President

Mark has been a resident of Surprise for over 15 years, with an interest and involvement in the development and planning of the area as it grows from bedroom community to full-fledged city.

He has served with the foundation since its original founding/planning committee as a youth club in the early 2010's.

As a local professional and business owner, he donates his time and enthusiasm to the cause as an investment in improving outcomes for all its citizens.

Treasurer

Lisa Gill moved to Arizona in December 2004 with her family from Pennsylvania.

As of 2025, Lisa has been married to her husband Joe for 35 years. Lisa has 2 girls, Alicia, 33 and Kristina, 30. Both married. Lisa is proud to be a grandmother to Scarlett who is 4 and Brantley 20 months.

 Lisa has been in banking since 1985 and will celebrate 40 years in April 2025. Lisa believes in being a relationship banker who provides concierge service to her clients. She works with consumer and business customers. Lisa loves to be a resource to her clients and the community.

 Lisa gives back by sitting on 3 Boards. Eve’s Place Board Chair, Surprise Youth Foundation Treasurer, and Sun City West Alliance of Business And Community Board President.

 Lisa enjoys photography, reading, & hanging out with her family.

Secretary

​Annie Ansell is a dedicated non-profit leader with a profound commitment to serving children and families in the West Valley. As the Chief Executive Officer of the Dysart Community Center, a leadership position she has held since 2016, she guides one of the region's oldest and most vital non-profits. Under her direction, the center provides empowering developmental programs—including after-school care, teen programs, and summer camps—that equip low-income youth and their families with the tools and skills necessary to build self-sufficiency.

​Annie’s career is distinguished by her long-standing passion for youth advocacy. Before joining the Dysart Community Center, she served as the CEO for Kids Count and spent over six years at Arizonans for Children, Inc., where she directed the Tutor/Mentor Program for foster youth. This extensive experience is centered on creating safe and nurturing environments that foster academic success and personal growth for children and teens facing significant challenges.

​Beyond her primary role, Annie extends her expertise across the community. She has served as a board member for the Surprise Youth Foundation since 2020 and also sits on the Microsoft Data Center Community Advisory Board, where she helps evaluate grant requests for local non-profits. Annie is driven by a philosophy of empowerment, believing in helping community members rise out of poverty and then reach back to lift others, strengthening our community for generations to come.

​Kevin Perry brings a wealth of executive leadership to the board, with a strong background in business development and marketing from a distinguished career in the high-tech industry. Before retiring in 2020, he held senior management positions at major corporations, including Seagate Technology and Western Digital. After relocating to Surprise in 2021, Kevin immediately dedicated his time and expertise to becoming an active leader in community service.

​His deep commitment to the Surprise community is evident in his extensive volunteer work. Kevin serves as Vice President of the West Valley Symphony and is a board member for the WHAM Community Art Center. He also contributes his business acumen as a Board Advisor to the Surprise Spark Business Development Hub and as a volunteer tax preparer with the VITA program. Furthermore, he serves the city directly as a Commissioner on the Surprise Planning and Zoning Board.

​Kevin is honored to be a member of the Surprise Youth Foundation board, where he applies his decades of professional experience and his passion for community building. He is focused on using his skills to help support and empower the youth of Surprise, ensuring the foundation can continue to grow its impact and achieve its mission.

Former Surprise Mayor Skip Hall joined our board in early 2025. Skip has been a longtime friend and supporter of the foundation in his private capacity.

Karen Henriksen brings her decade-and-a-half banking experience in Sun City West as well as her enthusiasm for supporting her community in Surprise to the board.

been an Arizona resident since 2002. She earned her law degree from the University of Miami School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Florida International University. Judge Gaudreau is pleased to serve on the Board of the Surprise Youth Foundation and hopes her personal background and professional experience will provide a helpful perspective in pursuing the organization’s goals.

​Judge Gaudreau’s commitment to service extends throughout the Arizona legal community. She is a member of the Arizona Supreme Court’s Committee on the Impact of Domestic Violence and the Courts and serves as faculty for statewide judicial training on various legal topics. Prior to her appointment, her diverse legal career included roles as an assistant city prosecutor and a civil litigation associate. She also helps educate the public about the justice system by writing articles for local and statewide legal publications.

​Judge Gaudreau is passionate about the causes of justice, fairness, innovation, and education. She endeavors every day to serve the Surprise community and the greater Arizona judiciary with integrity, knowledge, compassion, and enthusiasm, values she is eager to apply to her work with the foundation.

School Resource Officer for Asante Elementary, Grayling joined our board in the summer of 2025.