Name: Liz Shabaker
Age: 47
Title: CEO of Versant Capital Management and Co-chair of the Free Arts Art Auction
Married/Single: single
Kids: one daughter, Kate
City you live in: Tempe
A typical day in my life includes…
business. After getting my daughter off to school, my day is spent with my wealth management team, helping people achieve their financial goals. Afterward, I might have a board meeting or some other volunteer event. Currently, I am co-chairing the Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona art auction at Saks Fifth Avenue in the Biltmore Fashion Park. It’s an outstanding event that helps to provide art programs for kids who gain resilience after experiencing trauma.
I was born…
in Carmel, CA, and I love going back there to visit my grandmother whenever I can.
My favorite thing about Arizona…
is the weather and the number of sunny days plus, our incredible sunsets. There’s no other place like it.
I’m listening to…
meditation podcasts. My life is hectic, but I try to find time to decompress.
My family…
my daughter Kate is 14 and an 8th grader at Aprende Middle School. She loves sports and plays club volleyball for East Valley Juniors. I have one sister, ten years younger. She and her husband live in Washington, DC and have two beautiful children. I also have many friends that are family. And a menagerie of animals that keep us entertained.
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be…
Madeleine Albright, Michele Obama, Oprah… geez, there are many amazing women.
One thing I cannot live without…
is wine. Good wine! I collect it.
When I was younger, I wanted to be…
a dentist.
I’m inspired by…
my daughter’s generation. Wow! These kids are focused and driven, and I couldn’t be more proud of them. My daughter and I volunteer together for the National Charity League and seeing these girls in action tells me that our future is in good hands.
The one person who motivates me is…
my daughter because she isn’t afraid to speak her mind and doesn’t worry about what other people think (in a good way). She and her friends have grown up without the sorts of biases that older generations have. They are open to new ideas from diverse sources. That way of being motivates me every day.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be…
gender bias. Sexism and discrimination. Homelessness. Abused and neglected children. We have a lot of work to do.
The perfect day would be…
spent on the coast, looking out at the ocean and listening to the waves. I grew up near the ocean, it’s in my DNA.
My first job was…
converting data to a new computer system for a law firm. I was in 8th grade! It set me on my business path.
My favorite escape…
a spa day with a good book.
My life…
is beyond any expectation that I ever had. It has been challenging at times, but oh so rewarding. I wouldn’t change a thing, from bumps in the road to amazing experiences and accomplishments.
I’m currently working on…
cultivating and motivating my daughter to be a young leader and to believe in her abilities to be anything she wants to be.
Always…
be grateful. I experienced some tough times as a young kid, so I truly appreciate the good things around us.
Never…
hold a grudge. It gets in the way of forward movement.
Favorite Quote…
“I am not afraid of the storms, as I am learning how to sail my ship.” – Little Women
Biggest Dream…
is to live a fulfilled life and leave an everlasting impact on my community and those around me.
My Pet Peeve(s)…
foul language as part of our everyday communications, bad manners, slow talkers.
