Growing up, Andrea Katsenes knew that when her father wasn’t home at night, it meant he was out volunteering somewhere. Over the years, John Katsenes, a Phoenix insurance executive, helped establish a local Big Brothers Big Sisters chapter, served on the Phoenix City Council, and was a Maricopa County Supervisor. He even talked Frank Lloyd Wright into designing a float, for free, for the 1957 Rose Bowl Parade. Dubbed “First in Sunshine,” the float was produced by the Phoenix Jaycees as a way to promote the city. “Giving back has always been kind of our family thing,” Andrea said. “We all are expected to get involved in the community.” Today, in her role as director of media & public relations at Cox Communications, Andrea has a chance to do just that. Founded in 1898 by James M. Cox, Ohio’s first three-term governor, the family-run company strives to support the communities it serves. “The company expects all of us as leaders to be Karen Werner | Editor Director of media & public relations at Cox Communications ANDREA KATSENES OFFICE DOORS {valley changemakers} 12 FRONTDOORS MEDIA | MARCH 2019

out in the community, giving our talent and treasure,” Andrea said. Employees are encouraged to volunteer in ways that are meaningful to them, whether it’s serving on a board or volunteering for a child’s sports team. “Last year, our Arizona employees gave 37,000 hours to the community. We’re really proud of that,” she said. During her own 16 years with Cox, Andrea has kept the charitable legacy alive by giving back in a number of ways. She served on the City of Phoenix’s planning commission for seven years as well as on several animal welfare boards. She chaired the annual Willo Historic Neighborhood home tour twice and regularly takes shelter dogs for walks. But one charity she has championed for years is Fresh Start Women’s Foundation, a nonprofit that provides women with education, resources and support to positively transform their lives. It all started 20 years ago, when a friend who worked at Fresh Start invited Andrea to take a tour. “I was blown away by it,” she said. “I was watching women come and get counseling and legal advice. There are resources in our community but they didn’t know how to access them. It was like a refuge for women.” Andrea reached out and asked how she could get involved. She joined the auxiliary board, exhausted her term, and is now the event chair for this month’s Fresh Start Gala. She sees the work the organization does as having a ripple effect that extends far beyond the individual women Fresh Start serves. “So often, women are heads of households,” Andrea said. “So when you are giving a woman a hand, you’re lifting her whole family. And for that matter, you’re lifting the whole community. So it kind of helps lift the whole Valley that we live in.” In addition to helping others, Andrea has found that her work with Fresh Start helps her as well. “I have gained so many friendships. There are so many people that I consider mentors and just impressive women that I probably would have never met but for my involvement with Fresh Start,” she said. It’s a message her father used to drive home: Philanthropy broadens your horizons. It’s why her mother served on the Heart Ball committee, and why Andrea is now doing that too. “Giving back really is in my gene pool,” she said, recalling an amusing story about another organization she serves. “Phoenix Day in South Phoenix is the longest continuously running child care facility in Phoenix,” she said. Its origins date back to 1915, when it was started to provide childcare for mothers who entered the workforce to support the war effort during World War I. Today it’s one of the few local childcare facilities for the working poor. “I was on the board for Phoenix Day,” Andrea said. “And then one day, my dad told me, ‘Oh yeah, I was on that board 40 years ago!’” A rare photo of the prize-winning float Frank Lloyd Wright designed for the 1957 Rose Bowl Parade at the request of John Katsenes and other community leaders. MARCH 2019 | FRONTDOORS MEDIA 13