Before Shannon Clancy took the reins of St. Vincent de Paul Phoenix, she served alongside former CEO Steve Zabiliski, who led the nonprofit for 25 years. Alongside his massive impact — doubling St. Vincent de Paul’s health clinic space to treat more people, operating dining rooms that provide meals every day and establishing a transitional shelter and resource center — Zabiliski was a model of using his leadership skills while living out his Catholic faith. Fortunately for our community, Zabiliski isn’s going far. He was named the new president & CEO of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, and will assume the job in April 2023. According to Mary Jane Rynd, the current president & CEO of Piper Trust, “Steve is the natural fit to take the helm of the Trust at this critical time in our world’s history. His experience and true servant leadership will be transformative for the Trust and Maricopa County.” A Legacy of leadership Former St. Vincent de Paul CEO Steve Zabilski is regarded as one of Arizona's finest nonprofit leaders. 54 | FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE

Sometimes the work can be tough to balance with the already significant responsibility of raising a family. Clancy and her husband have four children, ages 15, 18, 21 and 23. “I have two here, still in high school, one that is a senior in college, and one who’s graduated and out working,” she said. Like many parents, Clancy sometimes looks back and wonders whether her career negatively impacted her kids, but a recent conversation with her 18-year-old daughter comforted her. When she was younger, Clancy’s daughter volunteered at St. Vincent de Paul’s annual Circle of Angels donor luncheon. She and other kids were little angels and passed out cookies to supporters. Eventually, there was a changing of the guard, and the angel wings had to move on to a new batch of little ones. “She’s a senior in high school now and just the other day, she said, ‘Do you think I could come back one last time and be the biggest angel for one more year?’” Clancy said, fighting back tears. “What she was really saying was, ‘Could I go back one more time before I leave home and feel cherished and loved, worthy and supported, in that space with these beautifully hearted people?’” It’s a feeling Clancy wants more people to experience. “There are so many people who feel disconnected. There aren’t enough psychiatrists or medications in our world to serve everyone,” she said. “We see every day that people find healing and growth through service and reaching out to others. I see that in my own daughter, who said, ‘Just one last time.’” What Clancy wants — to make St. Vincent de Paul the place where everyone is healed in service — has never mattered more than now. As we come out of the pandemic and take stock of where we are, Clancy argues that it might be the moment to learn from and care for one another. “There’s an immense beauty to being able to do that for someone in their moment of need,” she said. That is where St. Vincent de Paul’s mission is unique. In addition to “feed, clothe, house and heal,” its mandate includes providing opportunities for everyone to serve. It’s why Clancy doesn’t volunteer in the Family Dining Room very often. She believes that our community is better — that we’re all better — when we are caring for others. So she makes room and invites others to do that. “Maybe there is brokenness to all of us,” she said. “You might not need food or clothing or shelter or healthcare, but you might have a spiritual or emotional need. You might have a need to feel safe and connected and to belong. How do we create that opportunity?” How can St. Vincent de Paul scale that opportunity while tackling significant social issues like homelessness and evictions, medical care, food insecurity and more? That is the question Clancy is focusing on. “ “ Maybe there is brokenness to all of us “ “ Just one last time FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE | 55