Hanke served 6 years on board, 4 as its president
COTTONWOOD, Ariz. — After six years of service on the Verde Valley Sanctuary Board of
Directors, including four as president, David Hanke announced he was stepping down in May. In
June, the board unanimously voted Pat Jansen to lead the agency moving forward.
“I realize that I am replacing an outstanding leader,” Jansen said of Hanke. “He has led this
organization through some difficult times. His oversight has brought more structure to the
board, and he has greatly strengthened the organization. He has worked tirelessly for Verde
Valley Sanctuary, and I only hope I can replace him with as much enthusiasm and dedication.”
Born in Michigan, Jansen earned her master’s degree at Oakland University and worked for
General Motors for nearly three decades as a senior manager in Global Component Capacity
Management. Once she and her husband, Joe, retired, they moved to Sedona and immediately
became involved in the local community.
Jansen has served as an adjunct professor at Yavapai Community College and became affiliated
with the Arizona Community Foundation’s Sedona Board of Advisors, the Sedona Public Library
Board of Directors, Steps to Recovery Board of Directors, and the Desert Star Community
School Board, where she also serves as president.
Through her work in the community, Jansen learned more about the services of Verde Valley
Sanctuary, whose mission is to provide safety, services, and comfort to survivors of domestic
and sexual violence, and chose to meet with Hanke and Executive Director Jessye Johnson to
explore how she could help.
P.O. Box 595, Sedona, AZ 86339 928-282-2755 VerdeValleySanctuary.org
“We were obviously inspired by these discussions to become more actively involved, and
become regular donors, and later became legacy donors,” Jansen said. “All of this inspired me
to join the board.”
Jansen joined the VVS Board of Directors in January 2024, quickly becoming vice president in
February 2024 before her colleagues voted her as president in this past June.
As the next board president, Jansen said that her experiences, professionally and personally,
will be “helpful” to the organization and any challenges it faces.
“Verde Valley Sanctuary hopes to not only expand its current services but also fund a new
Family Advocacy Center. I believe I can help with these efforts,” Jansen said, adding that in the
future, she would like to see the community become increasingly aware of domestic and sexual
abuse issues, and to better understand how to help end the cycle.
“While no single organization can serve all survivors or provide for all needs, I believe Verde
Valley Sanctuary could serve as a hub or focal point to link all related organizations in the
region,” Jansen said. “The various services Verde Valley Sanctuary provides need to continue to
grow and inter-organizational communication and coordination will have a region-wide
impact.”
Hanke, who early in his career spent time at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles as a registered
nurse in the intensive care unit, said he knew all too well about the damage caused by domestic
violence across the country.
“Once retired I felt it my duty to attempt to stop some of this damage in any way I could,” said
Hanke, who spent 20-plus years as a senior executive in the healthcare industry, specifically
medical equipment, sales, marketing and operations, after his time in the ICU. “My business
background and finance knowledge became very important in helping to improve
the Sanctuary.”
Hanke reflected on his legacy at VVS, pointing to a “team effort” approach.
“I am proud that we have expanded the organization over the last six years and purchased
additional properties to expand services, like transitional housing and a centralized services
campus for our clients,” Hanke said. “Additionally, I’m pleased the team restated our financial
reporting to comply with GAAP standards and given the board confidence in their accuracy so
they can make sound decisions for the organization.”
P.O. Box 595, Sedona, AZ 86339 928-282-2755 VerdeValleySanctuary.org
With VVS on a “very sound footing financially,” Hanke said, a board full of amazing people and a
strategic plan moving forward, he felt it was time to step away.
“I’d like to thank Jessye [Johnson] and her staff as they stuck with the organization through
a challenging year and came out on the other side stronger than ever,” Hanke said. “Jessye has
done an excellent job of recruiting new staff and supporting the board to keep the organization
moving in a positive direction.”
Johnson said she was “grateful” for Hanke’s tireless work ethic during his tenure on the board
of directors as its president.
“We are incredibly grateful for Dave’s steadfast and measured leadership of the board for the
last several years,” Johnson said. “He is a true champion for our mission. Although Pat will have
some big shoes to fill, she is perfectly suited to take on the president role, and I am thrilled to
be able to work closely with her as we continue to advance Verde Valley Sanctuary’s growth.”
Valna Wilson will take over as vice president of the board for VVS, while Holly Hulen (secretary)
and Nickie Pruitt (treasurer) retain their officer roles.
About
Verde Valley Sanctuary’s mission is to provide safety, services, and comfort to survivors of
domestic and sexual violence. The agency began in 1993 as a grassroots organization with a
leased modular home that slept six and has grown into a 28-bed emergency shelter with
transitional housing options, a lay legal advocacy center, community-based advocacy support, a
24/7/365 crisis hotline (928-634-2511) and a staff that takes pride in its youth violence
prevention education and public outreach and awareness. VVS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization and qualifying charitable organization for the Arizona Tax Credit. Federal Tax ID:
#86-071314; QCO Code: #20041. Visit VerdeValleySanctuary.org for more information.