By Susan Hampton

Tammy Amble Linn's six-page resume closes with her favorite credo: "Too many people are ready to carry the stool when the piano needs to be moved."

For much of the past 30 years, Linn, who is Executive Director of United Way of Yavapai County, has been moving the piano. Sometimes she's pushing uphill, sometimes she's the first to try, but rarely does she go it alone.

That's because if Tammy Linn must be described as just one thing, it is a catalyst. Here's just a sample of how Linn will impact Yavapai county -- and beyond -- in 2007 as part of her position with United Way, as a member more than a dozen of civic and charitable organizations, and as the head of her own non-profit organization, the Arizona Character Education Foundation:

• 2000 U.S. soldiers, most from Arizona, will receive care packages with sundries they desperately need in Iraq. Students from 30 Yavapai county schools will pack those boxes.
• More than 700 Arizona educators will implement "Character Counts" education to help students make good decisions and become responsible young people. Arizona drivers can elect to purchase a special Character Counts license plate to help fund the program.
• Project Stay Warm volunteers will spend six Saturdays distributing firewood to 400 rural dwelling people in need.
• This fall a new program of Linn's, "Sole Mates," will make sure children in need get new shoes and socks for school.
• Dozens of at-risk youth serving court-ordered detention will work alongside Linn to make her numerous charitable programs a success.

"My philosophy is, you cannot just give money to a person and solve their problems," said Linn. "The biggest way you can make an impact on a person is to help them change their life and their behavior."

Alongside her numerous awards, (most recently America's Promise Lifetime Service Award for volunteering over 4,000 hours) and countless achievements (she got her M.A. in Elementary Education at the age of 46) Linn's family is her driving passion. This is the family that almost wasn't, due to a rare blood disorder that caused Linn to miscarry six pregnancies. But she became determined to carry a child to term -- so determined that she did it three times. She and husband Dr. Stephen Linn have three robust sons: Alex, 12, Austin, 7 and Andrew, 5.

Linn operates the family home with the same efficiency and dedication she has in her career. Family meetings set the tone for open communication and keeping up with everyone's busy lives. Both mom and dad serve as coaches for the boys T-ball and basketball teams. And Linn's work offers many opportunities for the boys to participate in community service projects alongside their mom.

"I like to have the challenge of being a working mom, and being a good mom," Linn said. "I'm a much better person because I have children. They teach you balance, they teach you to be an emotional person, and they teach you how to really give of yourself."

Linn's arrival in Prescott from Phoenix three years ago was, in fact, motivated by her children. She made a difficult decision to leave behind her full time job as head of the Arizona Character Education Initiative with the Arizona Department of Education, a position she found especially rewarding. Now, she still keeps connected by working with them as needed. But Linn and her husband made the move because they felt the children needed the support from Linn's parents, sister Twila Brutinel, her husband Superior Court Judge Robert Brutinel, and their four children.

"They are spectacular. It has been everything that I thought it would be for our children," Linn said.

Linn is already planning her next initiatives. She just recently began working with U.S. Senator Jon Kyl to introduce legislation that will lower the cost of mailing packages to U.S. troops overseas.

Garth R. Bacigalupi, United Way of Yavapai County President says, we can expect even more countywide initiatives from Tammy Linn.

"She has greatly exceeded our expectations." Bacigalupi said. "Tammy's greatest talent is working with individuals, groups and agencies and being constantly out in the community making a difference."

When she needs to recharge from her demanding life, she reminds herself that there are a lot of people out there that need her to be at the top of her game.

"I'm not afraid of anything," Linn said. "When I see something that is wrong I try to fix it. I don't give in."

Published in Prescott Woman, August/September 2007 Cover story, pg. 56