Doreen Rodriguez-Lewis passed away Wednesday, August 15, 2012 at Hospice of Arizona in Peoria, AZ, after a courageous fight with a spinal cord injury. Doreen was born on September 24, 1952 in Phoenix, Arizona to Gustavo and Irene Rodriguez. From a young age, Doreen loved animals of all kinds, music of many genres, dancing to cumbias, and living life with laughter. She was known for her outrageous sense of humor. She had the ability to make people laugh during the most difficult of times; sometimes odd and ridiculous; she made fun of herself first and foremost. After graduating from Kofa High School, she attended Arizona State University where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in education. Doreen furthered her education in the field of mental health with various certifications in substance abuse counseling. Doreen served as an active member on the Arizona Department of Health Services Office of Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention Statewide Coordinators' Committee and the State's Regional Prevention Network. As one of ten Arizona team representatives who worked on behalf of the National Prevention Resource System Initiative, Doreen joined other state and federal collaborators whose shared goals focused on exploring and creating a vision for federal and state relationships to advance nationwide prevention and treatment initiatives at the local level. Doreen was the first recipient of the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce "Athena Award" for her efforts and commitment to local business and staff development. In 1988, Doreen opened and operated Prevention & Intervention Associates, a licensed behavioral health agency employing 26 full-time employees in Yuma. In 1996 Doreen sold and merged Prevention & Intervention Associates with the EXCEL group. Doreen assumed a position among the EXCEL group's Executive Leadership. As a Vice-president with the EXCEL group, Doreen assumed responsibility for the administrative oversight of all behavioral health outpatient services, prevention and intervention services, and substance abuse treatment programs for Yuma and La Paz Counties. In December of 2003, Ms. Lewis resigned her position as a Vice-president within the EXCEL group in order to dedicate her time, talent, and expertise to open Community Intervention Associates and further increase and expand availability of and accessibility to local behavioral health treatment and prevention services for the uninsured, underinsured and underserved populations. Under Doreen's leadership Community Intervention Associates grew from a one site facility with a staff of 7 employees when she opened in 2005 to a fully integrated Health and Behavioral Health Agency with over 170 employees and facilities located throughout Arizona including Yuma, San Luis, Parker, Nogales, Bisbee and Douglas. Doreen's generous heart has been acknowledged by many non-profit organizations in the Yuma community through her skilled grant writing abilities. For many years she was a co-sponsor for the Celebrity Dinner and Auction to benefit the American Cancer Society. In addition to being a successful and compassionate businesswoman, she was also a loving mother. She will be greatly missed by her daughter, Allie (German) Alvarez; grandchildren, Jasmine, Victoria, Mia, and Herman; mother, Irene Blew; sisters, Diana Bovey and Sandy Riggs; brother, Gustavo Rodriguez; favorite nephew, Josh Bovey. She also leaves behind an extended family of loving aunts, uncles, cousins, great nieces and nephews, and coworkers. Lastly, Elvis, Lucy, and baby, her dogs and companions, will miss how she spoiled them with their daily treats. Doreen was preceded in death by her paternal and maternal grandparents; her father, Gus Rodriguez; step-father, Guy Blew; sister-in-law, Lourdes Rodriguez; aunts, Sadie; Ida, Julia and Carmen; uncles, Armando, Robert and Freddie; cousin, Donny and Dolly. A funeral Mass is scheduled at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church for Friday, August 24, 2012 at 11AM. Celebration of her life will follow at the Pivot Point Conference Center.