jobs for the future. Her work is helping SCC, whose alumni include actor Bill Hader, boost the state’s reputation as a premier movie-making destination.

Meet the woman behind Scottsdale’s Riot

Lissa Druss, who leads communications and government relations efforts for the Riot Hospitality Group, brings an amazing career record to her work in Scottsdale. She has nine Emmy Awards for her three decades of work as a broadcast journalist. She then founded a national crisis communications firm and now leads Riot’s lineup of high-level nightlife and restaurant venues in Scottsdale and four other cities. Tune in and find out why she also won The Order of the Star of Italy.

Jason Richardson is the founder of Bad Birdie Golf, a company known for its vibrant and unique golf apparel. The path that led him there started when he was 12 and introduced to golf as a caddy at Forest Highlands. Along the way, he came up with the idea of building a business around golf apparel, which lead to an appearance on Shark Tank and now has resulted in a solid business based in his hometown of Scottsdale. Whether you’re are skilled player or not, Jason has found a way to make everyone look good on the golf course.

Diana and David Vowels have launched Pet Ortho Braces, a Scottsdale company that provides compassionate care for pets. Specializing in custom orthotic braces, they offer non-surgical treatment options for dogs suffering from torn canine cruciate ligament injuries. They also produce a range of other braces, prosthetics, and wheelchairs for various pets, including horses. Their innovative solutions help pets regain their mobility and lead healthier lives and bring comfort and peace of mind to their owners.

Nathan Slater, the district athletic director for the Scottsdale Unified School District, is nearing the end of a 30-year career in the school system. His roots go deep. He is an SUSD graduate who returned to spend a remarkable career in a number of positions with the district, with the last overseeing athletics for all the district’s schools. He has always made core values and academic standards the priority for his student athletes and those values no doubt will continue long after his retirement.

With two business degrees from ASU, J.D. Hill was ready to join the business world after graduation when he discovered that his true passion was farming. As he started looking for options in that field, he learned of the food recycling business. Soon, he started composting recycled food in his back yard and … fast forward … today it’s a business with 20 employees that recycles 12,000 pounds of food waste per day from 150 commercial and 3,500 residential customers, with lots of them in Scottsdale. Check out his impressive career journey, one that is making a big difference for our environment.

Betty Janik is in the last year of her first term as a member of the Scottsdale City Council. Find out what it’s been like to serve on council – including good and bad surprises – and her take on the most important issues facing the city. Betty has decided not to seek re-election but she’s been a consistent contributor to the community and there’s no doubt she’ll do more of that after her term expires. She has ideas already on how she’ll continue to be a champion for Scottsdale.

David Ariosto has worked as a journalist, editor, executive and author in a career journey through more than 50 countries. Included along the way were two years in Cuba working for CNN, where he developed material for a book, “This is Cuba: An American Journalist Under Castro’s Shadow.” It’s a fascinating look at his time there. Find out how David’s journey led him to now living in Scottsdale where he’s working on a new book about the great space race.

Navigating the complexities of the Veterans Administration world can be complicated and frustrating for our service veterans. Anna Mineer and Derek Debus are working to make it easier for them to deal with those challenges through the Arizona Veterans Mission Group. Their goal is to ensure our veterans get the health care, resources and opportunities they deserve. And while the group is young, their success stories already prove their work is effective and making a big difference.

When she moved to Scottsdale a few years ago, Debbie Steinhauer brought her dedication for helping first responders with her. She went to work building the Scottsdale Police Foundation, a non-profit group that raises funds to support Scottsdale’s police officers. Founded in 2023, she already has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to provide critical needs, such as equipment, training, wellness and educational programs that surpass the department’s budget. Debbie’s big heart is making a big impact on the city’s welfare.

One of the duties any city owes its residents is keeping then informed of all that is going on. And in today’s digital age, it requires a multifaceted approach. Holly Water, Scottsdale’s public affairs supervisor, plays a key role in this. She coordinates information across various departments and channels from traditional to social media platforms. Her skills in managing it all ensures that Scottsdale residents are updated and engaged with the city’s affairs.

To say Joe Iturri has been busy over the past two years would be an understatement! He has been spearheading the work it has taken to open the newest gem in the city’s hotel lineup: Caesars Republic Scottsdale. The 11-story hotel, which opened last month, has 265 rooms, three high end restaurants and a variety of amenities that bring the glitz of Las Vegas to downtown Scottsdale – minus the gaming. It’s the first non-gaming hotel in the Caesars lineup. Find out why Caesars chose Scottsdale for that brand and how Joe and his team made it all happen.

Tim Roemer’s journey has taken him from Scottsdale to the White House and back home again as chief security officer at GMI. After he graduated from Horizon High, he joined the CIA where he served 10 years providing security updates to the President. He returned to Arizona as director of Homeland Security for Gov. Ducey. Now his work in the private sector is helping GMI, a Scottsdale company, safeguard organizations across the globe against cyber threats. Tune in for a look at Tim’s remarkable career.

Todd Bankofier has lived in Scottsdale for over three decades and has been a prominent figure in business and politics, and in many ways his new role as CEO of Western Spirit’s Scottsdale Museum of the West is like a homecoming. Todd grew up on a ranch in Nevada and the western spirit is in his blood. Todd has big dreams for the museum, adding to some significant advancements already underway. Find out what’s in store for one of the city’s cultural gems.

Ben Lane has overseen three elections in Scottsdale since becoming City Clerk, marking this year as another significant milestone with a busy election season ahead. Find out how Ben deals with navigating the intricate responsibilities of upholding fair and transparent elections, particularly amidst today’s highly polarized political environment. That’s just one of the many duties Ben juggles in his role. He truly is one of the city’s unsung heroes, ensuring the seamless functioning of Scottsdale's civic machinery.

Melinda Morrison Gulick, a longtime advocate for many good causes in Scottsdale, had focused her passion and energy into ensuring the healthy development and learning of young children from birth to 5 years old. As CEO of First Thing First, Melinda’s advocacy now touches children and families all across Arizona. Learn more about what her agency does and also her thoughts about leadership in the year ahead for the Scottsdale Unified School District.

Greg Dunaway is a marketing veteran who has carved a niche in the expanding cannabis industry, both in Scottsdale and across the state. In fact, he has clients across the globe that are now working in the field, as legal cannabis use is becoming more prevalent. From producing the product in controlled agricultural spaces to delivering it at dispensaries, Greg gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and successes he has discovered along the way.

No one understands the health of Scottsdale’s finances better than city treasurer Sonia Andrews. She brings a wealth of technical skills to the job and clearly understands what it takes to keep the city financially strong. You’ll also discover the personal side to Sonia, who says it’s the passion of Scottsdale’s residents that drives her work and commitment to the job. In the spirit of the city’s Western heritage, she’s also a horsewoman.

After serving as Green Beret and Special Forces medic in Afghanistan, Jesse Greer has returned to Scottsdale, his hometown, with a passion to help residents here live healthier lives. He founded Preamble, a preventive health clinic, which has opened in downtown Scottsdale. After serving to help soldiers recover from battlefield wounds, Jesse’s passion now is to treat patients before they get sick. His service to his country and now to our residents is an inspiration for us all.

There were a lot of positive developments last year in the Scottsdale Unified School District – from voter approval for its override to outstanding grades from the state education department. Listen in as superintendent Scott Menzel talks about those and other achievements and looks forward to 2024, a pivotal election year with three of five seats on the governing board coming open.