Who runs the world (specifically the Valley of the Sun)?! These Sun Devil women do! Join us for a night of networking, storytelling and knowledge sharing as our esteemed panel of female entrepreneurs share their business savvy with our ASU family. The panel, led by Latasha Causey, will feature panelists Joya Kizer Clarke, Crystal Patriarche and Lisa VanBockern, . Not only are these women all proud alums, they are also all Sun Devil 100 honorees, marking them as owners or leaders of the fastest-growing Sun Devil led businesses across the country! Come learn about how their journey as Sun Devil students helped navigate them towards their careers in business and beyond.
Latasha has over 20 years’ experience in Recruiting and Human Resources. Prior to joining U-Haul Latasha worked for 12 years at USAA’s North Phoenix Campus. Holding various leadership roles, responsible for strengthening USAA's brand in the Phoenix market and leading corporate social responsibility. During her tenure she was also part of the HR Talent Acquisition team, supporting and leading recruitment efforts across all USAA locations.
Latasha has also worked for Charles Schwab and Wells Fargo in various Human Resource leadership roles, having a vast knowledge of the HR and Recruiting fields. Latasha holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Arizona State University, Master of Arts Degree with a concentration in Organizational Management and Professional Human Resources certification (PHR).
Latasha is married to her wonderful husband Sullivan; they have two beautiful boys, Sullivan III and Maysn. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and enjoying the Arizona sun. Latasha is very active in the Phoenix community, she serves on the Teach for America of Arizona, Florence Crittenton, Children’s Museum of Phoenix and Charter 100 Board of Directors. She is also the co-chair of the Valley of the Sun United Way, Women United leadership group.
Meet Our Panelists
Joya serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of CASA Unlimited Enterprises, Inc. She succeeded her mother, Yolanda Collazos Kizer, a prominent entrepreneur who founded the local-based retail business in 1989. Joya received her Baccalaureate degree in Zoology from Arizona State University. In Joya’s 20-year tenure at CASA, she has held a variety of significant roles in the company as an accounts payable clerk, buyer, and general operations manager. These career opportunities allowed Joya to ascertain key elements for running a successful business. Joya has been affiliated with HMSHost, CASA Unlimited, and Desert Jewel. She was elevated to her current role in 2013 and currently oversees three retail stores in Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, over twenty-five joint venture partner locations and continues to build growth opportunities for the business. In 2019, Casa Unlimited’s newsstand, AzCentral.com, was named one of top five Best Newsstands by USA Today.
Joya is a recipient of the ASU Sun Devil 100 Award for excellence in business leadership, the Univision/Valle del Sol “40 Hispanic Leaders Under 40” and is a member of the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW) organization. She currently serves as a member of Congressman Ruben Gallego’s Women’s Advisory Council and board member of Arizona School For the Arts. She has a large community outreach involvement and donates to many local organizations such as Boyce Thompson Arboretum, ALAC Board of Directors, and Cesar Chavez Foundation. She continues to be a prominent NextGen community figure within the airport concessionaire industry.
A two-time Sun Devil 100 recipient, Crystal Patriarche has an extensive 20-year background building a simultaneous career in public relations and publishing, disrupting both the magazine and book publishing industries, and focusing on elevating women. She led public relations strategy for Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft and various start-ups before becoming Editor in Chief and head of PR and celebrity partnerships for SheKnows.com, one of the first digital-only publishers reaching 40 million women online around the world. In 2009, she started her own company, SparkPoint Studio, which has grown into a multi-media company that puts women at the center of their stories. SparkPoint consists of several divisions that help women tell their stories.
Lisa VanBockern, a graduate of Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business, began her career as a senior business analyst for Ernst & Young consulting, one of the world’s leading professional services organizations.
Years later, a business opportunity within the aesthetic field presented itself and VanBockern pursued. Upon licensing as an aesthetician, she worked under two physicians in the aesthetic field since 2004 and gained a vast knowledge of skin care conditions and ingredients within topical treatments. In 2007, her passion for skin care and desire to achieve real results for her clients led her into the research and development of her own skin care line, Skin Script. Skin Script is a professional product line that specializes in clinical-grade skin care products for all skin types and ethnicities. It is sold to spas, salons, med spas, and dermatologist offices through the United States.
Skin Script’s sales and training office is located in Tempe, Arizona and provides product training and sales support to skin care professionals.
