Our Team
at Community Assistance Teams of Flagstaff (CATs)
At CATs, our team is made up of dedicated leaders, organizers, educators, and community advocates. Get to know the passionate individuals who bring our mission to life.
Co-Founders
Get to know out Co-Founders
Wendy White (left) has been a practicing attorney in Flagstaff Arizona for over 30 years. Working in the criminal justice system as a defense attorney, prosecutor and the criminal justice coordinator for Coconino County, Wendy has been acutely aware of the unmet needs of people experiencing homelessness. Her passion for justice and protecting the rights of those in need led her to co-found Community Assistance Teams of Flagstaff.
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Darrell Marks (right) is recognized throughout Arizona as a champion for Indigenous rights, including protecting the sacred peaks of Northern Arizona to his work providing help to elders on the Navajo Nation during the devastating Covid 19 epidemic. Darrell's compassion for unsheltered relatives and his fight for social justice were the driving force behind the establishment of Community Assistance Teams of Flagstaff. Darrell is the Co-Chair of the C.A.Ts Board of Directors
Wendy White
About Me
Coming Soon!
Meet our Staff
Our team of caring community members come from diverse backgrounds including lived experience, unique cultures and differing personal histories. What unites them is a desire to help others navigate through difficult times and to share their knowledge and skills to do it.
CATs Board of Directors
Darrell Marks
Co- Founder and Co-Chair
Ya’at’eeh Shik’ei aadoo Shidine’e,
Shí éí Tabaahá, Naakai Dine’é Báshíshchíín, KinÅ‚ichii'nii Dashícheii, Ashii Dashínalí. Tó Níhalíí’ Naashá. Shí éí Darrell Marks.
Darrell Marks is White Corn Zuni Edgewater, born for Those Going Home. His maternal grandparents are Redhouse, and his paternal grandparents are Salt.
He is a very proud father of three children, a daughter and two sons. He conducts much of his work in collaboration with his sons and has a strong commitment to community. He currently serves as the Native American Academic Advisor at Flagstaff High School as well as an commissioner for the Indigenous Commissioner of the City of Flagstaff. He is an active board member for the Southwest Center for Equal Justice (SWCEJ), Fourth World Foundation, Indigenous Circle of Flagstaff (ICF), Coconino Community College Native Bridge Program, Northern Arizona University INE program. He is also an social justice community organizer with the Indigenous Circle of Flagstaff, CATs, SWCEJ, Native American Youth Advocating for the Renaming of the San Francisco Peaks, and with a multitude of groups that focus on the traditional/Sacred environment of the Indigenous People of the Northern Arizona region, and issues that impact Native American Youth, communities of color, and those issues that impact education of Indigenous. Darrell Marks is a recipient of the JFK Profiles in Courage Award from 2021 for his work on COVID 19 relief efforts. He continues to remain involved in work that affects change for Unsheltered relatives, Indigenous tribal communities, the protection of sacred sites, the promotion of indigenous language and culture.
Gianna Lewis
Board Member
Professional Background
I recently graduated with a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree and am currently working as a medical social worker in hospice, providing emotional support and needed resources to patients, caregivers, and families preparing for end of life. I spent the last 5 years earning my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in social work from Northern Arizona University. I obtained two minors in my Bachelor’s program in sociology and psychology to solidify my knowledge in the healthcare fields. I am excited to finally do the work I’ve been training to do since I began university in 2020.
Why I’m Involved
Social work education programs require students to complete 450-hour internships with agencies to get real-world experience in the field. In my Master’s program, I knew I wanted to get involved in outreach efforts for our unhoused population here in Flagstaff when I realized there was already a group of people doing this. I advocated for myself to arrange an internship with CATs, which got me the experiences and school credits I needed and wanted. Throughout my internship here, I directly connected with our unsheltered relatives, learned about their stories, experiences, and journeys, and realized how important this organization is to our community. I gained friendships, knowledge, and so many memories from my internship and knew that I wanted to continue the work after I graduated. CATs invited me to become a board member after I graduated and I am now their youngest board member here to advocate for mental health, emotional communication, and self-care strategies for relatives and staff alike.
What drew me to CATs is what drew me to social work: empathy, (com)passion, and advocacy. I have been a fierce empath my entire life and have always enjoyed using it as a tool to benefit others. I was always certain I would study a field in the helping professions. I am passionate about social justice, diversity, inclusivity, and providing compassionate care for every person in need, regardless of their identity, situation, or history. In the same way we help family members, I believe support should not come with any strings attached. I have learned to harness my empathy and compassion to advocate for and with our community members who are so often overlooked to fight for the support, services, and resources they need to survive and thrive. Flagstaff is an amazing town, and CATs fosters connection, service, and familial care by helping anyone who asks for help and instilling the philosophy of k’é in everything we do.
Fun Fact
I am a cellist and have been playing cello since I was 7 ½ years old (going on 16 years). While I don’t play as often anymore, I still enjoy playing with my mom and older sister who play flute and violin/viola. I love my musical family!
Board Member and Treasurer
Somana Tootsie is from the traditional village of Hotevilla, on 3rd Mesa on the Hopi Reservation in Northern Arizona. She comes from the Katsina/Parrot Clan. Somana was raised on the Hopi Reservation and went to high school at Hopi High School. She is a graduate from Coconino Community College. Throughout her career Somana has worked to build and support the collective strength of her community and support the neighboring Indigneous communities who are also impacted by the same challenges like environmental resource extraction, water/air/land quality, social justice, unsheltered and underserved populations challenges, and grassroots organizing for traditional life skills, roles and knowledge sharing. She is also a well known educator on traditional cooking methods for Hopi and ancestral Pueblo methodologies which is rooted in her passion for Food Sovereignty and uplifting roles of women in our traditional societies. She had begun her advocacy at the age of 16 with her position as Hopi Veterans’s Post #80 Princess for Veterans’ issues for Hopi, and progressed into roles at Black Mesa Trust as a Youth Coordinator, Black Mesa Water Coalition’s Hopi Program Coordinator, Tuba City Unified School District as Editor of the Warrior News, and Native Movement as the Peace and Balance Coordinator. During this time she also operated her small businesses Somana’s Traditional Catering and Hopi Studio and wrote for several local newspapers Hopi Tutuveni, the Navajo Hopi Observer and the Arizona Daily Sun, and is now a co-founder of 4th World Foundation and also serves as 4WF's Executive Director. She also serves on several boards in Northern Arizona including Flagstaff’s Foodlink, Culture Connection AZ, KARMA and a Doctoral board for Indigenous Mental Health Advocacy. In these roles Somana had led coalitions of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities and orgs in connecting to the issues of energy development impact on Indigenous communities to larger social justice movements and common strategies.
Somana is an aggressive advocate for Indigenous people’s rights, environmental justice, and native small business development as well as an active organizer, speaker and writer on these issues. Somana contributes to a blog at hopistudio.com. Her experience and expertise includes work on Indigenous people’s rights, environmental justice, climate justice, traditional knowledge sharing, cultural connections, and food sovereignty and the impacts of energy development, STEAM education, and social impacts on Indigenous people and BIPOC particularly in North America. Somana is currently based in both Flagstaff, AZ and her home village of Hotevilla.
John Buckley
Board Member
Hello my name is John Buckley. I grew up in St. Paul/Minneapolis Minnesota. Received a bachelor's degree in geology and math in 1979. Attended graduate school at the university of Arizona and received a master's degree in mining engineering in 1983. I worked for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission doing nuclear waste cleanup from 1983-2014.
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I started bicycle touring and racing in 1998. This is where I developed a love of bicycles. In 2000 I began repairing/refurbishing bicycles. When I moved to flagstaff in 2018 I joined the Lefty Loosey Bikes CO-OP. Lefty Loosey merged with CATs in 2023. I am now a volunteer with the CATs on Wheels bike program.
Carolyn Kidd
Board Member
Carolyn is a dynamic public servant and seasoned Human Resources professional with
over 30 years of impactful experience. She has dedicated her career to advancing
education, fostering diversity, and promoting effective organizational leadership. A proud
alumna of the University of Phoenix, Carolyn earned her Bachelor of Science in
Management in 2014, followed by a Master of Business Administration in 2016.
Currently, she is on track to complete her Doctorate in Management in 2025, where she
has earned Honor Roll recognition for her academic excellence.
In 2023, Carolyn expanded her expertise by becoming a Certified Instructor for True
Colors International to enhance her ability to inspire collaboration and inclusivity in the
workplace. She is committed to making a difference by advocating for building and
sustaining educational institutions, families, businesses, and communities. Known for
her energetic approach and deep commitment to creating inclusive environments,
Carolyn embraces the importance of strong partnerships between people and
community. She continues to make significant strides in driving positive change through
the private and public sectors. Her passion for empowering others is evident in every
role she undertakes, making her a revered leader in her community.
As a transplant to Flagstaff, lifelong learner, and avid volunteer, Carolyn understands
the importance of relationships among education, awareness, empathy, and the broader
community to provide opportunities for Flagstaff's future. The moments in Carolyn’s
career she is proud of are serving on several Boards and Commissions in Arizona,
namely, chairing the Commission of Diversity Awareness (CODA) for the City of
Flagstaff; an elected Governing Board Member of Flagstaff Unified School District
(FUSD); the President of Arizona Adult Lifelong Learning(AALL); a member of Coalition
on Adult Basic Education (COABE); Mountain Plains Adult Education Association
(MPAEA); a member of City of Flagstaff Equity Advisory Group; a board member of
Coconino Workforce Development Board, a member of the City Police Dept Indigenous
Advisory Board (IAB), a board member of Townsite Community Land Trust (TCLT), and
a recent board member of the Community Assistance Teams (CATS) of Flagstaff.
The historical figure that particularly inspired Carolyn is Nelson Mandela, for his
leadership style marked by servant leadership, unity, truth, sacrifice, learning, and
positivity, which continues to influence her approach to leadership and service to others.
Carolyn stated that certain organizations today are moving away from their social
responsibility in cultivating diverse and equitable leadership. This motivates her calling
to share with people across many diasporas that love heals and always conquers
fear. Carolyn’s voice might be heard on several panels, boards, and commissions
where education, human services, and mentorship are fostered for her stance on
meaningful education for all, advocacy for special education, early and adult education,
Career & Technical Education (CTE) development, workforce development, unsheltered
people in our community, and any issues of underrepresented groups.
Makaius Marks
Board Member
I stand proudly near the water, rooted in my heritage as Born For White Corn Zuni Edgewater My maternal grandfather hails from the Red Bottoms People, while my paternal grandfather represents the Peoples Coming Home. At 23, I am a Navajo man who has been actively involved with ICF since its inception. I was a youth when I engaged in the movement to abolish Columbus Day and elevate Indigenous Peoples' Day. As early as 8th grade, I have been a frequent speaker at City Engagements, championing the voices of young people within the organization. I am dedicated to ensuring that youth have a powerful platform to express themselves alongside the wisdom of our Elders.
Non-Profit Information
Community Assistance Teams of Flagstaff is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and an Arizona Qualified Charitable Organization. Our federal EIN is 87-1996568 and our Arizona QCO number is 22548.
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The maximum QCO credit donation amount for 2024:
$470 single, married filing separate or head of household; $938 married filing joint.
The maximum QCO credit donation amount for 2025:
$495 single, married filing separate or head of household; $987 married filing joint.