Founder & Executive Director

Melissa Watson Erickson is a detail-oriented, results-driven leader at the intersections of art, innovation, business, and philanthropy. As the founder and principal consultant of The Funding Studio, she has supported creative and mission-driven organizations nationwide in building sustainable funding ecosystems. Melissa brings over a decade of experience in strategic fundraising, organizational development, and capacity-building, empowering creative professionals and social entrepreneurs through education, fiscal sponsorship, and hands-on consulting.

Her career includes leadership roles at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In both roles, she supported the entrepreneurship centers and led fundraising strategy, major donor portfolio management, and professional development initiatives. Melissa has secured major gifts, built and trained high-performing teams, and developed programs that have increased capital, visibility, and community engagement for a wide range of organizations.

Melissa holds a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Quinnipiac University, a BA from University of the Arts London, a credential in fundraising (CFRE), and certifications in women’s entrepreneurship (Cornell), digital marketing (Columbia Business School), diversity & inclusion (USF), and professional coaching. She is a frequent speaker and panelist at universities, conferences, and festivals on philanthropy, fiscal sponsorship, and nonprofit leadership, and is recognized for her transparent, accountable, and solutions-oriented approach.

Chris Erickson is a highly accomplished banking professional with over 25 years of experience in the field of finance and fraud prevention. He has a proven track record of developing and executing successful data analytics strategies sand has consistently delivered measurable results and driven business growth.

Throughout his career, Chris has held leadership positions at Bank of America, where he has led cross-functional teams and collaborated with stakeholders at all levels to achieve organizational objectives. He is known for his exceptional analytical skills, strategic thinking, and ability to adapt to rapidly evolving market trends.

In addition to his professional achievements, Chris is a strong advocate for community engagement and social responsibility, leveraging his skills to make a positive impact on society.

His passion for arts and innovation combined with his drive for excellence, makes him a valuable asset to The Funding Studio. 

 Renee King, Deputy Legal Defender at Maricopa County Office of the Legal Defender. Specializing in juvenile dependency and severance actions. Renee has a love of musicals, botanical gardens, animals including her two dogs, and traveling with her husband and daughter.  

 Amy Yackowski is the Founder and Chief Evolution Officer at Painted Porch Strategies, a stoically-based training and advisory team dedicated to guiding current and emerging leaders and organizations in becoming change ready and resilient in their life, work, and anywhere in between. Amy is an active member of the Junior League of Phoenix, serves on the executive committee for the Junior League of Phoenix Toastmaster's club, and is currently a Toastmaster Area Director for the greater Phoenix valley. In addition, she has served in volunteer roles for charitable organizations including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, A Stepping Stone Foundation, and St. Vincent de Paul. Amy is thrilled and honored to be a part The Funding Studio and its mission to provide funding strategies and fiscal sponsorship to help turn bright ideas and passionate storytelling into shining achievements. 

 Alicia Jenkins has been a lover of the arts since she was a toddler. As a true theatre nerd, she is honored to be a founding member of The Funding Studio. She is also a freak in the spreadsheets, and can’t wait to use her budgeting expertise in service of such a great organization as treasurer. Her free time is spent with her amazing niblings, attending as many live performances as she can, and following the whims of her husband and dog.  

 Kelly Smith, MA, has been a project and change management leader for 20 years, supporting nonprofit organizations and companies in achieving success. She has a passion for grant-funded programming and provided oversight to many initiatives in the nonprofit, government, and corporate sectors, holding the position of Vice President of Health Promotions for the Western United States (American Lung Association).

 In this role, she navigated a team through organizational structure transitions. In addition, Kelly has served as a consultant in the corporate arena and taught Psychology, Bioethics, and Nonprofit Management courses at the collegiate level. 

Kelly has loved fine arts since she was a child and won the Excellence in Art award in her high school class. In graduate school, she completed expressive and art therapy coursework on her journey to an MA in Psychology.

 Mary Rivera dedicated her career to Uhaul, where she served as the executive assistant to the President before transitioning to lead their finance team. Throughout her tenure, she brought a wealth of administrative expertise and financial acumen to her roles, contributing significantly to the company's operations.

Beyond her corporate achievements, Mary is a passionate advocate for the arts, with a particular affinity for live theatre. Her advocacy extends to supporting local arts organizations and initiatives, believing strongly in their power to enrich communities and inspire creativity.

In retirement, Mary continues to be actively involved in promoting the arts, leveraging her extensive professional experience and personal passion to make a meaningful impact in cultural sectors.

Sarah Muench is a Phoenix-based strategic communications professional and founder of Muench Strategic Communications, where she helps nonprofits, advocacy organizations, and social-impact initiatives strengthen fundraising narratives, donor engagement, and public-facing storytelling. Her work focuses on translating values-driven ideas into compelling cases for support that attract philanthropic investment and expand impact.

Before launching her firm, Sarah spent seven years at Marts & Lundy, a national philanthropic consulting firm, partnering with a wide range of nonprofit organizations on fundraising communications, donor engagement, and institutional advancement.

She also brings nonprofit leadership experience as the former co-founder and Chief Communications Officer of a national nonprofit startup focused on advancing women into leadership roles in sports. She currently serves on the board of the Phoenix Women’s Sports Association, where she collaborates with organizational leadership on strategy, fundraising communications, and growth, particularly in early and evolving stages.

A film podcast co-host, cinephile, and former journalist, Sarah is deeply committed to documentary and narrative work that elevates voices too often overlooked. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, she is especially drawn to mission-driven storytelling across art, film, music, and social innovation, and to organizations that help bring those stories to life.

Dana Kline is an accomplished technology and business leader with extensive experience

guiding organizations through growth, transformation, and complexity. As Vice President of

Information Technology and Chief Information Officer at Cordia, Dana leads enterprise

technology, cybersecurity, data, collaboration platforms, and vendor governance, with a strong

focus on reliability, risk reduction, and value realization.

In addition to his executive role, Dana leads Cordia’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group,

where he advocates for inclusion, belonging, and equitable workplace practices. His leadership

reflects a strong belief that inclusive cultures strengthen organizations and communities.

Throughout his career, Dana has supported organizations across multiple industries, helping

leadership teams modernize operations, strengthen governance, and make disciplined

investments that align strategy, technology, and mission. He played a key leadership role in the

carve-out of Cordia from Clearway Energy Group, leading the greenfield build-out of the

company’s entire IT organization, operating model, and core systems.

Dana brings a practical, outcomes-oriented perspective to board service, with particular

strengths in strategic planning, risk oversight, and financial and vendor accountability. He also

serves on the Cybersecurity and Digital Transformation committees for the Arizona Technology

Council and is an active member of the Arizona chapter of the Society for Information

Management (SIM) and ArizonaCIO, where he engages with peers on leadership, innovation,

and responsible technology adoption.

Dana holds an MBA with a concentration in Project Management from Keller Graduate School

of Management and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from the

University of Dayton. He has been recognized with the ESGR Patriotic Employer Award for his

commitment to leadership and service.

Specializing in retirement strategies for 55+ communities.

Stacey Bendfeldt is a financial advisor who helps pre-retirees and retirees simplify their finances and create clear, personalized retirement strategies. As both a financial professional and a resident of a 55+ community, she understands the lifestyle goals and concerns that matter most in this stage of life.

Grounded in education and empowerment, Stacey is best known for engaging seminars in 55+ communities across Arizona. She teaches practical strategies on maximizing retirement income, annuities, Social Security, tax-smart investing, and decluttering finances for retirement.

Whether guiding a client through a major life decision or presenting to a community group, Stacey brings clarity, insight, and a genuine commitment to helping others take control of their financial futures.

Stacey holds several respected industry designations and is especially proud of earning the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor designation, recognizing her focus on helping clients prepare for and enjoy retirement.

With both professional expertise and personal understanding, Stacey helps individuals and couples protect what they have built, plan with clarity, and move confidently into the future.

Raymond James and its advisors do not offer tax or legal advice. You should discuss tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional.