Dr. Monica Parsai
CEO

Monica Parsai, Ph.D has a Doctorate in Social Work, and a Sociology degree with a concentration in Family and Adolescent Issues. Dr. Parsai worked for 13 years at a National Institutes of Health Center of Excellence at Arizona State University where she developed, tested and evaluated programs geared to reduce and prevent youth risky behaviors and to increase the mental health of parents and children. 

Dr. Parsai has also worked for the last 20 years with Arizona families in different capacities including as preventionist, program director, and workshop facilitator. She has an extensive list of peer review publications based on her evaluations of program efficacy and effectiveness, and has prepared several evaluation reports for school-based and hospital-based programs. 

In addition, Dr. Parsai has extensive experience as a trainer of trainers, locally and internationally. She has trained teachers, physicians, nurses, preventionists, social workers, as well as paraprofessionals in United States, Mexico and Spain on the implementation of programs, fidelity issues related to implementation and evaluation, data collection, recruitment and retention of participants and the use of the promotora model. 

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Ilana parsai
executive assistant

While serving as SEG's Executive Assistant, Ilana Parsai is also pursuing a career in Human Resources and Business Administration.  Ilana has over a decade of experience working in customer service and business management.  

At Saguaro Evaluation Ilana oversees the organization's business management and operations by performing grant writing; accounting; data collection, entry, and analysis; and the coordination and assistance of SEG's professional development trainings and workshops.

Ilana also directs SEG's Human Resources processes and information systems, and she is a Certified Active Parenting of Teens facilitator.

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ANTHONY AMEZQUITA, MSW
DFC PROGRAM DIRECTOR

​Having lived in Arizona all of my life and being a part of a diverse ethnic community, I feel strongly towards working with individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

Additionally, I myself started my higher education journey at Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale, AZ in 2008. I then transferred to the University of Arizona to complete my Bachelor’s degree in sociology and then to ASU to complete my MSW degree shortly after.

​I have over 4 years of experience working with marginalized populations through ASU coursework and internship placements, community and social development, social service provision, grant writing, and program design and evaluation. Additionally, I have Executive-Director experience during my tenure at the Agua Fria Food Bank in which I was able to successfully execute our programs to help those in need in the communities we served with the help of amazing volunteers and other organizations in the West Valley.

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BEATRIZ VEGA DE LUNA, MSW
project coordinator

Beatriz Vega de Luna holds a Masters Degree Social Work from Arizona State University. 

Ms. Vega de Luna  has extensive experience facilitating workshops and educational sessions for adults in a variety of subjects including: parenting, health, finances, stress reduction, sexuality and youth substance use. Currently, she is a graduate student in the Master of Social Work program at ASU where she works part-time as a Program Coordinator for a school based substance use program for middle school students and their parents/caregivers. Ms. Vega de Luna has also been contracted by Magellan to coordinate a community-based prevention efforts aimed at reducing alcohol use in minors.

At SEG, Ms. Vega de Luna lends her expertise conducting one-on-one interviews and focus groups with Spanish speaking individuals/groups, recruiting focus group participants, and completing administrative tasks.

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DebbiE Polisky, MS, MBS, CLT
Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

Debbie Polisky is SEG's nutrition and wellness consultant. Debbie holds a Master of Science degree in Nutrition from Rosalind University, Chicago, IL, a Master of Business Administration degree with a Marketing concentration from Keller Graduate School of Management and several health related certifications. She is an active professional member of the American Dietetic Association and has work with the Arizona Heart Association and the Arizona Diabetes Association. She is also a member and a volunteer for LAHIDAN – Latinos and Hispanics in Dietetics and Nutrition – a member interest group of the American Dietetic Association as well as a member of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Debbie is a trainer for Stanford University Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, and the Centers for Disease Control Diabetes Prevention Program. 

At SEG she assists with health programs and contracts enable our team to expand current services to include health, nutrition and physical activity. Debbie is bilingual English-Spanish. 

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