Fresno Leading Young Professionals (FLYP) is a growing organization in Fresno with a mission to cultivate and retain young professionals in the greater Fresno area through social networking, professional development, and community outreach.

2007

FLYP Founder Nevin Hindiyeh was awarded the Miekle Award from PG&E for her role in planting the seed for the organization.

Community efforts include locally centered leadership positions: Ex-Offico Board Member of the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce, Fresno City- Fresno Chamber Downtown Task Force. 

FLYP led the way mentoring in the community through a partnership with elementary school students in Southwest Fresno, Professionals for Education

FLYP helped raise awareness of issues concerning downtown Fresno with various endeavors including a Fulton Mall Walking Tour, recognizing historical buildings and art and co-hosted a forum with City Leaders and the community about Downtown Fresno.

2008

Throughout 2008 FLYP developed partnerships with several local community organizations including: the Fresno Falcons, Fresno Grizzlies, and Fresno Fuegos. FLYP also developed strategic allegiances with the Fresno State Alumni Association, the Young Advisor Team of the National Association of Independent Financial Advisor (NAIFA), the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce, and Junior Achievement. These new partnerships provide FLYP members with additional opportunities for community involvement, professional development, and social networking.

Accomplishments

Stephen Sotomayor- 2007 Top 40 under 40 Professionals, Fresno Business Street

Nevin Hindiyeh- 2008 Deans Medal Recipient, Fresno State MBA Program

Andreas Borgeas, Chanel Ruiz-Mendez, Jennifer Blair- 2008 Top 40 under 40 Professionals, Fresno Business Street

Email us at flypinfo@hotmail.com for more information.

Learn more about our organization by reading about: Our Vision, Our Goals, and answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

Who's Here?

Our Board Members help direct and steer the organization to the direction where our members thrive. Here's a bit of background about them:

Jennifer Blair
Board Chairman
Jennifer currently serves as Chairman of the Board of FLYP and Ex-Officio Board Member of the Greater Fresno Chamber. Jennifer Blair graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Latin American and Iberian Studies. In 2004 she relocated to Fresno from her hometown of Southern California and quickly found herself loving the people and business community of the Central Valley. During her 4+ years living in Fresno, Jennifer has consistently ranked in the top 10% of all sales representatives in the Nation for Paychex. She is also proud of her local community outreach serving as an active member of Fresno's Leading Young Professionals (FLYP), Fresno Area Business Networking, the Greater Fresno Chamber of Commerce and the Central California Chamber of Commerce.

Allison Boogaert
Vice Chairman/ Community Outreach Director
Allison is a native to Fresno who has returned home after spending five years away.  She graduated from Scripps College in Claremont in 2006, and lived in Oakland for a year while working in governmental advocacy for Townsend Public Affairs. Now that she is back in Fresno, Allison is pursuing a masters degree at Fresno Pacific University in the Peacemaking and Conflict Studies program and is working for Mama Makeka House of Hope as the Central Valley Program Director.

Dawn Steele

Vice Chairman/ Marketing & Social Director

Matt Soto
Treasurer

Stephen Sotomayor
Board Member/ Special Projects Director

Stephen F. Sotomayor serves as the Chief of Staff to Councilmember Andreas Borgeas and works for the residents of Northwest Fresno. As the Chief of Staff, Stephen is the lead policy advisor to Councilmember Borgeas and is responsible for the overall operations of District 2.

Stephen previously worked as a consultant covering the fields of development finance, land-use and housing policy for numerous municipalities in the Central Valley. Prior to consulting, Stephen served as a project manager for the City of Fresno’s Housing and Community Development Division and was a project manager for a national building and design company.

Stephen served eight years with the United States Army as an Executive Officer, Company Commander and as a Battalion Operations Officer. He spent 15 months in Baghdad, Iraq with the 1st Armored Division achieving the rank of Captain and earning the Bronze Star Medal for his wartime service.

Stephen spent two years as the Board Chair for Fresno’s Leading Young Professionals and was honored by being named one of Fresno’s top 40 professionals.

Stephen received his Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Arizona

Adam Blitz

Board Member/ Professional Development Director

Adam is a CPA working at Slater Moffat Associates in north Fresno. He is a native of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles and a 2004 graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara. Adam relocated with his wife to Fresno in 2006 and has enjoyed the access to some of California's natural wonders around the area. Adam is the chair of the FLYP Professional Development committee as well as the incoming treasurer for Temple Beth Israel and a member of the California Society of CPA'sYoung and Emerging Professionals in Fresno. In his spare time, Adam is an avid golfer, skier, and hiker.

Fernando Santillian

Board Member/ Membership Director

Fernando Santillan is a graduate of California State University, Northridge. He holds a B.A. in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Finance. Fernando is dedicated to increasing Fresno’s prominence in the world stage and currently works in the public sector at the City of Fresno’s Downtown and Community Revitalization Department.

Tim Sudiacal

Board Member/ Business Development

Tim Sudiacal graduated from the University of California, Davis with a
B.A. in Classical Civilizations.  Tim ran a very successful business
as an  undergraduate and has brought that entrepreneurial experience
with him to Fresno.  He currently works with Fresno-based consulting
firm, Boogaert & Noll, where he serves as a catalyst in helping the
leadership teams within various organizations make the leap from good
to great.  Tim serves on the Board of Directors for both Creative
Fresno and Fresno's Leading Young Professionals (FLYP).  After
learning about Fresno's inability to keep its most talented
individuals, Tim has become passionate about helping FLYP create new
opportunities that will allow Fresno to compete with other major U.S.
cities in attracting and retaining the best and brightest young
professionals.

DJ Bookter

Board Member/ Public Relations Director

DJ Brookter is a Fresno native who has returned back to the Central Valley after spending six years away. His first five years were spent in the state of Utah, where he earned a full athletic scholarship in football and obtained his B.S. in Speech Communications at Utah State University.

Following graduation he moved to Oakland for one year before returning to Fresno. He now works as a Job Agent for a local non-profit organization. He is also the Director of Marketing & Public Relations for his own media, technology, and advertising company.

Being a native of Fresno, he has the passion and the belief that “Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from NOW and make a brand new ending." As he aims to help FLYP become a major success and to see this very valley that raised him, continue to flourish economically.

Nevin Hindiyeh
FLYP Founder & Ex- Officio Board Member
Nevin Hindiyeh has founded and/or participated in young professionals organizations for the past six years. She has been an engineer with Pacific Gas and Electric since 2002, and had worked with Chevron as a facilities engineer prior to that. Nevin graduated in June 2000 from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Chemical Engineering, and is currently pursuing an MBA at Fresno State. She serves on the boards of Fresno's Leading Young Professionals and Creative Fresno. Nevin hope to see Fresno continue to blossom into an amazing economic stronghold with a thriving community.

Get Involved!

FLYP is currently looking for help with marketing, events, professional development, and community outreach, and membership.

Please email us at flypinfo@hotmail.com if you would like to get involved!