Board of Directors

Officers: 

Phebe Paine MSSA, LCSW (FSS Chair) —

Phebe has degrees from Dickinson College in Spanish & Anthropology & a Master's Degree in Social Science Administration from Case Western Reserve University. She has 15 years of social work experience with a concentration in mental health/homeless issues. She was employed by PATH in Cleveland, OH prior to being named Director of Child & Family Services at The Guidance Center, in Flagstaff. After leaving the Guidance Center, she became the owner of Tortilla Lady.

Ruth DeBoard PhD, RN, FNP-C (FSS Vice- Chair)

 Ruth is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner licensed in Arizona and Oregon.  She received a Master’s in Science and FNP from Northern Arizona University and PhD from the University of Arizona, Tucson.  Ruth is Board Certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.  She is faculty in a Family Nurse Practitioner and Doctor of Nursing Practice program in a western university school of nursing.  Her clinical work has involved  health care of vulnerable populations  including the homeless, uninsured and those with barriers to health care.  Her experience in health care administration, emergency medicine on Navajo reservation, urgent care and primary care has been instrumental in developing an onsite health clinic within the shelter since 2010. 

Darlene Lourcey Burden, CPA ( FSS Treasurer) —

Originally from Florida, Darlene lived in Texas for 8 years prior to moving to Flagstaff in December 2008 with her family. She is currently the Controller for Hopi Telecommunications which is a wholly owned Hopi corporation. Darlene has her BA in Accounting and is licensed CPA in Texas and Arizona. 

Rev. Bess Driver - ( FSS Recorder) —

Rev. Driver was born and raised in Michigan. She attended Northwestern University to obtain her nursing degree. She has resided in Flagstaff since 1990. In 2006, she was ordained as a Deacon in the Episcopal Church. She actively participates in the Annual Random Acts of Kindness fundraiser at the Church and was instrumental in having Flagstaff Shelter Services added as one of five charities to receive a donation from the event.

Members: 

Jim Stults- Broker

 Jim is a licensed real estate broker and owner of Strategic Properties, LLC, a brokerage firm that specializes in the sale of hospitality properties.  He began his career selling residential properties, but soon thereafter moved into the commercial field.  Along the way he marketed the Phoenix area for the Chamber of Commerce as a project manager of economic development, headed the Arizona division of a commercial property development company and owned a successful custom home building company.  He moved to Flagstaff  from Phoenix in 2005, but has been an Arizona resident since attending Arizona State University in the mid-seventies.   

Matthew Mansfield- Attorney

Lori Barlow- VP of Sunwest Bank

 Key Staff:

Alyce Louise Bertsche- Executive Director

Alyce Louise joined Flagstaff Shelter Services as Executive Director in October 2010.   Prior to FSS, she lived in the Washington DC area where she was a consultant for 20 years in the area of employment and training for those who are low -income and unemployed.  As Vice President with the National Alliance of Business, she directed the grant-writing activities for this $12.5 million nonprofit.  She holds a Master’s degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago.

Tom Isakson ( Program Manager)

Tom joined FSS as Programs Manager since October, 2011.  He’s worked in homeless shelters and poverty relief programs since 1992, the past fifteen years as Program Director or Executive Director for three shelters in Valparaiso and Michigan City, Indiana.  He holds a BA in Math Education from the University of Detroit and a Master of Theological Studies from Catholic Theological Union of Chicago.

Mary Hochstetter  (Day Center Coordinator)

Heather Swartz  (Office Manager)