For Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) alumni Amber and Jaime Reyna, a shared love of running led to far more than podium finishes; it sparked entrepreneurial paths shaped by purpose, discipline, and confidence.
The two met at PVCC while competing in cross country and track under the direction of legendary coach David Barney. While Barney served as a coach to both athletes, his role evolved into a deeper mentorship for Amber, one she credits as formative in her leadership journey. “Other than my parents, Dave is one of the most influential leadership figures in my life,” said Amber. “He shaped so much of who I became in my young adult years.”
Amber’s journey to PVCC began unexpectedly. Originally planning to run at Arizona State University (ASU), she crossed paths with Coach Barney by chance. What followed was a conversation that changed everything. Barney spoke passionately about building PVCC’s first athletic program (cross country), confidently predicting national success.
“He didn’t even have a team yet, and he was already foreshadowing a national title,” Amber recalled. “I fell in love with that. (Coach Barney) told me I would be a big fish in a small pond, and after I won nationals I could go anywhere I wanted.”
Amber took the leap, and Coach Barney delivered. In her first year, PVCC won a national championship, with Amber taking first place individually. The team repeated the feat in 1998, cementing PVCC’s place on the national stage. In 1999, Amber transferred to Brigham Young University in Utah, the No. 1 Division 1 women’s cross country program at the time. Although injuries cut her running career short after one season, the lessons she learned endured.
“Coach Barney taught me discipline, dedication, and confidence,” she said. “It’s not always the big, grand things, rather the small, simple things you do every day that make a big impact.”
Jaime Reyna’s path to PVCC was similar. Launching his running career in Tucson, Arizona, Jaime transferred to PVCC specifically to run under Coach Barney’s tutelage. It was at PVCC that Jaime and Amber’s paths converged, forming a bond rooted in competition, commitment, and shared experience.
While running once defined Amber’s dreams, including aspirations of competing in the Olympics, her professional career emerged more organically. After earning a degree in marketing communications from Arizona State University (ASU) in 2001, she worked in marketing roles supporting two different companies. Those early roles sharpened her understanding of how organizations operate, eventually leading her into facility services, where she discovered a passion for sustainability, safety, and environmental responsibility.
After nearly 15 years in the industry, Amber joined forces with partners Paul Sarzoza and Jared Rivera to start Verde Clean, a facilities services company focused on delivering cleaner, greener workplaces. Her entrepreneurial spirit and determination paid off when Verde Clean secured a major contract with the world’s largest semiconductor foundry, TSMC.
Over time, Verde Clean grew organically alongside TSMC, developing innovative processes, customized training, and out-of-the-box solutions.Today, the company employs 500 people across seven states and works with more than 200 additional contractors nationwide. Its client list includes Toyota, the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the County of Los Angeles.
Amber’s leadership has earned widespread recognition, including the Phoenix Titan 100 Award, Phoenix Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business (2024), Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America (2024 and 2025), and the 2025 West Valley Regional Chamber Industrial Impact Award.
Jaime has followed his own entrepreneurial path, building a successful career as an independent consulting actuary; yet another example of the self-driven mindset both alumni trace back to their time at PVCC.
“Running at PVCC taught me discipline and overcoming adversity,” Jaime said. “It also taught me to take ownership of my path and trust myself to build something from the ground up.”
For Amber and Jaime, PVCC was more than a college – it was a launching pad. Through Coach Barney’s belief, the rigor of competition, and a culture that encouraged big dreams, both alumni found the confidence to pursue their own paths and define success on their terms. That definition has extended beyond their professional achievements to the life they’ve built together over 26 years of marriage while raising their three sons.