PFI Team Members
One of Phoenix Festivals new event coordinators is Drew Atwell. Drew is the drummer/manager for a Jacksonville based band called CAT FIVE. He owns and operates Atwell Renovations & Remodeling in Jacksonville, Florida. Drew has a degree in Music Entertainment Management at The Art Institute Of Atlanta.He has been studying the craft for over 20 years. Over the past 6 years , Drew and his lovely spouse Darlene McDaniel have been involved in the crafting of the main ritual at almost every festival. In the last two years, they have served on the staff as the Ritual and Activities Coordinators. Last month Darlene and Drew were elected to serve as The Co – Event Coordinators, and to serve on the Transition Team. Drew currently serves as the President of the Phoenix Festival Board of Directors. As one of the communities Sages, Drew is passionately dedicated to the Phoenix Phamily. He is known for abilities to handle situations with great diplomacy. Drew will be available to the community at anytime and open to all ideas. He looks forward to helping guide our phamily through the transition to a community owned Phestivals. Blessed Be.
Darlene McDaniel – Darlene is the other newly elected festival co-coordinator. Darlene will bring to the Phoenix Phamily her extensive business background. Darlene has her degree in Business Administration. She spent nine years as a manager for a major retailer and has spent the past few years helping Drew, her spouse, with the operations of his business. It is this vast experience that Darlene brings to the Phoenix Festival transition. Darlene also serves as the Vice -President of the Phoenix Festivals Board of Directors.
When asked if anyone on the new festival team had any festival experience, Darlene had to say yes. She spent twenty-two years as a Navy wife and ten of those years living in Naples, Italy. While living in Naples, Darlene worked with the military recreational services and was in charge of organizing and implementing “Festa Americana”, a four-day 4th of July celebration attended by about one hundred thousand people in the Naples community, the NATO community, and the sixth fleet. Festa Americana raised money for all the military youth services so the military kids could play ball, be a scout, or get a scholarship. Although Phoenix Festivals are not on such a grand scale, all that knowledge and experience will be instrumental in the transition, organization, and implementation of the New Phoenix.Darlene has been living the craft since she was a teenager. During the past six years with her spouse, Drew, has been involved in the crafting of the main ritual at almost every festival. In the last two years, they have served on the staff as the Ritual and Activities Coordinators. Darlene’s goal for the new festivals is to make them the best magical experience for each and every person who comes and joins the Phamily.
Most people associated with the Phoenix Phamily know or know of Todd Dietz. He is our Site Manager. Todd also serves on the Pheonix Festivals Board of Directors. Todd has 30 years of experience owning his own businesses centered around lawn care, plumbing , carpentry, and all phases of construction. He is also a former Restaurant owner and served on the Florida Restaurant Association Board of Directors. With this experience Todd is a perfect fit for the site manager position. Todd has been involved with the Phoenix Festival community for 17 years. He held the position of assistant site manager for many years and has served as the site manager for the last four events. Todd has worked on the staff security team for Chambers Farm Pow Wow events in Ocala, He helped start “ All World Acres” festival site and was instrumental in the building of their bath house, site layout. Todd was involved in the initial event and design for the first Yule Fest, and has worked as site management coordinator for Hawkfest in Bonita Springs since its inception. He also worked on staff (both as site management & security) for Ed & Skip Kent for many of their festivals in Bonita Springs, and volunteered as extra help where needed for Dragon hills events, FPG events.
Trish Shepherd is the Phoenix Festival Treasurer / Registration Coordinator. Trish also serves as the Treasurer / Secretary of the Phoenix Festival Inc. – a member of the Board of Directors. As part of the phamily for over 5 years, she has experienced several of the festival’s changes and wants to ensure its continuance by doing whatever it takes. She holds a degree in accounting, has been Treasurer for other organizations in the past, home schools her kids and organizes a secular home school group. As you can see, she is our “Queen Multi-Tasker”
One of our Assistant – Site – Managers is Allen Shepherd. Allen has been on staff for a few years now working with the Phoenix Maintenance Man, Brian Stout. In the mundane world Allen works as an Insurance Adjuster and loves restoring antique cars. His personal life is filled with 6 children and a small farm. Allen has proved his worth over and over keeping the festival gear operating. If there is something broken Allen is the man to fix it.
John Swingle, most of us know him as Pappajohn, is our Workshop Coordinator. He has held this job for the last two years. Papajohn has been a part of the Phoenix Phamily for the past 12 years, and is a valued member of the Counsel of Sages. Not only will he be coordinating the workshops , but he will also be coordinating auctions and helping with the fundraisers. Papajohn is an eclectic pagan and treehugger who devotes his spare time to environmental work. Papajohn is also a retired Fire Department Battalion Chief, and has lived in Florida for the past 17 years.
Our Ritual Coordinator is Michelle Grant. Michelle has been with the Phoenix Family for since 2006. She started her spiritual path as a solitary practitioner in 1994 and attended her first group ritual at Rhythmfest ’95. Michelle studied ritual craft from a dear friend who was also the HPS of her local CUUPS Chapter and with Rhiannon of Serpentstone. Michelle has written, organized and lead a variety of rituals for as few as two and as many as a hundred attendees. She strives to make each ritual as spiritually and emotionally significant as possible. If you have ideas for rituals, would like to lead a ritual, or would like to have a handfasting or other rite of passage at the festival, please contact Michelle. Her email address is firefightrix@gmail.com.
Phoenix Festivals has been through many changes over the years, some major and some minor, but there has been one constant. Our Staff Elder….Ardy. She has been part of the phamily since day one. The original site for Phoenix was Ardy’s property. Ardy has lead the Community Crones since its inception. She has also lead several of the Phoenix main rituals, and several FPG main rituals, so she has the skills to convince you to get involved. Ardy has always been the most welcoming to the newcomers. She faithfully puts on a workshop for the first timers, helping you understand the ins and outs of not only festival life, but life as a pagan. Ardy is always available to listen and provide guidance.
Assisting our Registration coordinator will be Kate Ellis. Kate has been a member of the phamily for 14 years, raising her child in this wonderful community, For 12 of those 14 years she has served as Dianne’s right hand in registration. When you check in at the gate , it is usually her smiling face you will see. She has years of experience in the clerical field and is a great asset to our community.
One of the new official members of the site team is Mike Bomber. Mike has been a volunteer for the site team for the past ten years. He has aided in the set up and breakdown of each festival. Mike has also been involved with the drumming community. He is a prominent drummer and can be seen nightly drumming around the ritual circle, and uses his drumming for healing, dancing , and pure enjoyment. Mike has facilitated drumming classes and organized large drum circle. Mike has also served as the phoenix festival fire tender on many occasions. Mike is also on the Council of Sages for two years now.In the mundane, mike works retail at a local hardware store, with experience as a technical writer for government contractors. He served in the military for 23 years , with 17 of those years in a supervisory role.
Dianne Bomber is the new Phoenix Phestival Medical coordinator. Dianne has been attending the Phoenix events with her husband Mike since the fall of 1997 and has been volunteering where and when needed. Dianne was born into taking care of others. Her mother, a former Royal Army Nurse and midwife, was the first to teach her about first aid. Dianne’s formal training continued through becoming a certified lab tech, and then followed with being an In-home care worker. Dianne also serves the Phoenix Community as one of the circle of crones since 2005.
