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Board of Directors

Koren Manning

Board Chair

Koren is Deputy Director for the City of Tucson Department of Planning and Development Services, where she helps advance community goals of sustainability, equity, and economic vitality. She graduated from Catalina Foothills High School and the UA and returned to Tucson in 2018 after living in Brooklyn, NY for over a decade.

Expertise: Sustainability, equity, development
Affiliation: City of Tucson Department of Planning and Development

Gayle Mateer

Vice Chair

Gayle has more than 35 years of experience in information technology, including leadership roles with Fortune 500 companies such as Pfizer, Microsoft, and eBay. After falling in love with the Sonoran Desert, she became a Tohono Chul volunteer and now serves as a docent and mentor. Gayle also serves on Tohono Chul’s Finance and Philanthropy committees and is President of Preserve Vistoso.

Expertise: technology systems, Sonoran Desert plants and animals, fundraising
Affiliations: Tohono Chul docent and mentor, Preserve Vistoso

Lesli Pintor

Treasurer

Lesli is a retired financial and nonprofit leader, working 30+ years in banking, including 15+ in commercial real estate construction lending. She taught business communication at UA’s Eller College (overseeing 13 nonprofit student consulting projects) and led Growth Partners Arizona, a nonprofit loan fund. Lesli serves on the UPI Loan Fund’s board and is a committee liaison for the Tucson Festival of Books.

Expertise: Finance
Affiliation: Tohono Chul Governance
Committee and Finance Committee

Carol Massanari

Secretary

Growing up on a farm in PA, Carol developed a lifelong love of nature and gardening. After living across the country, she settled in Tucson and embraced the beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Carol retired from a 25-year career in special education leadership and policy before finding a new focus as a Tohono Chul volunteer and docent. She is passionate about sharing knowledge of desert plants, birds, and ethnobotany. Beyond her work at Tohono Chul, Carol enjoys golfing, gardening, and hiking. Always eager for new challenges, she served as a volunteer representative on the Philanthropy Committee before joining the Board.
Expertise: Special Education

Jacquelyne Mingle

Jacquelyne is an estate planning attorney at Moeller & Conway, PLLC. Her J.D. is from the University of Arizona and her undergraduate degree is from the University of Kansas. Before law school, she was a journalist at USA Today. She and her spouse Stephen live in Oro Valley in a house evenly divided between dogs and cats.

Expertise: Estate planning, law
Affiliation: Fleming & Curti, PLC

Lesah Sesma

Lesah Sesma holds a Bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Tourism Management and is a proud member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. Lesah currently serves as General Manager of Casino Del Sol. She is a true pillar in the Tucson community, actively serving on several boards dedicated to building connections and better serving tribal nations.

Sergio Cossio

Sergio is a Tucson resident raised in Douglas, Arizona, and a graduate of Cochise Community College and the University of Arizona. He has 25 years of banking experience and currently serves as VP of Commercial Finance for First Citizens Bank. He is also an active board member with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Arizona. In his spare time, Sergio enjoys the outdoors, golf, and spending time with his wife, Jazlee, and their two daughters.

Michael Racy

Michael heads the lobbying and government relations firm of Racy Associates, Inc., a Tucson based public policy and government relations firm representing private and public clients before all levels of government. Mr. Racy has over 30 years’ experience in the government relations field and represents a broad range of southern Arizona based businesses and public entities.
Expertise: Lobbying, government relations
Affiliation: Racy Associates

Don Jenks

Don Jenks is a retired commercial banker with a 48-year career, including 38 years in Tucson. He most recently served as Tucson President for CrossFirst Bank, following leadership roles with the NBA and Bank of Tucson. A longtime community volunteer, Don has served numerous local nonprofits and chaired the boards of the YMCA and Growth Partners Arizona. He and his wife, Lisa, have been Tohono Chul members since 1996. He enjoys golfing and spending time with his four children and six grandchildren.

Roxanne Veliz

Roxanne is a partner in the Tucson office of Snell & Wilmer LLP, specializing in banking, commercial finance, and real estate finance. She has extensive experience in complex lending transactions and has served on several Southern Arizona nonprofit boards. Roxanne brings valuable expertise in law, finance, governance, and strategic decision-making to Tohono Chul’s Board.

Expertise: Legal
Affiliation: Snell & Wilmer

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