Leadership / Staff

The Christian Family Care staff is made up of over 100 paid and volunteer individuals who lovingly serve children, families and the community. A few names that you may have already met and whom are leaders for the Agency are as follows.

Mark Upton

Prior to becoming the President of Christian Family Care, Mark Upton, served as Executive Vice President/Provost of Phoenix Seminary. In October of 2007 he assumed the role previously held solely by CFCA founder Kay Ekstrom.

Mark has served this community for many years as a business professional, church and community ministry leader. He brings a deep and abiding love for our Lord, a love for children and families, and a passion for excellence to the ministry of CFCA.

Mark Upton is married to Lorraine and they have a son and two daughters, as well as nine grandchildren. They have lived in the valley for over thirty years.

Pam Giardina

Pam Giardina holds a Master of Science in Special Education with a Major in Rehabilitation Counseling. Pam became a licensed professional counselor in January of 2006. She also has a Bachelor of Science in Music Education and was formally a certified Teacher in New York. Since 2003, Pam has been a Peer Reviewer for COA (Council on Accreditation).

Prior to working with Christian Family Care, Pam and her husband Sal were in the ministry full-time. Before that she worked as a Substance Abuse Counselor in a residential treatment center for adolescents, and with St. Joseph's Medical Center in their drug program.

Since 1989, Pam has served as a Pregnancy and Adoption Services Counselor, a Foster Care Ongoing home worker, she did Children At Risk Emphasis, Family Counseling and was Coordinator over the PAS Program. In 1998, in collaboration with CFCA, Catholic Social Services and Arizona Baptist Children’s Services, she coordinated the Abstinence Education grant for all three agencies. More recently Pam was the Social Services Program Manager and then Director of Social Services, until May 2006 when she assumed responsibilities of VP of Programs in Southern AZ.

In August 2008, Pam returned to Phoenix to work with CFCA President Mark Upton to oversee program operations statewide.

Larry Larsen

Larry Larsen holds a Master of Business Administration Degree and a B.S. Degree in Accounting from Arizona State University. Larry has held various senior management financial positions over his professional career in both corporate and private business. He has worked with non-profit organizations for the many years and is passionate about the work CFCA does in the community. Larry is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Arizona. Larry and his wife, Gini, have five children and reside in the East Valley.

Lisa Costantino

Lisa joined CFCA in 2008, and brings over 20 years of senior administrative experience, including 10 years working in human resources management. She has worked in both non-profit and for-profit settings. Lisa holds a B.S. degree in Management and is PHR certified. She is an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management and the Valley of the Sun Human Resource Association.

Lisa and her husband, Stan, have two children and two grandchildren. They are active in their church and have a heart for the ministry of CFCA.