Staff

Susan Berman

President and Chief Executive Officer

Susan has served as president and CEO of Fresh Start since Sept. 2011. Previously, she was the director of programs at Childhelp and managed Childhelp’s National Child Abuse Hotline. For more than 10 years, Susan led the Workforce Development Program throughout Maricopa County and published case management and case note curriculum that was adopted by Rutgers University’s, John J. Heldrich Center on Workforce Development. Susan is a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA), the National Career Counseling Association (NECA) and is a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC). Susan holds a B.S. in psychology from ASU, an M.A. from University of Phoenix in counseling, and pursued her college education while raising her three children as a single parent.

Abdu Dahr

Director of Operations

Abdu Dahr is the new Director of Operations at FSWF. Abdu’s role is to lead all program development, process and protocol design, data gathering and processes. Also, to provide direct management oversight for Program, Social Work, Family Law, Client Relations, and Volunteer and Outreach staff. Abdu grew up in Rabat, Morocco where he obtained his Social Services degree with focus in Special Education from Centre Pedagogique Almanar before moving to Phoenix, AZ in 2006. He has over thirteen yeras of experience in the nonprofit field with a professional certificate in Nonprofit Executive Leadership from ASU. He has served in multiple leadership roles and recently as Arizona Executive Director at One Step Beyond, Inc.

Cathy Kleeman

Vice President of Development

Cathy’s involvement with Fresh Start spans nearly two decades. She has served on Fresh Start’s Executive Board and was a part of the lead capital campaign team to build the Jewell McFarland Lewis Fresh Start Women’s Resource Center. During her tenure as a Fresh Start board member, Cathy chaired several fundraisers, most notably Fresh Start’s Fashion Gala in 2002 and 2007. Prior to her current role as vice president of development, Cathy owned KNK2, a strategic marketing company and served as vice president of sales and marketing for the Phoenix Suns.