Board of Directors
Gerald “Buzz” Alston
Chairman
Buzz is a Member with Jennings, Strouss & Salmon and has practiced law for 40 years in litigation, handling matters from first degree criminal murder defenses to sophisticated commercial matters. He received his J.D. from the University of Arizona.
Throughout his career, Buzz has volunteered with and served on boards for various non-profits including, Esparanza - a non-profit corporation that operates and provides medical services in Brazil, a City of Phoenix organization that provides job training for underprivileged people and the Maricopa County Bar Association. He served also as general counsel in the 1970s for the Arizona Chapter of the Wives and Families of the Vietnam POWs and MIAs. He believes serving our community can be, in some small measure, payback for the rich blessings he has received from the State of Arizona and its people.
Buzz and his wife, Patricia, have two children and six grandchildren. He also enjoys Karaoke.
Janet B. Hutchison
President
Jan is a Member with Jennings, Strouss & Salmon and practices in the areas of real estate, employment and general business matters. She received her J.D. from Arizona State University.
Throughout her career, Jan has been involved in, and served on the boards of a number of non-profit organizations. She has served as President and board member for both The Junior League of Phoenix, Inc. as well as The Junior League of Phoenix Foundation. She is also an Emeritus Member of the Fiesta Bowl Women’s Committee. Jan serves on the Board of Directors of the Arizona Women Lawyers Association and was involved in the creation of the Arizona Women Lawyers Association Foundation. She has also served for several years on the Real Estate Advisory Commission of the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of Arizona.
Jan and her husband, Mike, have one son. Jan enjoys reading, baking and traveling. She and her husband also enjoy being actively involved in community activities.
Denise Christiansen
Vice President
Denise has been a Legal Secretary with Jennings, Strouss & Salmon since 1984. She works in the areas of medical malpractice defense, complex commercial, civil and appellate litigation. Prior to working in the legal field, Denise received an AA Degree from Mesa Community College.
Denise’s community involvement includes service as a Girl Scout leader, volunteer world travel guide to junior high age students and Sunday School teacher, which taught her various life skills as well as her enthusiasm for volunteerism.
Denise and her husband, George, have four daughters and four grandchildren. She enjoys traveling, skiing, camping, kayaking, painting and photography.
David Hansen
Treasurer
Dave has been Director of Finance with Jennings, Strouss & Salmon since 2007. Prior to working in the legal field Dave served as Regional Controller for a publicly held plastics manufacturing company based in Wisconsin. Dave has a B.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin.
Dave’s community work began through his service as the United Way employee liaison for the Village of Bayside, a suburb of Milwaukee, WI. He currently serves as a member of the leadership board for the University of Wisconsin Alumni Association, Valley of the Sun Chapter.
Dave was a wide receiver on the 1986 Miami University (Ohio) football team that won the Mid American Conference championship. In his spare time, Dave enjoys running, biking, watching football and riding his Harley Davidson.
John J. Egbert
Secretary
John chairs the Labor and Employment Department at Jennings, Strouss & Salmon. His practice focuses in the areas of discrimination, wrongful discharge, and wage and hour litigation. He practices extensively before the state and federal appellate courts. John received his J.D. cum laude from BYU J. Reuben Clark Law School. He has been included in Southwest Super Lawyers since 2007 and The Best Lawyers in America® since 2006.
John’s community involvement has included service on the Personnel Policy Committee for the YMCA.
Jean Fielder
Board Member
Jean has served as Director of Human Resources for Jennings Strouss & Salmon since 1995 and has worked in law firm administration for more than 20 years. While she is responsible for benefits, compensation, hiring and the normal day-to-day functions of an HR professional, her primary role is working with the attorneys and staff of the firm.
Prior to relocating to Arizona from Iowa, she worked as a Community Outreach Aid where she facilitated government welfare programs to the less fortunate. She also worked at a residential halfway house for alcohol and drug abuse patients and volunteered her time to the families of the Homeward Bound program. The experience she gained made her critically aware of the level of need that exists and the difference that one person can make in the lives of others.
Jean and her husband, Steve, have been married for 40 years and have two rambunctious Chihuahuas. She enjoys aerobics, hiking and spending time with family.
Nancy C. Pohl
Board Member
Nancy is a Member with Jennings, Strouss & Salmon and practices in the areas of tax, estate planning and probate. She received her B.A. from the University of Virginia, J.D. from Tulane Law School, and LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law.
Nancy is also a board member of Friendly House, one of Arizona’s oldest non-profit organizations. She is a member of the Arizona Women Lawyers Association and Central Arizona Estate Planning Council.
Nancy and her husband, Prescott, have two young sons. She enjoys cooking, hiking, reading and college football.
K.C. Rusboldt
Board Member
K.C. has been a litigation Legal Secretary with Jennings Strouss & Salmon for a total of 17 years, working in the areas of insurance defense, bad faith, product liability, legal malpractice, commercial litigation and condemnation. Prior to working in the legal field, she worked in Desert Samaritan Hospital’s lab as a Venipuncture Tech.
K.C.’s community work has been with the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Rescue (S’Wheat Rescues). She has done “home checks” locally as well as dog fostering. She is also involved with the Jennings, Strouss & Salmon’s Holiday Helpers.
K.C. and her husband, Wayne, have five children and ten grandchildren. She enjoys traveling, specifically “cruising,” as well as bowling, golfing, shopping and reading a good book.
Valerie J. Walker
Board Member
Valerie is an associate with Jennings, Strouss & Salmon practicing in litigation as well as labor and employment law. She has a B.A. from Arizona State University and her J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Valerie worked as a law clerk at the Cook County Public Defender’s Office, the National Labor Relations Board in New York City, and spent several years working for United Airlines.
Her community involvement includes supporting the Phoenix Art Museum, through the Women’s Metropolitan Arts Council, Ballet Arizona, through its Corporate Advisory Council, and Emerge Arizona, which promotes the role of women in the political process.
An avid traveler, Valerie has already visited over one hundred UNESCO World Heritage Sites.