Board Of Directors 2025
Meet the Leaders Behind the Mission
Out and About in Our
Verde Valley Communities
The Verde Valley Imagination Library actively engages with the community through local events and partnerships with schools, libraries, and businesses. Over the past year we have held “Love of Reading” events at three local libraries, FREE for families in all covered communities. These efforts help us connect with families and share the joy of reading. Follow us on social media to see where we’ll be next!
VVIL Board of Directors 2023-25
Lynette Prouty
Board Chair
Linda Allen
Board Vice Chair
Ken Dzugan
Treasurer
Deana DeWitt
Secretary
Jeanne Hokerk
Board Member
Viviane Kraus
Board Member
Kari Link
Board Member
Gayle Burns
Board Member
Cat Dale
Board Member
Genna Adams
Board Member
Janet Sandoval
Program Director
Get to Know Our Board of Directors
BOARD OF DIRECTORS – BIOS JANUARY 2025
LYNETTE PROUTY – 2020-2026 - Board Chair (2023-26)
Lynette has lived in Cottonwood for 24 years and is married with 2 adult children. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Northern Arizona University. An avid reader, she understands how important it is to inspire a love of reading at an early age for future school success. She has served with the PTO of Cottonwood Oak Creek Schools, Mingus Red Dot Booster Club, Mingus HS Operation Graduation, the Flip City Booster Club and Verde Community Church. She is currently retired, most recently self-employed as a Medical Billing Specialist. She is a Board member of The Fleishman Foundation and a member of the Scholarship Committee with the Arizona Foundation of Sedona. She is an active member, Scholarship Chairperson, Youth Services Chairperson, past President and past Treasurer of the Rotary Club of the Verde Valley.
LINDA ALLEN – 2021-2027 - Board Vice Chair
Now retired, Linda worked with elementary and secondary students needing remedial reading assistance and those with disabilities. She was the Director of Allocations for the United Way of Utica, NY and Director of Development and Grants Administrator for an independent living center, also in Utica, NY. Linda was the first woman President of the Rotary Club of Utica and helped start the Imagination Library program in her community. She lived part time in the Village of Oak Creek for many years before it became her permanent home. Linda is now a member of the Rotary Club of Sedona.
KEN DZUGAN – 2016-2021, 2023-27 - Treasurer
Ken has a BS degree in Physics from MIT and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. Ken worked in environmental regulation at both the state and local level. As an urban planner he was in charge of planning for the St. Paul Energy Park, which won National and International awards for its unique geothermal energy system. Ken has volunteered as a literacy tutor, teaching adults to read. He has volunteered with the local Imagination Library since it began in 2012 with the Rotary Club of Sedona.
DEANA DEWITT – 2024-26 Secretary
Together with her husband, Deana has raised two children and now has five grandchildren all residing in the Verde Valley. Deana earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. She spent more than 24 years as an educator in Cottonwood and Sedona public schools. Deana has belonged to a variety of committees and organizations dedicated to serving the community, including holding the position of SOCUSD Homeless Liaison and coaching sports programs for Special Olympics of Arizona. Deana currently manages business operations for DeWitt Excavation, Inc.
JEANNE HOKERK – 2023-26 - Director
Jeanne earned her BA and Master’s degree at ASU West with a specialization in reading. She taught for 14 years in the Washington School District in Phoenix. She retired in 2009 and moved to Clarkdale. She just retired again after being a substitute teacher at Clarkdale-Jerome School for 14 years.
VIVIANE KRAUS – 2020-26 - Director
Viviane has been an educator for 21 years. She worked 10 years as a Chicago Public School librarian. After moving to Sedona in 2016 with her family, she was a teacher and librarian for the Sedona Oak-Creek Unified School District. Currently, Viviane is the Youth Services librarian at the Sedona Public Library and is a liaison with West Sedona School. She is also the Secretary of the Science Vortex of Verde Valley.
KARI LINK – 2023-26 - Director
After graduating from NAU with a BS in Education, Kari moved to the Verde Valley. She has worked for the Sedona Boys & Girls Club and Clarkdale Jerome School. She has served on the CJS PTO, Mingus FFA, Mingus Operation Graduation along with multiple sports teams. She is a mom to 3 adult children and enjoys reading, hiking and traveling.
GAYLE BURNS – 2023-26 - Director
Gayle attended Iowa State University and Glendale Community College. She has been a resident of Sedona full time since 2021 and an Arizona resident since 1962. She has 2 grown sons, 5 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. She has held a variety of jobs and board appointments, including owning and operating five preschools and a Christmas Cottage gift store. Board appointments include Central Arizona Water Conservation District for 9.5 years and First Things First for 9 years. She is currently serving on the First Things First Legislative Committee. Also served 4 years as a member of the Sedona Golf Resort HOA and Architecture Committee.
CAT DALE – 2024-27 – Director
Cathryn started as an educator in the public school system at the age of 16. Her mother was the Head Librarian for her school district and passed on to “Cat” her love for reading, at an early age. At the age of 27, Cat became a realtor and remained in the industry for the next 30 years. Currently, she is spending her time starting a new business and doing volunteer work with the Rotary Club of the Verde Valley.
GENNA ADAMS – 2024-27 – Director
Genna Adams was born and raised in San Jose, California. She attended San Jose State University and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies and her teaching certification. She began her teaching career in the Bay Area before moving to the Verde Valley forty-two years ago. Genna received her Master’s Degree in Education at Northern Arizona. She has been active in education for over four decades and welcomes opportunities to positively impact children’s lives. She has donned many hats in education and is passionate about literacy. Genna has worked as a reading specialist in kindergarten through twelfth grades and has supported many schools in developing literacy programs that foster children’s success. She is currently the Verde Valley educator for high school students who are dual-enrolled in education through Yavapai College. Her students work in local schools in elementary classrooms, supporting the importance of early literacy. One of the college courses she teaches is Children’s Literature. Genna is excited to share her love and the importance of early literacy.
JANET SANDOVAL – 2021 Staff, Program Director, Ex-Officio Board Member
Janet is a long-time Verde Valley resident, having moved to the area with her husband and children in 1993 from Phoenix. A stay-at-home mom to their four children whom she homeschooled, she was active in leading the Verde Valley Home Educators for many years, organizing various events and field trips and teaching speech classes through the homeschool’s co-op. Later, Janet went on to become a Title One Reading Aide at Dr. Daniel Bright School for several years where she was able to work with struggling readers. An avid reader herself, Janet is passionate about early literacy and understands the importance of a child’s first years when it comes to a healthy brain and language development. Her role as Program Director allows her to promote the Imagination Library program in the Verde Valley by participating in community events that focus on children and early literacy. She understands the importance of instilling a love of reading from a very early age. Janet and her husband, Matias, enjoy family time and spoiling their grandchildren.
Updates & News
VVIL Hosts Fundraiser Article 2024
Verde News
Verde Valley Imagination Library Celebrates Young Graduates
Verde Valley Imagination Library Announces New Board Members 2023
Putting Books In Children’s Hands
Help Out Imagination Library
Fall In Love with Reading
Announcing United Way Grant
Blazin’ for Books 2024
Father and Son at ‘Celebrate Readers’ Event in Sedona
Celebrate Readers Event at Garrison Park
