Governing Board Members
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Board Chair
Helios Foundation
Senior Vice President, Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships
Vince Yanez
Vince Yanez is Senior Vice President, Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships. In this role, he leads Helios’ staff engagement with the community and stakeholders to improve quality, access, and achievement across the birth-16 education continuum, especially those in high-poverty, Latino communities.
Prior to joining Helios, Mr. Yanez was Executive Director for Education & Public Policy at the Arizona Community Foundation (ACF). He oversaw all strategic education grantmaking as well as public policy initiatives. Prior to ACF, Mr. Yanez served as the executive director for the Arizona State Board of Education for nine years. In that role, he was the board’s chief advocate and policy advisor for issues impacting Arizona’s K-12 public education system.
Mr. Yanez serves on several boards and committees, including: The Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Board (First Things First); Read Better Be Better; City of Mesa Education and Workforce Development Roundtable; and the Dougherty Foundation.
Mr. Yanez holds a bachelor’s degree in Government and Spanish from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University.
Board Vice Chair
Katherine Anderson Law PLLC
Owner & Attorney
Katey Anderson
Katherine (Katey) Anderson has been practicing law in Arizona since 2012. Her legal practice focuses on resolving commercial disputes, as well as advising clients how to avoid business disputes at the earliest stages.
As a commercial bankruptcy attorney, Katey has experience in many aspects of the law. Before attending law school, Katey was a teacher in Tucson, working with at risk middle school youth. She is honored to have been selected for the Read Better Be Better Board and hopes that she can make a meaningful contribution to the necessary mission of RBBB.
Board Treasurer
Silicon Valley Bank
Accounting Policy
Artem Tretiakov
Artem Tretiakov is Read Better Be Better’s Governing Board Treasurer, addressing a variety of matters including budgeting, accounting, reporting, and internal controls. Artem has been engaged with the RBBB team since the program started in 2014.
Previously working at BDO USA and Western Alliance Bank, Artem is currently in an accounting policy role at Silicon Valley Bank where he provides technical accounting guidance to U.S. and global operations.
Artem joined Read Better Be Better to help brilliant educators build a society in which all children master the foundational skills necessary to become independent learners.
Board Member
Organizational and Leadership Development
Mitzi Woodmore
Mitzi has been in Arizona since 2012 and has been blessed to have grown up in Tennessee and been able to relocate to different locations over the years for both personal and primarily professional opportunities. Her relocation across states such as Michigan, Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia, Ohio, and now Arizona has afforded Mitzi an opportunity to evolve professionally with a focus on the areas of organizational and leadership development, effectiveness, and performance optimization.
Mitzi received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Spalding University and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix. Mitzi has always been an avid reader since childhood. She credits being curious about her passion for reading as a catalyst that helped Mitzi to be academically successful.
Mitzi started with RBBB in 2021 by invitation to assist with our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and later transitioned to advising and coaching leaders at RBBB, and facilitating leadership workshops.
In 2022 Mitzi was invited to join the board!
Mitzi also mentors and advises new leaders and transitioning leaders on a Pro Bono basis by request. Mitzi was a transplant recipient in 2018. She is a trained mentor for the Transplant Community Alliance for those persons requiring or having gone through a Kidney Transplant. She was also a part of the Akron Ohio Chapter of the Lupus Foundation Board before leaving Ohio.
Mitzi is a mother of two beautiful daughters, who now have families of their own. Her oldest daughter has two children. Her grandson is attending Berea College and her granddaughter presented Mitzi with her first great-grandchild!
Board Member
Arizona Commission of African-American Affairs
Executive Director
Jerry McPherson
Jerry J. McPherson is an economic activist, community leader, and change agent dedicated to empowering underrepresented communities. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Arizona Commission of African-American Affairs (AZCAAA), leading statewide initiatives that promote the social, economic, and cultural advancement of African Americans. A Certified Public Accountant, Jerry is also Managing Partner of The Mathias Group, a boutique firm specializing in nonprofit accounting, business consulting, and tax debt resolution.
His nonprofit experience includes serving as Managing Director of Per Scholas Phoenix, where he developed strategic partnerships to prepare underrepresented individuals for tech careers, and as Director of Economic Empowerment for the Greater Phoenix Urban League, overseeing workforce and entrepreneurship programs. Jerry has held leadership roles on numerous boards, including the Greater Phoenix Urban League and advisory councils for the City of Phoenix, and co-founded YP CoNEXT ® ASU, connecting students with young professionals for mentorship and development.
His leadership has earned him “40 Under 40” honors and the 2025 MLK Living the Dream award from the City of Phoenix. Jerry holds a Bachelor’s in Accounting from Virginia State University, a Certificate in Executive Leadership from Cornell, and completed the Flinn-Brown Fellowship and Duke University’s National Urban League Emerging Leaders program. He is also a veteran of the US Army National Guard.
Board Member
Marketing and Communications
Laura Ory
Laura Ory was born in Phoenix and is passionate about providing creative, nurturing, and educational activities for Arizona’s youth. Laura is a journalism graduate from the University of Arizona, where she was a reporter and editor for the Daily Wildcat, and chair of the student-run nonprofit, Camp Wildcat, promoting higher education through camps for students in Title 1 schools.
Laura was a reporter in southeast Arizona for the Sierra Vista Herald until moving back to the Valley in 2009, transitioning into a public relations and marketing career. She served as a mentor for Free Arts of Arizona for Abused Children for over a decade, providing intentional art activities that promote safety, self-expression, skill-building, and self-efficacy.
Laura most recently served as the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications for Education Forward Arizona and previously served as Communications Manager for United Food Bank. She lives in Phoenix with her husband and daughter.
Board Member
Washington Elementary School District
School Psychologist
Odette Felix
Board Member
Assoc. VP of Outreach for Educational Outreach & Student Services
Arizona State University
Dr. Quintin Boyce
Dr. Quintin Boyce is a dedicated educator and leader with over two decades of experience in K-12 and higher education. As the Associate Vice President of Educational Outreach and Student Services at Arizona State University, he leads K-12 school partnerships, helping to bridge the gap between universities and schools. Originally from Chicago, Dr. Boyce earned his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees from ASU, and began his career as a science educator in the Phoenix Union High School District. He is passionate about fostering educational excellence, and his exemplary teaching has garnered both local and national recognition.
Throughout his career, Dr. Boyce has held leadership roles as a school principal, district-level executive, and superintendent in the Roosevelt School District. His expertise in education leadership is sought after by aspiring leaders and national organizations alike. As a proud father of four, he balances his professional commitments with his love for family, community involvement, and recreational sports.