Glendale Arizona Historical Society
Governing Board
Gary Sherwood | President (1 year term)
Gary Sherwood is a native of Michigan, and has lived in Glendale since 1979. Gary holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, emphasis in marketing from Grand Valley State University in Michigan and a Master’s degree in Industrial Management from Western Michigan University, and has a strong background in program development, finance and marketing.
Currently Gary is Vice President and the Special Events Coordinator of the Glendale Ambassadors, and a Board Director of Glendale Sister Cities organization. In the past Gary has served his community as Glendale City Councilman of the Sahuaro District, served on the Board of Directors of Valley Metro Reginal Public Transportation Authority (RPTA), Vice Chair on the Valley Metro Rail Board of Directors, and chairman of Valley Metro’s Budget and Finance subcommittee. He is also active in the Arizona Town Hall organization.
Additional previous volunteerism with the City of Glendale includes serving as chair of the Personnel Board, and as chair of the Planning Commission; as an evaluator for From the Heart; a member of Glendale’s Water & Sewer Task Force; and a graduate of both Glendale University and the Glendale Citizens Police Academy.
On a national level, Sherwood served on the National League of Cities Transportation Infrastructure and Services Steering Committee in addition to serving on the NLC’s First Tier Subcommittee as Vice Chair.
Kathy Hoynes-Goreé | Vice President (1 year term)
Kathy Hoynes-Goreé, a Chicago native, has resided in Glendale since 2006. She currently volunteers in the GAHS archive library, administers the GAHS website, Facebook, and Instagram pages and also assists with the newsletter.
Debbie Schulz | Treasurer (2 year term)
Debbie has lived in Glendale for most of her life. She attended Harold W Smith grade school and Glendale High enjoying a wonderful childhood in our community. After living in several locations around the Southwest, she and her husband moved back to Glendale in 2005. Debbie retired from a 30-year career with the federal government in 2021 as a national HR Consultant. She has been working on family genealogy for years and has taken several trips in the US and Norway linked to her ancestors.
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She joined the Glendale Arizona Historical Society in October 2023 and has been working with the library staff on oral histories since early 2024. She is a docent for the Manistee Ranch tours. She is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Glendale and the Glendale Ambassadors. Nationally, she will be appointed to a board position with the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society this summer and is active with the Grace Evangelical Lutheran Ladies Aid group.
Brenda Bartels | Secretary (1 year term)
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Brenda has been a part of the Glendale community since 2002. Since that time, she has passionately given of her time to those causes she cares deeply about. Thanks to a "teaser" tour of Manistee Ranch back in 2019, she quickly joined GAHS and began volunteering at Manistee. Every conversation with fellow GAHS members as well as guests, givers her a broader picture of Glendale's past.
Brenda currently serves on the Glendale Elementary School Board, the Glendale Arizona Historical Society, and is an active member of the Kiwanis Club of Glendale.
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Jamie Aldama | Director (2 year term)
Jamie Aldama is a fourth generation Glendale, resident. The Aldama family dates back 100 years in Glendale’s downtown. Jamie served as Councilmember representing Glendale’s Ocotillo District and was elected in 2014, serving until 2024. He served as the Vice Mayor in 2021. Jamie is a former board member of the Glendale Elementary School District Governing Board. Jamie has served on many boards and commissions for the city of Glendale including the Government Services Committee, Chamber of Commerce, Planning and Zoning Commission, Parks and Recreation and many more.
In 2022 Jamie was awarded the Outstanding Public Official of the year by the Arizona Parks and
Recreation Association Award for his various contributions to Glendale.
Jamie is currently the Executive Director for Sounds of Autism, a West Valley nonprofit advocating for those living with Autism and also serves as the Vice President for the West Valley foundation.
Jodi Decker | Director (2 year term)
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Jodi Decker is a long time Glendale resident, retired college teacher, and a family historian.
She is passionate about family history writing and historic preservation. She is a contributing writer to Poems From the Asylum, a biography, and writes for the Glendale Arizona Historical Society newsletter. Her hobby is touring historical societies and museums wherever she travels.
Martha Dennis | Director (2 year term)
Martha was born and raised in Glendale. She attended Unit I (Landmark Grammar School) and Glendale High School and graduated from Arizona State University. She taught in the Washington Elementary District until retiring in 1995. Martha and her family have always been involved in Glendale activities and preserving Glendale's history. She joined the Glendale Historic Society in 1982 and became more active when she joined the Board as a Director in 1995.
Martha conducts tours at Sahuaro Ranch, helps facilitate weddings and works with the City on special events and school tours. She works with members to showcase the history with displays. Martha is also a member of the Glendale Civic Ambassadors and the Glendale Woman’s Club. The City of Glendale awarded the Ruth Byrne Historic Preservation Award to Martha in 2016.
Emily Lawrence | Director (2 year term)
Emily Lawrence is a native of Michigan, a veteran of the United States Air Force and resident of Glendale
for thirty years. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 1976 with a degree in pharmacy and has practiced as a pharmacist until her retirement 2019.
Currently Emily serves as a member of the board of directors for her home owners association and is a
docent at Manistee Ranch. Her recreational activities include playing cards, swimming, and square dancing.
Carlos A. Vargas | Director (2 year term)
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Carlos is a native of Central America who fell in love with Historic Downtown Glendale, where he now lives. He graduated from Glendale Community College and has business and administration degrees from The University of Arizona, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University. He volunteers with the City of Glendale serving in the Community Development Advisory Committee, and the Marketing Committee of the Glendale Chamber of Commerce.
Carlos is also an agronomist and enjoys cultivating and making the earth beautiful. He grows everything the Sonoran Desert allows and is a firm believer that a beautiful community improves the quality of life of its residents. Though he is running out of space, he likes collecting Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern artifacts and tools.