History of Arizona State Therapeutic Recreation Association

The year ATRA held its mid-year conference in Tempe, Arizona,

ASTRA was founded in 1989 by Teresa Boeger, CTRS.

  • Teresa is considered to be the organization’s founding mother. 
  • ASTRA has three (3) symbolic items for our organization: a gavel, a wine bottle, and the official black book.
  • Each president signs and dates their presidency on both the gavel box and the wine bottle label. These items are handed down from one president to the next. 
  • If the swearing in of the new president occurs at an ASTRA event or meeting, it is an ASTRA tradition to ceremonially pass down the gavel and wine bottle. 
    • This is completed by having all Past Presidents in attendance form a line based on their tenure with the organization. 
    • The gavel and wine bottle are passed down from one Past President to the next while the individual reads out loud the names of all the past-presidents that have occurred between those who are in attendance. 
    • Thus, honoring all of ASTRA’s Past-Presidents.

We are thankful for all the past board members

who have dedicated their time to the board

and advocated for therapeutic recreation in our state.


1989-1990

President: Teresa Boeger 


1990-1991

President: Michael Haire  

President Elect: Linda Kuhn      

Past-President: Teresa Boeger  

Secretary/Treasurer: Jeri Fiedler  

Members At Large: Julie Effron Bernie Thorn   

Education Committee: Lynn Hambel Brenda Walker Rosie Favela-Aldini 

Jim Anderson Linda Kuhn LuAnn Benoit  

Membership and Marketing: Beth Lucas Julie Effron Alice Foster Cindy Ransom  

Legislative Committee: Lynn Hambel Bill Bogucki  

Newsletter Committee: Sally Brown Jodi Ruhland  

Educational Task Force: Linda Kuhn Bernie Thorn 


1991-1992  

President: Linda Kuhn  

President Elect: Bill Bogucki  

Past-President: Michael Haire  

Secretary/Treasurer: Marybeth Santiago  

Members At Large: Luann Denoit Bernie Thorn 


1992-1993  

President: Bill Bogucki  

President Elect: Bonnie Gruver  

Past-President: Linda Kuhn  

Secretary/Treasurer: Betty Stephens  

Members At Large: Beth Lucas Luann Benoir


1993-1994  

President: Rosie Favela-Aldini  

President Elect: Lynn Hambel  

Past-President: Bill Bogucki  

Secretary/Treasurer: Paula Haigh  

Members At Large: Beth Lucas Aaron Johnson 


1994-1995  

President: Lynn Hambel  

President Elect: Betty Stephens  

Past President: Rosie Favela-Aldini

Secretary/Treasurer: Brenda Walker  

Members At Large: Membership - Aaron Johnson 

Marketing - Kevin Woolridge 


1995-1996  

President: Betty Stephens  

President Elect: Laurie Jakes  

Past President: Lynn Hambel  

Secretary/Treasurer: Patti Williams  

Members At Large: Membership - Delinda Clarkson 

Marketing - Kevin Woolridge


1996-1997  

President: Laurie Jakes  

President Elect: Marybeth Santiago  

Past President: Betty Stephens  

Secretary/Treasurer: Nancy Erickson  

Members At Large: Membership - Delinda Clarkson 

Marketing - Julie Doyle 


1997-1998  

President: Marybeth Santiago  

President Elect: Delinda Clarkson (Carr)  

Past President: Laurie Jakes  

Secretary/Treasurer: Joanie Pamperin  

Members At Large: Membership - Julie Doyle 

Marketing - Julie Castro 


1998-1999  

President: Delinda Carr  

President Elect: Marie Mascarenas  

Past President: Marybeth Santiago  

Secretary/Treasurer: Beth Lucas  

Members At Large: Membership - Julie Doyle 

Marketing - Julie Castro  

Student Liaison: Aaron Woodward  

Legislative Chair: Marie Mascarenas Becki Chilcote-McGrath  

Newsletter Editor:  Joanie Pamperin 


1999-2000  

President: T. Marie Mascarenas  

President Elect: Jill Greenlee  

Past-President: Delinda Carr  

Secretary/Treasurer: Andrea Wilson  

Members At Large: Membership - Julie Castro 

Marketing - Sarah Homan  

Legislative Chair: Becki Chilcote-McGrath  

Newsletter Editor: Beth Lucas 


2000-2001  

President: Jill Greenlee  

President Elect:  Sarah Homan  

Past-President: T. Marie Mascarenas  

Secretary/Treasurer: Collette Jones  

Members At Large: Membership - Sherrie Johnson 

Marketing - Erin Brown  

Student Liaison Tammy Nathan 


2001-2002  

President: Sarah Homan  

President Elect: Jamie Hammonds  

Past-President: Jill Greenlee  

Secretary/Treasurer: Leanne Jones  

Members At Large: Membership - Erin Brown 

Marketing - Sherrie Johnson 


2002-2003  

President: Jamie Hammonds  

President Elect: Charley Wright  

Past-President: Sarah Homan  

Secretary/Treasurer: Leanne Jones  

Members At Large: Membership - Linda Cano 

Marketing - Erin Brown  

Legislative Chair: Laura Loesche 


2003-2004  

President: Charley Wright  

President Elect: Becky LeRoy  

Past-President: Jamie Hammonds  

Secretary/Treasurer: Leanne Jones  

Members At Large: Membership - Linda Cano 

Marketing - Erin Brown  

Legislative Chair: Laura Loesche


2004-2005  

President: Becky LeRoy  

President Elect: Kelly Ramella  

Past-President: Charley Wright  

Secretary/Treasurer: Leanne Jones   

Members At Large: Membership - Linda Cano 

Marketing - Johanna Bookbinder  

Legislative Chair: Erin Brown  

Student Liaison: Laura Loesche 


2005-2006  

President: Kelly Ramella  

President Elect: Jodi Roth-Jones  

Past-President: Becky LeRoy  

Secretary/Treasurer: Leanne Jones  

Members At Large: Membership - Beth Dietrich 

Marketing - Tara Worth  

Legislative Chair: Dawna Sterner  

Student Liaison: Johanna Bookbinder 


2006-2007  

President: Jodi Roth-Jones  

President Elect: Natalie Connolly  

Past-President: Kelly Ramella  

Secretary/Treasurer: Ann Mann  

Members At Large: Membership - Becca Heinze 

Marketing - Beth Dietrich  

Legislative Chair: Dawna Sterner  

Student Liaison: Linda Cano 


2007-2008  

President: Natalie Connolly  

President Elect: Beth Dietrich  

Past-President: Jodi Roth-Jones  

Secretary/Treasurer: Ann Mann  

Members At Large: Membership - Lane Jeppesen 

Marketing - Barb Tennis  

Legislative Chair: Dawna Sterner  

Student Liaison: Kelly Ramella 


2008-2009  

President: Beth Dietrich  

President Elect: Heather Broderson  

Past-President:  Natalie Connolly  

Secretary/Treasurer: Ann Mann  

Members At Large: Membership - Suzanne Prosser 

Marketing - Lane Jeppesen  

Legislative Chair:  Dawna Sterner  

Student Liaison: Kelly Ramella 


2009-2010  

President: Heather Broderson  

President Elect: Suzanne Prosser  

Past-President:  Beth Dietrich  

Secretary/Treasurer: Ann Mann  

Members At Large: Membership - Jamie Stevens 

Marketing - Lane Jeppesen  

Legislative Chair: Dawna Sterner  

Student Liaison: Kelly Ramella 


2010-2011  

President: Suzanne Prosser  

President Elect: Cory Sanders  

Past-President:  Heather Broderson  

Secretary/Treasurer: Jordan Gregory  

Members At Large: Membership - Ann Mann 

Marketing - Lane Jeppesen  

Legislative Chair: Beth Dietrich  

Student Liaison: Kelly Ramella


2011-2012  

President: Cory Sanders  

President Elect: Mikala Edwards  

Past-President: Suzanne Prosser  

Secretary/Treasurer: Jordan Gregory  

Members At Large: Membership - Ann Mann 

Marketing - Lane Jeppesen  

Legislative Chair: Alicia Gonzales  

Student Liaison: Kelly Ramella 


2012-2013  

President: Beth Dietrich  

President Elect: Shannon Matson  

Past- President: Cory Sanders  

Secretary/Treasurer: Leanne Murrillo  

Members At Large: Membership - Jonathan Tang 

Marketing - Amber Blanchard  

Legislative Chair: Alicia Gonzales  

Student Liaison: Kelly Ramella  

Webmaster: Jonathan Tang 


2013-2014  

President: Shannon Matson  

President Elect: Amy Lefstad  

Past- President: Beth Dietrich  

Secretary/Treasurer: Leanne Murrillo  

Members At Large: Membership - Jonathan Tang 

Marketing - Amber Blanchard  

Legislative Chair: Alicia Gonzales  

Student Liaison: Kelly Ramella  

Webmaster: Jonathan Tang


2014-2015   

President: Suzanne Prosser    

President Elect: Johanna Avilez    

Past- President: Shannon Matson    

Secretary/Treasurer: Leanne Murrillo    

Members At Large: Membership- Jessica Voss 

Marketing- Amber Blanchard  

Legislative Chair: Alicia Gonzales    

Student Liaison: Kelly Ramella    

Webmaster: Jonathan Tang   


2015-2016   

President: Johanna Avilez    

President Elect: Jessica Voss    

Past- President: Suzanne Prosser    

Secretary/Treasurer: Leanne Murrillo    

Members At Large: Membership- Carolyn Curcio 

Marketing- Jonathan Tang  

Legislative Chair: Shari Phillips    

Student Liaison: Kelly Ramella


2016-2017   

President: Jessica Voss    

President Elect: Felicia Zeigler

Past-President: Johanna Avilez

Secretary/Treasurer: Leanne Murrillo

Members At Large: Membership- Chelsea Harden 

Marketing- Carolyn Curcio 

Legislative Chair: Savannah Geare

Student Liaison: Kelly Ramella


2017-2018   

President: Felicia Zeigler

President Elect: Trudy Gomez

Past-President:  Jessica Voss

Secretary/Treasurer: Erin Riley

Members At Large: Membership- Christa Marie

Marketing- Chelsea Harden

Legislative Chair: Patrica Jones

Student Liaison: Kelly Ramella


2018-2019

President: Trudy Gomez

President Elect: Delinda Carr

Past-President:  Felicia Zeigler

Secretary/Treasurer: Erin Riley

Members At Large: Membership- Christa Marie Arvizu

Marketing – Maddie Nielson

Legislative Chair: Patricia Jones

Student Liaison: Kelly Ramella


2019-2020  

President: Delinda Carr

President Elect: Kelly Walsh

Past-President:  Trudy Gomez

Secretary/Treasurer: Erin Riley

Members At Large: Membership- Maddie (Nielson) Kaufusi

Marketing- Christa Marie Arvizu

Legislative Chair: Patrica Jones

Student Liaison: Kelly Ramella


2020-2021

President: Kelly Walsh

President Elect: Joshua Parks

Past-President:  Delinda Carr

Secretary/Treasurer: Shavaughn Elkins

Members At Large: Membership- Faith Hartsoe

Marketing- Mollie Heiden

Legislative Chair: Patrica Jones

Student Liaison: Dr. Kelly Ramella


2021-2022   

President: Joshua Parks

President Elect: Shannon Matson

Past-President: Kelly Walsh

Secretary/Treasurer: Shavaughn Elkins

Members At Large: Membership - Ashley Helmi

Marketing- Faith Hartsoe

Legislative Chair: Patrica Jones

Student Liaison: Dr. Kelly Ramella


2022-2023   

President: Shannon Matson

President Elect: Christina Coleman

Past-President: Joshua Parks

Secretary/Treasurer: Vacant

Members At Large: Membership - Vacant

Marketing- Ashley Helmi

Legislative Chair: Dr. Kelly Ramella


2023-2024   

President: Shannon Matson     

President Elect: Christina Coleman 

Past-President: Vacant

Secretary/Treasurer: Vacant

Members At Large: Membership- Vacant

Marketing - Vacant

Legislative Chair: Vacant

Student Liaison: Dr. Kelly Ramella


2024-2025   

President: Dr. Christina Coleman

President Elect: Vacant     

Past-President: Vacant

Secretary/Treasurer: Vacant

Members At Large: Membership - Vacant

Marketing - Vacant

Legislative Chair: Vacant

Student Liaison: Dr. Kelly Ramella


2025-2026   

President: Dr. Beth Dietrich

Vice President: Delinda Carr

Secretary/Treasurer: Leanne Murrillo

Professional Development Director: Suzanne Stratton

Public Relations/Communication Director: Dr. Kelly Ramella


If you notice inaccuracies in the ASTRA's Board of Directors' History,

please email the proposed changes to aztherapeuticrecreation@gmail.com.

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