About Us
Founders Story Video
Meet the Team
Mission. Vision. Values.
God Inspired
the Dream.
Our Team
Sarah Buchanan
FounderSarah Buchanan is a seasoned professional law enforcement supervisor. Her extensive experience has equipped her with the skills and insight necessary to lead effectively in challenging environments. Passionate about making a difference, Sarah is the founder of Hope Rising Arizona, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting survivors of sex trafficking. Outside of her professional commitments, she enjoys spending quality time outdoors, engaging in team roping with her husband, mountain biking, and finding balance and joy in her active lifestyle.
Executive DirectorAndy Thomas
Andy's began his career as a high school choir teacher, followed by 17 years of pastoral ministry, and finally as the Executive Director of Creative Services and Interactive Media within the University of Arizona Health Sciences.
He became passionate about survivor services when he discovered the lack of residential care in Southern Arizona after attempting to find placement for a past student who had been trafficked.
Andy lives in Tucson with his wife Janelle, and daughters Trinity and Juliette. In his spare time Andy enjoys wood working, singing with his quartet The Presidio Boys and spending time laughing with family and friends.
Program Leadership
Michelle Frank
Michelle has served in full time ministry for thirty years. Her years of ministry include serving on church staff as well as serving in the Anti-Trafficking landscape through Restorative Care housing. She is fulfilled through helping others arrive at a greater place of freedom and wholeness. She is passionate about maximizing the impact of the Kingdom of God through equipping and coming alongside leaders and organizations to reach their fullest potential.
Michelle has been married to the love of her life, Ked, for 28 years! They have three children - two daughters, Julianna and Bailey and a son, Nathaniel, who gave them a bonus daughter, Audrey.
Michelle resides in the beautiful state of Colorado and enjoys walking trails, writing at coffee shops, and spending time with her family. She loves to cheer you on!!
Chief of Staff
Brae Williams
Brae Williams serves as Program Operations Director at Hope Rising Arizona, bringing over 12 years of experience in crisis response, emergency services, healthcare operations, and organizational leadership. As a certified EMT, she has worked in high-acuity environments responding to crisis calls and supporting individuals experiencing behavioral health emergencies.
In addition to her emergency services background, Brae has led large-scale operational systems in healthcare, overseeing complex contract management and coordinating hundreds of active placements across multiple hospital partners. She also provides community trainings, public speaking engagements, and event coordination to advance awareness and advocacy efforts. Brae combines structured leadership with frontline crisis experience to build programs grounded in stability, accountability, and resilience.
Program Operations Director
Associate Program DirectorShawnna Lortz
Shawnna Lortz is a compassionate behavioral health professional with over ten years of experience working in trauma-informed care environments. She has supported individuals across residential, outpatient, and aftercare settings, bringing a deep understanding of complex trauma, crisis response, and survivor-centered care. Shawnna began her career as a Behavioral Health
Technician and has held a variety of roles including Case Aide, Case Manager, Group Facilitator, Alumni Coordinator, Outreach and Business Development, and team leadership positions.
Throughout her career, Shawnna has been recognized as a collaborative leader who supports both clients and staff through challenging and high-acuity environments. She brings strong skills in mentorship, crisis management, and communication, and is deeply committed to fostering safe, supportive spaces rooted in dignity, trust, and empowerment. Shawnna is mission-driven and passionate about walking alongside survivors as they reclaim autonomy, build resilience, and move toward healing and long-term stability.
Our Board
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Michael Fleishman
BOARD PRESIDENT
Michael Fleishman is a Tucson native and married one as well. He and Tracy have been married for almost thirty years. They have a daughter (Journey) who lives in Colorado chasing mountain dreams. They, too, spend a lot of time in Colorado doing all things mountains. Michael and Tracy attend Second Mile church in midtown Tucson.
Michael has been practicing law in Tucson since 2004. He graduated from the University of Arizona College of Law. He is the principal of Fleishman Law, PLC, which focuses on real estate, business, non-profit, insurance bad faith, and personal injury matters.
Michael is excited to help Hope Rising achieve its vision of bringing healing, hope, and flourishing for those who come through its restorative care programs.
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Rick Prater
BOARD TREASURER
Along with his efforts as our Hope Rising Arizona Board Member and Treasurer, Rick is retired and enjoying life as a University of Arizona Adjunct Instructor, husband to Janelle, father to Jennie, Jacquie, Suzanne, Eric and Steve and grandfather to Caiden, Olivia, Calianna, Sophia, Ellen, Owen and Henry. He retired in January 2019 as the Finance Manager for the Tucson Police Department, where his oversight included program analysis and spending associated with the Department’s federal, state, and local funding. Prior to this experience, Rick retired as a Major in the United States Air Force in 2003 after serving for over 20 years in both operational and staff assignments.
Rick’s military history includes over 2500 hours of flight experience as a Navigator/Weapons Systems Officer in B-52G and B-1B aircraft, finishing as the Senior Twelfth Air Force B-1B Evaluator and Chief, of Time Critical Targeting for the 612th Combat Operations Squadron. Through his years as a public servant, Rick developed a passion for supporting programs that provide the skills and nurturing necessary to help victims of crime and abuse seek a brighter future based on hope, healing, and recovery.
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Kim Wall
BOARD MEMBER
Kim Wall has been a registered nurse here in Tucson for over 30 years and now works as a Nurse Practitioner in an Urgent Care setting. She feels blessed to be a part of the Hope Rising Board and to serve this unique community in a meaningful way. She hopes that her years of healthcare experience can make a real difference for survivors of sex trafficking through healthcare guidance, classes, and support.
Kim has been married to her soulmate for 25 years and has two amazing sons who are now navigating adulthood. She enjoys traveling, playing games, spending time with family/friends, and figuring out the next chapter of life.
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Deneena Herrera
BOARD SECRETARY
Deneena is originally from North Carolina but calls Tucson home after 30 years of desert life. Her career is in technology sales, supporting the US Army, and as an Army brat, finds this fulfilling in so many ways.
Deneena's heart for wanting to be a part of Hope Rising is dear to her, desiring to help make a difference in young women's lives as they journey a new life path. She also serves as a Casas Christian School Board member, Casas Church Elder, and on the Creative Team at Casas.
Deneena and her husband, Bill, have two beautiful daughters, and Cooper their Cavapoo. They enjoy traveling, board game nights, and dinner with friends.
Deneena is honored to join an organization that will bring hope, love, and life change for so many.
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Amanda Gelatt
BOARD MEMBER
Amanda Gelatt is a California native who has resided in Tucson for many years and has worked in the healthcare industry for 29 years. She has been the owner of A Senior Journey, a respected senior living placement agency for 13 of those years. She has a heart for serving people who are facing challenging circumstances and uncertainty. Whether it’s someone needing to find placement for themselves or their loved one, the unhoused population seeking rehabilitation services or sex-trafficking survivors who are seeking healing, Amanda feels called to serve and offer help and hope in practical ways.
Amanda deeply values contributing and connecting with her local community. Along with volunteering regularly at her church, she is a member of Women Leading Southern Arizona. She often speaks to support groups, building awareness of the health issues many seniors face, informing and educating them on the benefits of placement services. Amanda is a proud mother to her daughter and son-in-law, three sons, and daughter-in-law. She also loves being ‘Nana’ to her three grandkids. Amanda enjoys singing, hiking and biking, traveling, dinner with friends, cheering on the Arizona Wildcats and her two dogs.
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Dennis Holden
BOARD VICE-PRESIDENT
Dennis Holden is the Director of Operations at Casas Church in Tucson, Arizona, where he brings more than 40 years of leadership experience to his work in overseeing church operations, facilities, and ministry support. With a background rooted in servant leadership, Dennis is known for his calm presence, operational excellence, and commitment to building strong, purpose-driven teams.
Prior to his current role, Dennis retired from Southwest Gas Corporation after an outstanding 42-year career. He most recently served as Director of Customer Relations and District Operations for the Southern Arizona District, where he led regional operations, customer experience initiatives, and community engagement. His legacy at Southwest Gas is one of professionalism, accountability, and unwavering dedication to public service.
Dennis’s impact extends well beyond the workplace. He has served on the boards of several respected organizations, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson, Junior Achievement of Arizona, and the Pima Community College Foundation, each reflecting his passion for supporting youth, education, and community development.
In addition, Dennis has contributed significantly to the development of public safety and energy standards through service on the National Building and Energy Codes and Standards Committee, the ICC Fuel Gas Code Committee, the ICC Plumbing Code Committee, and the Arizona Building Officials Committee.
Continuing his lifelong commitment to community service, Dennis now serves as a board member of Hope Rising Southern Arizona, where he looks forward to helping build a successful program to serve individuals and families in desperate need of support, healing, and hope.
Dennis has been married to his wife, Christy, for 33 years. Together, they raised three daughters and are now the proud grandparents of six grandchildren. Whether in professional, ministry, or personal life, Dennis Holden remains guided by faith, family, and a deep desire to serve others with excellence and compassion.
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John Strader
BOARD MEMBER
As an attorney, John has the privilege of coordinating and conducting legal work across various units, managing both felony and misdemeanor criminal cases with significant impact on the community. His experience includes prosecuting complex cases in state and local courts, representing other departments and boards in litigation and administrative matters, and advising local law enforcement officials on a wide array of legal issues.
Prior to this latest chapter, John started his career with the Tucson Police Department in July of 2000. During his service in law enforcement, John has a served as a Patrol Officer, a Street Level Narcotics Officer, a Detective assigned to Gang crimes, Adult Sexual Assault crimes, and Financial Crimes, a Patrol Sergeant, a Sergeant in charge of Research and Analysis, a patrol commander, advanced training commander, Executive Officer, Southside Patrol Division Commander, the Assistant Chief over Investigative Services Bureau, and lastly as the Patrol Bureau Chief, the position he ultimately retired from after a 22 year career.
Lastly, in the little free time he has, John gives back to the community that has given him so much by volunteering as a board member with the LPKNC youth prevention non-profit group.
Mission. Vision. Values.
Mission
Creating a daily environment of safety and trust where residents experience the love of God, and find healing and empowerment to discover the independent lives they deserve.
Vision
To expand our long term restorative care ministry and services to an increasing number and broadening diversity of survivor populations in Arizona, the Southwest region and beyond.
Values
Supremacy of Love
Love is our highest law and lowest posture.
We choose love over ego, offense, control, or performance. Love moves from inside outward and shapes how we regard people, speak, how we correct/call-up/coach, how we serve, and how we lead.The goal of spiritual/personal maturing is to live love more fully each day. We carry truth in love. Law of LOVE!Servant Leadership
We lead by kneeling first.
Towel and basin. Authority is stewardship, not status. We protect those entrusted to us, take responsibility, and go first in humility. We do not ask others to carry what we are unwilling to carry ourselves.
True to Calling
We honor the assignment in our lives and the grace of others.
We steward our lane while championing others in theirs. We resist comparison and competition. We operate from conviction and clarity, not striving or insecurity. As well as collaboration.Big Vision
We seek the heart of God and forecast mission-alignment
We think long-term, steward boldly, and believe for impact beyond what we can currently see. We are not intimidated by scale, complexity, or faith-stretching goals — we partner with God in multiplication.
Growth Mindset (Dream Big)
We are teachable, adaptable, and always becoming.
We pursue excellence without perfectionism/performance. As leaders and as a mission; flowing from a growth mindset.Radical Teaming
We win together.
We communicate directly, assume the best, and protect unity. We share wins, shoulder responsibility, and close gaps quickly. We value collaboration and alignment.
Our beliefs statement is available upon request by emailing:
info@hoperisingaz.com