Meet the Permit Pushers
Kathy, Chief Operating Officer
Kathy started Permit Pushers in 1994 after working on the other side of the counter. She was a permit technician at Yavapai County, but knew she could help people get their permits through with less stress and more efficiency if she started her own business. Permit Pushers was the first permit expediting business in Arizona. Since then, we’ve grown into a family business that has served clients all over the US.
James, Chief Executive Officer
James is a Northern Arizona native and grew up learning the ins and outs of the permit process. He graduated from Northern Arizona University with a bachelors in Public Planning and went on to get a masters in Urban and Environmental Planning from Arizona State University. He spent 10 years in the public sector as a planner at various local jurisdictions. He has consulted for many jurisdictions throughout the country, including the City of Tucson, San Luis Obispo, the Navajo Nation, the US Forest Service, and the Department of Defense, as well as Arizona State University.
Melinda, Office Manager
Melinda graduated from Arizona State University in 1993 with a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing Management. The majority of her career (22 years) took place at a start-up Manufacturing Lab, where she wore many hats and ultimately moved into the role of Chief Marketing Office. She is thrilled to use her Project Management and Customer Service experience to help support the continued growth of Permit Pushers. Melinda's joys in life are spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren, as well as cultivating her vegetable and flower gardens.
Shannon, Permit Coordinator
Shannon is a lifelong Hoosier with a degree in Secondary Education from Indiana University and is currently pursuing an HR degree from WGU. Her background includes fourteen years as a classroom teacher teaching technology to students in grades K-5. Most recently Shannon has worked at a small but quickly growing municipality in their Building Department. One of her favorite quotes is from British author George Eliot, “It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
Sedona, Administrative Assistant
Sedona Ortega is a current student at Reed College. She recently completed her term as an intern for the City of Prescott's Community Development Department in which the majority of her work supported Planning & Zoning. She was included in meetings and research related to affordable and fair housing initiatives, permitting, planning, and climate resilience. Sedona is an involved person and values commitment and community. She has demonstrated this through her eagerness to volunteer with organizations such as AmeriCorps and The Launch Pad Teen Center, and by taking on various leadership roles in school and community projects.