Who We Are
Executive Leadership Team
Danny Knee
Danny has two decades experience in the public and non-profit sectors including 14 years in executive management.
He earned a BA from Johns Hopkins University in The Writing Seminars. He also holds Master Degrees in City and Regional Planning from Rutgers University and Business Administration from the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Business. He has a wide array of community development and affordable housing experience through his work at the Tucson Urban League and Habitat for Humanity Tucson, organizations where he also served terms as Interim Director.
Danny was a middle school teacher early in his professional career and remains passionate about education from serving as the Chief Operating Officer of Earn to Learn, an Arizona-wide college scholarship organization. As co-founder of Single Focus Web, a web development company he started with his wife, Cecily, he brings experience as an entrepreneur and small business owner to Community Investment Corporation.
He was named one of Tucson’s “40-Under-40” in 2007 for contributions to his profession and the community. Danny also captained his nationally ranked Division III men’s basketball team at Johns Hopkins. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, he has called Tucson his home since 2004.
Caroline Nelson
Caroline Nelson, a native Tucsonan, has spent the last 18 years in the financial services industry.
She started with Community Investment Corporation in September 2016 and has spent time in each of CIC’s three program areas. Caroline is currently the Chief Operating Officer and oversees the small business lending program. Prior to CIC, the majority of her career was spent working for Northern Trust Bank where she held various positions in the banking and wealth strategies departments.
Caroline earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Phoenix and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management. She is a graduate of the Greater Tucson Leadership program and earned a certificate in Non-Profit Leadership from the University of Arizona.
Betty Vinall
Betty is the Business Manager at Community Investment Corporation and the owner of Balanced Books LLC; a bookkeeping business specializing in working with non-profits and small businesses.
Betty is a native Arizonan, born in Flagstaff. She graduated with honors from the University of Arizona. Betty has always been a community volunteer including Project Graduation, Parent Organizations, Community Foundations, multiple Arts Organizations, and University of Arizona Panhellenic and Gamma Phi Beta sorority.
Betty has worked with Community Investment Corporation since 2004 as their contract bookkeeper seeing the organization grow and change with three Executive Directors. In 2020 she joined the staff full time as the Business Manager.
Outside of work, Betty loves reading (Book Clubs), hiking, Pilates, jigsaw puzzles, travel, cooking and spending time with friends and family. Betty still makes multiple trips back to Flagstaff; the Peaks and family continue to call her home.
Leadership Team
Sara Feld
Born and raised in Tucson, AZ, Sara is registered as In-House Counsel with the Arizona State Bar and is a member of the Oregon State Bar.
She earned her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School, where she focused on criminal and animal law. As a public interest law student, she received the Richard J. Peppin Scholarship for Animal Rights, a Community Service Honors Award, and recognition as a Moot Court Outstanding Oral Advocate. She also served as an Associate Editor for Animal Law Review, President of the Women in Criminal Law student group, and gained hands-on experience working at a public defender’s office. Following law school, she served as a Policy Fellow for the Center for Contemporary Sciences and previously as a Board Member and Vice Chair of Care About Climate.
She holds degrees in Psychology and Creative Writing from the University of Arizona, where she contributed to the development of campus-wide sustainability initiatives still in operation today. She also worked as a research assistant and lab manager in memory and cognition-focused labs at the U of A.
She remains actively engaged in Tucson through her service on the boards of Living Streets Alliance, the Pima County Bar Association, and the Pima County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. In 2022, she was recognized as one of Tucson’s “40 Under 40” by the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
In her free time, she enjoys volunteering, plant-based cooking, and going on hikes with her camera in hand.
Patty Gonzalez
Patty is a customer service expert and has served for over 22 years as a program coordinator to the non-profit organization Family Housing Resources. Joining CIC in 2017, she brings on board a wealth of expertise in numerous areas including management, consultation, housing markets, and home buyer assistance programs.
Patty has worked as a program educator teaching classes on homebuyer education and serves as a certified bi-lingual housing counselor. She also teaches classes covering a variety of topics including credit, budgeting, mortgages, realtor services, titling, inspections, appraisals, home maintenance, foreclosure prevention, and post-purchase education.
She has spent the past 20+ years building relationships with lenders, realtors and other professionals. In this time, she has also devoted herself to motherhood and family, which keeps her extremely busy with all the events her amazing children and extended family are involved in.
She has committed her life to the pursuit of helping others and is happiest when doing so.
Carla Wallace
Carla joined CIC in May of 2020 and brings over 15 years of financial industry experience to her role. She has worked as a licensed stockbroker, personal financial adviser, Trust Analyst, and most recently as a Bond Trustee. Her insight from her work as a Bond Trustee is invaluable to helping our Bond Compliance clients achieve success.
Carla holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Economics and a Master’s Degree in Accounting. She is passionate about education and an avid reader. Her two sons keep her busy and she loves enjoying the beauty of our Arizona desert and wildlife.
Carla has a lifelong passion for travel and worked as a flight attendant while earning her undergraduate degree. Providing excellent client service has been a priority in each of Carla’s professional roles and she looks forward to making a difference here at CIC and planning her next family beach getaway.
Scott Evans
Scott was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. While he still misses the fog and cool summers of San Francisco – he has called Tucson “home” for the past 17 years.
Scott joined the CIC team in 2021. Prior to joining CIC, Scott served as the Director of Counseling in Tucson public and private high schools for over 15 years. In addition, Scott has coached high school sports (baseball and golf) for over 15 years.
He earned a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Arizona in 2007. Through his prior school counseling work and coaching experience, Scott brings to the CIC table a true passion in the field of education and youth development.
Scott understands the integral role a family plays in raising a healthy child and has dedicated much of his adult life to serving children and their families. Scott is excited and committed to helping ALL families explore and understand the Tucson educational landscape. He believes that quality education is one of the greatest gifts our generation can give to our children.
Scott was fortunate to meet and marry a local Tucsonan with strong Tucson roots. Together they are (attempting) to raise their two lovely (but loud) children (ages 4 and 6). It is safe to say Scott’s Tucson roots are now as deep as a Saguaro cactus.
When not working (or chasing his children around)… Scott enjoys time with his family, coaching and occasionally playing any of the wonderful Tucson golf courses.
Tina Grecchi
Tina joined CIC in 2024, and is the newest CIC team member, as well as our newest Tucson transplant. Born in Italy and growing up in the forests of New Jersey, she is an artist and designer-turned- marketer for companies large and small.
She holds a BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design and multiple fine art certificates from Metafora Studio Arts. She is endlessly inspired by learning, creativity, psychology, diversity, and what makes us vitally human at the intersection of technology, design, ecology, and culture.
With over ten years of experience working with entrepreneurs, s, and organizations, she takes a holistic approach to building & elevating brand awareness with the goal of creating a better world.
In her spare time you will find her in her art studio, on a hike in the desert, or searching for the best fish tacos in Tucson.
Staff
Irasema Banuelos
Irasema is originally from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, but has lived in Arizona most of her life. She joins the Community Investment Corporation team with over 25 years of banking experience in which time she attained extensive experience in management, customer service and development of methods to continually improve business operational performance.
Irasema prides herself on her ability to educate clients on products and services that best meet their needs and providing exceptional customer service. During her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, camping, off-roading and spending time with family and friends.
Malisa Evans
Malisa is a Tucson native who joined the CIC team in January 2017. She received a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree in Education: Curriculum and Technology from Grand Canyon University.
Prior to joining CIC, she taught high school Mathematics in Tucson for over ten years. Along with teaching she was also the Head Coach for Cross Country and Track & Field Coach for a local Salpointe Catholic High School where she led her teams to 5 state championships and was named as Arizona’s Coach of the Year three times.
She is an avid distance runner and enjoys hiking the trails of Tucson. If she is not working or coaching, she is spending time with her family outdoors or nestled on the couch watching the next best series on Netflix with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
Cassie Price
Cassie is a born and raised local Tucsonan. She has a strong passion for horses which began early, at the age of 5. After receiving her bachelor’s of science degree in Race Track Industry from the University of Arizona, she spent a few years in Lexington, Kentucky – the horse capital of the world.
As a mother of one, she is choosing happy and is back in Tucson to raise her daughter amongst family. She has a diverse professional background from training horses to assisting in small animal veterinary clinics, and is a licensed insurance agent.
In her time away from the office, she enjoys family time and adventure. She can be found riding her horse, off-roading through the Sonoran backroads, or floating down the Salt River.
Mario Zuniga
Mario Zuniga has spent a majority of his professional life using personal and career experience to help the community overcome financial stress and to provide them with the economic support they need.
As a recent immigrant from modest means, Mario understands how economic stress can affect every facet of one’s life as well as the lives of dependents. While his focus is on helping the community, he also provides services for adults and families dealing with various economic stressors.
Mario knows there is no single approach that works for everyone, so he continues to educate himself on community programs in order to provide the most effective program unique to each situation. He has experience in bankruptcy and governmental law as well as tax regulation. This knowledge has provided him the tools to navigate through various levels of governmental policy.
He earned an Associate Degree in Business Management from Pima County Community College and is on his way to a Bachelor’s in Accounting at The University of Arizona. Mario enjoys the simple things in life including food diversity and travel experiences from all around the world
Brandi Szymanski
Brandi was born and raised right here in Tucson, Arizona. She graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology.
During her studies, a passion for other cultures took her to Mexico, where she studied Spanish. After graduating Brandi returned to her hometown and worked for the Department of Economic Security within the social services sector, working with under privileged communities.
Her work experience has provided her with a strong background in customer service and case management. Her personal and professional background has led her to be passionate about socioeconomic injustice and she funnels this into her work at CIC. Since joining the Lending team, she is thrilled to be helping the Tucson community once again.
Outside of work, Brandi enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends, catching live music and the soaking up the great outdoors!
Jessica Ghanooni
A native of Massachusetts, Jessica moved to Tucson almost a decade ago to escape Boston for a winter and has never left. Jessica received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a focus on painting.
Since moving to Tucson, Jessica has regularly shown her art at Raices Taller, one of the only nonprofit art galleries in the area. Through art, Jessica has met some wonderful people and organizations throughout the city, and has seen firsthand the importance of community support.
Jessica is a recent first-time Homeowner, which led to a true appreciation for Down Payment Assistance programs offered throughout the city/state. She is thrilled to be able to provide opportunities to new and potential neighbors through the various programs offered by CIC and their partners.
Outside of work you will find Jessica hiking with her husband and pup, painting, eating at any and all Tucson’s delicious local restaurants, or working on her house.
(The fish pictured above was not harmed and was released back to the water after the picture was taken.)