David Martinez III – Bio
David Martinez III (he/him/his) is Vitalyst Health Foundation’s Director of Strategic Community Partnerships. In this role, he oversees the foundation’s capacity-building and grant programs and Civic Health portfolio. This includes leading the Vitalyst Grants & Partnerships Team to build and steward community and partner relationships.

David is on the Steering Committee of the Arizona Together for Impact Fund, serves on the board of the Arizona Democracy Alliance, and is Vice Chair of the Funders Committee for Civic Participation (FCCP) Census Initiative. He is also a Community Advisor on the Council of Directors for the National Trust for Civic Life, an effort born out of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences’ Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship.

He is a Flinn-Brown Fellow with the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership, a Young Talent Advisor for the Center for the Future of Arizona, an appointee to the City of Phoenix Fast Track Cities Initiative, and a Trustee of the Desert Botanical Garden. Before joining Vitalyst, David was a Project Manager with the Center for the Future of Arizona, Community Engagement Manager for St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance, and a lobbyist and organizer for the Arizona Students’ Association.

Born and raised in Marana, Arizona, and one of six children, David is a first-generation college student earning a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education, Political Science, and Journalism from The University of Arizona. He served as Student Regent on the Arizona Board of Regents, worked at the UA Office of Institutional Equity, and was an intern with Congressman Raul Grijalva.

David currently lives in Central Phoenix and loves to travel and explore Arizona.

Jessyca Leach – Bio
Jessyca Leach (she/they) serves as the Executive Director for the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS. She has been involved with the Southwest Center since 2018, when she began serving on its Board of Directors. She was hired as its Chief Financial Officer in July 2020. Prior to her role as the Southwest Center’s Chief Financial Officer, Jessyca was the Chief Financial Officer for Downtown Phoenix Inc., where she oversaw financial reporting, cash management, and daily operations of the accounting department, HR, and IT. Jessyca has also held accounting roles at the Phoenix Zoo, Imagine Schools, and Honeywell Aerospace.



Professor Leila Barraza – Bio
Leila Barraza is Associate Professor at Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona. She is the Director of the Arizona Area Health Education Centers program (AzAHEC). Her research interests include studying the impact of laws and regulations on population health. Barraza received a Master in Public Health from the Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona in 2004. She worked for the Center for Rural Health (formerly Rural Health Office) at the Zuckerman College of Public Health following the completion of her master’s degree. Barraza provided assistance to rural and tribal hospitals and clinics regarding new medical designation opportunities, health practitioner recruitment, emergency medical services, and funding opportunities. She received her J.D. with a Certificate in Law, Science, and Technology from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Arizona State University, in 2008. Following her graduation from law school, Barraza served as a law clerk for the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One from 2009-2012. Prior to joining the Zuckerman College of Public Health as an Assistant Professor in 2014, Barraza served as Deputy Director of the Network for Public Health Law – Western Region Office, and a Fellow and Adjunct Professor in the Public Health Law and Policy Program at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Barraza has been published in several scholarly journals, including JAMA, AJPH, Public Health Reports, Jurimetrics Journal, Annals of Health Law, and Journal for Law, Medicine, and Ethics. Barraza has also provided numerous presentations at national and local conferences on a variety of critical public health law issues. She instructs a public health law course for public health and law students and has given special lectures in health law and public health law courses.

Dr. Christine Bracamonte Wiggs – Bio
Dr. Wiggs leads corporate social responsibility, philanthropic investment, and public health initiatives for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Foundation for Community & Health Advancement. Leveraging over two decades of experience in healthcare and public health, Dr. Wiggs spearheads multifaceted strategies that support and elevate the health of customers, members, community organizations, and Arizonans statewide.

Prior to joining BCBSAZ in June 2018, Dr. Wiggs held senior leadership roles with Aetna Medicaid, at both the health plan and national level. During her tenure she led the organization’s national health equity and social determinants of health strategy. Dr. Wiggs built her public health-focused career at the University of Arizona where she led community-based applied research and evaluation initiatives, serving vulnerable populations including substance using, HIV/AIDS, as well as youth and adults experiencing homelessness.

Dr. Wiggs is highly engaged in the community serving on several boards including the Phoenix Indian Center, Activate Food Arizona – Farm Express, and University of Arizona’s College of Public Health. She was recently recognized as one of AZ Big Media’s Most Influential Women of 2023.

Dr. Wiggs received her Bachelor of Science from Gonzaga University, and holds a Master of Public Health, Master of Science, and Ph.D. from the University of Arizona. A native Arizonan, Dr. Wiggs is passionate about working closely with communities to build the resources and capacity needed to improve the health of all.

Bryant Powell – Bio
Bryant Powell started with the City of Apache Junction as the Assistant City Manager in 2001. In July of 2015, he became the City Manager. As City Manager, he assists the City Council in developing and implementing a successful strategic plan to maintain and enhance the quality of life of all those who live, visit, work or invest in the City of Apache Junction.

In his former position, Assistant City Manager, Bryant managed personnel, the budget and Capital Improvement Plan, and day-to-day internal and external operations of the City. This included direct oversight of Management Services Administration consisting of Economic Development, Community Relations and Public Information, Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology. He was the City’s lead staff member in the construction of the City Hall/Municipal Court, the Multi-Generational Center, Library expansion and Police Department remodel.

Bryant has more than 20 years of experience in local government. Prior to coming to the City of Apache Junction, Bryant served as a Senior Budget Analyst for the City of San Antonio, Texas. Before that, he served as a Management Intern with the City Manager’s Offices in Cedar City, Utah; Orem, Utah; and Orange, Calif.

Bryant holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Brigham Young University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Utah University and attended Eastern Arizona College. Bryant lives in Apache Junction, is married and has three daughters.

Kevin Hartke – Bio
Mayor Kevin Hartke is passionate about all things Chandler and Arizona. He began his second term in January 2023. Kevin served as Vice Mayor twice, as well as on City Council for nine years.

Kevin and his wife, Lynne, have been married for 43 years and have lived in Chandler since 1985. They have four children and four grandchildren. Kevin continues to serve as a Pastor at Trinity Christian Fellowship in Chandler where he has worked since 1985. He has a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a master’s degree in Theology.

Kevin is involved extensively in the state, region, and Chandler community. As Mayor, he serves as Vice President on the Arizona League of Cities and Towns Board and on the Executive Board of Maricopa Association of Governments. He also serves as a board member of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council.

In Chandler, Kevin volunteers with several organizations: For Our City Chandler, I-HELP (local homelessness solution), American Cancer Society; Ex-officio board member with Chandler Chamber of Commerce and Chandler's Sister Cities. Kevin is a literacy advocate, reading to students in Chandler since 2007.

Kesha Hodge Washington – Bio
Kesha Hodge Washington was sworn in as District 8 Councilwoman on April 17, 2023, she is the first African-American woman to be elected to the Phoenix City Council. Councilwoman Hodge Washington serves on the Economic Development and Housing and Transportation Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittees and her top priorities in the district are homelessness, affordable and attainable housing, and economic development. Councilwoman Hodge Washington moved to Arizona from the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1999 and has been active in Phoenix ever since. The daughter of a mechanic and a bookkeeper, she is a first-generation college graduate who earned her bachelor's degree from the University of the Virgin Islands and her law degree from Arizona State University College of Law.

After graduating from law school, she clerked at the Arizona Court of Appeals. She served as Assistant Attorney General working to protect children in physically and sexually abusive environments, before moving into private practice.

Councilwoman Hodge Washington is a professional problem solver, lawyer, consensus builder, and passionate leader committed to the constructive development of our community. Her 20 years of experience in law firms, government practice, and in-house settings has given Kesha valuable insight on how to effectively achieve results.

Among her community service, she helps to raise scholarship money for high school and college students, mentors young women, and provides free legal services to those in need. She is also active with several organizations including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the American Bar Association.

Kelly Pfost– Bio
Kelly Pfost is the Director of Management and Budget in Gilbert, Arizona, where she coordinates the development of a $2 billion annual budget and spearheads efforts to be cost effective and fiscally sustainable. These efforts include helping the Town achieve an AAA bond rating from all three major credit agencies (the highest rating available). Kelly loves numbers and has over 15 years of experience with long-term financial modeling in the public and private sectors.

Prior to joining Gilbert, Kelly worked at a municipal consulting firm in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she provided expertise in economic development and long-term financial planning to cities and counties. She also worked in finance, economic development, administrative services, and recreation management at South Jordan City, Utah. Kelly holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational communications with a minor in physics from Brigham Young University-Idaho and an MPA from Brigham Young University’s Romney Institute of Public Management.



Mark Reader – Bio
Mark Reader has served as an investment banker to Arizona Cities and Towns for the past 35-years. In that role, he has advised Stifel’s clients on the most efficient way to finance through the issuance of tax-exempt bonds on a variety of Public Infrastructure and Economic Development Projects. His experience includes general obligation bond elections and subsequent issuance, utility revenue bonds (new money and utility acquisitions), WIFA Clean Water and Drinking Water programs, public pension bonds and assistance, special assessment improvement district bonds and community facilities districts transactions for master planned communities and certain economic development projects. Stifel’s Arizona office manages approximately 75 transactions per year in Arizona which includes Cities/Towns, Counties and a significant number of transactions in the K-12 sector.

Chris Bridges – Bio
Chris Bridges is the Deputy Director of Engineering - Transportation for the City of Goodyear and is the Current Past President of the Executive Board for the Arizona Transit Association (AzTA). Chris has a combined 25-years of experience in both Urban Land Use and Transportation having previously served as the Transportation Planning Manager for the Town of Gilbert and for Yavapai County, as well as serving for a decade as the Executive Director of the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization (CYMPO), a regional transportation planning agency in the Prescott Region. Chris has been a long-time advocate for developing multi-modal transportation systems that blend with the built environment and promote the safe and efficient movement of people, goods, and services.

Nicole Bucich – Bio
Nicole Bucich is currently serving as Vice President, Network Development at Amtrak where she is responsible for guiding and facilitating Amtrak’s network expansion initiatives across the U.S.

Prior to joining Amtrak, Nicole led the development of CONNECT NEC 2035 for the NEC Commission —a 15-year strategic development plan for the Northeast Corridor.

She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from RPI and her Master of Science degree in Transportation from MIT. She is also an adjunct professor at NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

Kate Gallego – Bio
Since her early days serving Phoenix on the City Council, Kate has been focused on creating the Phoenix of the future: a welcoming, thriving city with ample high-wage jobs and opportunities for all.

As mayor, Kate spends every day focused on getting things done for Phoenix families. The results speak for themselves: Kate brought a historic $65 billion semiconductor manufacturing plant to Phoenix that’s creating thousands of great-paying career paths; she built coalitions to deliver critical improvements to parks, public safety, and city infrastructure; and she is partnering with ASU to build a brand-new medical school in downtown Phoenix.

Kate is the second elected woman mayor in Phoenix history and one of the youngest big city mayors in the nation. She graduated from Harvard and holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. Though serving Phoenicians keeps her days busy and her heart full, her favorite job is being Michael’s mom.

Eric Daniels – Bio
Eric Daniels is an emerging advocate for multimodal transportation planning and innovative transit services in the central Arizona region. Elected in 2020, Councilmember Daniels stands out as one of Arizona's first Gen-Z elected officials. He is actively involved in the Transportation Infrastructure and Public Works Committee, as well as the Neighborhoods and Quality of Life Committee within the Arizona League of Cities and Towns. Apart from his public service, Daniels is committed to improving smart community growth at Pinal County's Development Services Department.

Carlos Lopez – Bio
Carlos D. Lopez, PE, is currently serving as the Department Project Manager for the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), leading the Phoenix to Tucson Intercity Passenger Rail Corridor Study. With over 17 years of experience in the transportation sector, Carlos brings extensive expertise from both public and private sectors to this crucial initiative.

Carlos is the founder and principal of MAPA Project Management LLC, a consultancy dedicated to advancing transportation infrastructure. His past roles at ADOT have included managing large-scale planning projects like major freeway and rail corridors, significantly enhancing Arizona's mobility options.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and an Executive Master of Public Administration from Arizona State University. Carlos's commitment to excellence continues to drive innovative transportation solutions for the state's economy.

Warren Tenney – Bio
Warren Tenney is the Executive Director of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA); whose members include the ten major municipalities in the Phoenix Valley and collectively serve nearly 3.7 million people – more than half of the State’s population.

He is a member of the Governor’s Water Policy Council.

Before becoming AMWUA’s Executive Director in 2016, Warren had been the Assistant General Manager for Metro Water District in Pima County, Arizona, where he was employed since 1994.

He was elected twice to the Central Arizona Project Board of Directors representing Pima County. He served as Vice-President of the CAP Board, chairing the Board’s Finance, Audit & Power Committee for three years.

Warren is a fifth-generation Arizonan. He earned his B.A. at Arizona State University and earned an M.A. at Northern Arizona University.

Shawn Bradford – Bio
Maren Mahoney is an experienced attorney passionate about building an equitable, resilient future for all Arizonans. Trained in systems-level analysis, her expertise is in energy regulation, law, and policy development, analysis, and advocacy. Prior to joining the Hobbs Administration, she advocated for state-level energy efficiency and decarbonization policies around the country, served as a Policy Advisor at the Arizona Corporation Commission, and managed an energy policy think tank at Arizona State University. She holds a J.D. from New York Law School, where she was a John Marshall Harlan Scholar and earned a Certificate for Public Service. Maren earned her M.A. in Sustainability from ASU, where she is a Senior Sustainability Scholar. Maren lives in Phoenix with her husband, two children, and their dog, Mr. Bunny.

Troy Hayes – Bio
Troy Hayes oversees one of the largest potable water utilities in the United States. With 1,500 dedicated employees, Phoenix Water Services treats and delivers high-quality tap water to 1.7 million customers throughout a 540 square mile service area. Phoenix Water Services also provides wastewater collection and treatment services for 2.9 million residents in the Valley. Troy has been with the City of Phoenix for over 20 years, serving in a broad range of roles and responsibilities. A Phoenix native and second-generation water services professional, he's deeply passionate about maintaining water quality and safety. Troy is a registered Professional Engineer in Arizona and Colorado, holding a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Arizona and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

Sarah Kearney – Bio
Sarah Kearney leads Blue Zones Project Scottsdale as the Executive Director. Her leadership experience is diverse and rooted in community well-being, service, and forward-thinking optimism. She most recently worked for Experience Scottsdale, a destination marketing organization whose mission is to enhance the Scottsdale community through tourism. In Sarah’s 16+ year tenure at the organization, she held several senior leadership roles and specialized in partner development strategy, membership and community engagement, program development, and more. Driven by her passion for the Scottsdale community, Sarah has served, led, and guided several local organizations, leaving a cross-sector imprint. She has served as the Board President for Scottsdale Leadership, the Board President for Community Celebrating Diversity, a Board Member for Scottsdale Sister Cities, the Officer of Membership for Millennials in Travel, and the Vice President of Community Outreach at GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix/Scottsdale. Sarah holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a B.A. in Communication from Arizona State University. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading, sports, and spending time in the Scottsdale sunshine. She is a proud wife and hockey, dance, and dog mom to her two children and golden retriever.

Michelle Pabi – Bio
As Vice President of Government and Community Affairs for HonorHealth, Michelle Pabis is responsible for developing the advocacy agenda and community relations strategy for the organization and promoting the interests of the healthcare system at the federal, state, and city levels. Michelle also has oversight responsibilities for a number of HonorHealth’s community programs including Blue Zones, Desert Mission, Military Partnership, Community Benefit, and strategic partnerships.

Michelle currently serves as Board Chair for the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce with a focus on serving Scottsdale, regional businesses, and community prosperity. She also actively participates in the community as a member of the boards of directors for the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, Charros Foundation, Community Celebrating Diversity, and Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health (NOAH).

David Ortega – Bio
Mayor Ortega focuses on promoting public safety and well-being, maintaining family-friendly neighborhoods, protecting the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and strengthening Scottsdale’s world-renowned reputation.

Under Mayor Ortega’s leadership, Scottsdale lowered the property tax rate by more than 10 percent to ease the burden on our city’s families. He supported 10 percent funding increases for police and fire departments, and significantly reduced the Public Safety Retirement System fund balance.

A life-long advocate for equality, Mayor Ortega led public outreach, formulation, and passage of the Anti-Discrimination Ordinance by the City Council to ensure Scottsdale remains a livable and economically vibrant city for all. Mayor Ortega championed the adoption of General Plan 2035 to revitalize our economy, support the arts, and preserve Scottsdale’s natural beauty. He is leading efforts to reign-in excessive building height and density in Old Town, while preserving our Western hospitality that draws tourists and visitors from across the globe. To strengthen economic vitality and keep Scottsdale’s workforce competitive, Mayor Ortega and the City Council established a Joint Education Committee with Scottsdale Unified School District and Scottsdale Community College. Mayor Ortega chairs quarterly meetings to support scholarships, internships, and employment pathways. Over the course of four decades as an Arizona architect, Mayor Ortega designed many landmark buildings in Old Town. He is a graduate of the University of Arizona and was an apprentice to Bennie Gonzales, the award-winning designer of Scottsdale City Hall, Library and the Center for Performing Arts. Mayor Ortega has spent most of his life helping to shape Scottsdale’s “unique sense of place.” Mayor Ortega represents the City of Scottsdale at the Maricopa Association of Governments Executive Regional Council, the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association Executive Board, the League of Arizona Cities and Towns Executive Council, and the Greater Phoenix Mayors and Supervisors Economic Council. He is a member of the Bloomberg-Harvard Mayors Leadership Initiative. Mayor Ortega is a proud member of the following organizations:

• • State of Arizona School Facilities Board
• • Maricopa County Private Industry Council
• • American Institute of Architects Arizona
• • Registered Architect State Arizona and California
• • Scottsdale Sunrise Rotary Club
• • Scottsdale Leadership
• • Friends of Scottsdale Library
• • Coronado Foundation for the Future
• • Family Promise of Greater Phoenix
• • Chrysalis Shelter for Victims of Domestic Violence
• • Reading Coach at Pueblo Elementary

Bill Sims – Bio
William Sims III of Sims Mackin Ltd. is a corporate attorney with more than thirty-eight years of experience in private practice, preceded and complemented by substantial government service experience. Mr. Sims is the Attorney for Jerome, Globe, Pinetop-Lakeside, Safford, Taylor, Snowflake, Dewey-Humboldt and Willcox. He is involved in a legal counseling program regarding land use matters that advises approximately 77 cities and towns who are members of the Arizona Municipal Risk Retention Pool. His private practice has been focused on representing for-profit and non-profit corporations, cities, towns, counties, schools, and universities; negotiating and documenting development projects and other complex transactions involving the financing, construction and operation of public facilities. He has extensive experience in connection with large public-private partnership contracts, including the former US Airways Center, Chase Field, Cactus League facilities, and Arizona State University development projects. He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. Mr. Sims has been recognized as a Rhodes Scholar and graduated from Oxford University, England. He received his law degree summa cum laude from the University of Arizona.

Frank Cassidy – Bio
Frank Cassidy has a part-time solo Arizona law practice representing local governments. He has handled a wide range of land use, eminent domain, and public works construction matters since his 1982 graduation from the University of Arizona College of Law. Frank has practiced law in large and small private firms and three local governments. He retired from the full-time practice of law in October 2020 after serving as Marana Town Attorney for 17 years. He taught Land Use Law for 21 years as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Arizona and was a co-author of the 6th, 7th, and 8th editions of the State Bar of Arizona’s handbook on Arizona Land Use Law. His wife Renée is a retired speech pathologist and real estate agent. Frank & Renée are blessed with three children and seven grandchildren.

Andrew McGuire – Bio
Andrew McGuire focuses his practice in the areas of government and municipal law with an emphasis on public finance, special districts, real estate, land use, and zoning. His experience includes public finance, impact fees, annexation law, improvement districts, general municipal law, election law, code enforcement, contract and procurement law, open meeting law, and condemnation. He currently serves as Town Attorney for several Arizona municipalities.

Prior to joining Gust Rosenfeld, Andrew was a member of a local law firm where he served as District Counsel to an Arizona sanitary district in addition to his work as City/Town Attorney. Andrew also represents Arizona Native American Communities in solid waste and real property matters. He is AV® Preeminent™ rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, representing the highest rating in legal ability and ethical standards.

Jessica Pacheco – Bio
Jessica’s experience is unparalleled in Arizona and her reputation as a master strategist, leader, contributor, and powerful influencer has been earned over 25 years of consistently successful outcomes.

In addition to her 22 years in executive leadership for a Fortune 500 energy company, Jessica has worked extensively in economic and community development arenas. She led international advocacy efforts to enhance trade opportunities with Mexico and Canada in her role as President of the Arizona-Mexico Commission. She has led several issue campaigns in Arizona and has acted as a senior advisor to various statewide candidate campaigns for both state and federal office. Jessica continues to be a strategic guide for executive, emerging, and elected leaders as they explore potential opportunities and navigate ever-shifting dynamics to create optimal roadmaps to achieve desired objectives.

Jessica is committed to giving back to her community as she serves on the Arizona Board of Regents, on the executive committee for the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, and on the Thunderbirds Charities board of directors.

Jessica earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arizona and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. Jessica and her three, almost grown, children live in Phoenix. She loves to play card games, hang with her kids and practice yoga. If given a choice, she will always opt to wear flip flops.

Mila Besich – Bio
Mila Besich is a lifelong resident of Superior, Arizona. Elected in 2016 as Mayor of Superior, she has played a key role in leading her community through the Resolution Copper Environmental Impact Statement while also actively galvanizing and leading collaborative region-wide initiatives to preserve the majestic beauty of her town and Arizona’s Copper Corridor region while encouraging sustainable economic development.

Victoria Peacey – Bio
Born in Montreal, Canada, Vicky comes from a mining family- her father, sister, brother-in-law and her husband are all miners. She attended the University of Western Ontario where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied Geoscience and a Master of Science Degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering.

Peacey has been with Resolution Copper since 2010 where she is presently the Senior Manager Permitting and Approvals and manages all federal, state and local agency approvals, agreements and permits and makes sure that the company is sensitive to the environment and cultural heritage during the planning process and that the mine will be operated in a way that preserves and protects the natural surroundings.

Peacey joined Rio Tinto in 2002 as a Senior Environmental Engineer at Kennecott’s Bingham Canyon Mine in Utah where she successfully designed and implemented a strategy to obtain multiple state permits for a major expansion of the Bingham Canyon Mine open pit, concentrator and tailings. This work included completion of all baseline data collection and impact assessments for groundwater, geochemistry, surface water and air as well as closure and reclamation.

In 2007 Peacey attended an intensive 4 week course at the London School of Business and Finance and participated in the Emerging Leaders Program.

She then moved to Marquette, Michigan in 2008 as Manager Environmental Affairs and Permitting for Rio Tinto’s Kennecott Eagle Minerals where she developed and implemented a strategy to successfully obtain all Federal, State and County permits and approvals for a $400 million underground mine, concentrator and tailings facility. Production commenced in September 2014 ahead of schedule and on budget.

Peacey lives in Gold Canyon, Arizona with her husband and three children.

Peacey is on the Board of the American Exploration & Mining Association. She has been active with the Boyce Thomas Arboretum and has participated as a fundraiser for the Phoenix Indian Center.

Misael Cabrera – Bio
After a nationwide search, Misael was selected to serve as the inaugural Director of the new School of Mining & Mineral Resources (SMMR) at the University of Arizona. Jointly administered by the Colleges of Science and Engineering, the School brings together students, professionals, industry, and communities across disciplines and boundaries to meet the complex challenges of mineral supply and sustainability.

In his prior role as the Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), Misael stood out as the longest-serving and first Latino Director in the Department’s 36-year history. Under Misael’s leadership, ADEQ spearheaded what is known today as the Arizona Management System (AMS), which is used across state government. During his tenure, ADEQ dramatically increased environmental outcomes, delivered award-winning online services, and was recognized by local and national organizations 28 times.

Before joining ADEQ, he held a variety of technical and leadership roles at several international engineering firms.

Steve Trussell – Bio
Steve Trussell began his career consulting for the Arizona Mining Association (AMA), joined Arizona Rock Products Association in 2002 as Community Relations Director, and became the Executive Director in 2007. He is responsible for the preservation of the rock products and mining industry through involvement with Arizona public officials on the policy, regulatory and community relations. In 2017, Trussell became the Executive Director of the Arizona Mining Association, as well. He serves on the Bureau of Land Management’s Resource Advisory Council, Executive Committee for the UA’s Mining School, Advisory Board for the Center of Environmentally Sustainable Mining, the Board of Directors for the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and the Arizona Tax Research Association.

Drew Trojanowski – Bio
The Honorable Drew Trojanowski is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Southwest Mission Acceleration Center (MAC). In this capacity, he is responsible for supporting mission-driven organizations and dual-use innovation to help solve the worlds most pressing challenges. Working to remove the barriers to entry and advance collaborations between entrepreneurs, industry, academic, venture and mission-driven national security partner networks in Arizona, nationwide, and worldwide.

Prior to joining MAC, Trojanowski was the Assistant Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, for Arizona State University (ASU). He led the development of a robust national security innovation network within the Department of Defense and defense industry for the university. Before joing ASU, Trojanowski was a Presidentially Commissioned Officer on the White House Domestic Policy Council (DPC) and Special Assistant to the President (SAP). In these roles, he oversaw the departments of Defense, Veteran Affairs, Labor and NASA. During his tenure, Trojanowski was the policy lead on three executive orders and 56 regulations.

Before joining the White House in 2018, he served two years as the Military Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator John McCain, Chairmen of the Senate Armed Services Committee. During Trojanowski’s tenure with Senator McCain, he oversaw Arizona defense priorities for the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and penned several successful pieces of legislation, including crafting and advancing the MISSION Act – a law that transforms the VA into a high-performing and integrated 21st century healthcare system.

Trojanowski is a career public servant. He began as a scout/sniper in the U.S. Army, deploying to both Iraq and Afghanistan, serving our nation’s military for a decade. He was also an overseas combat advisor to foreign militaries in the realms of operations, tactics, intelligence and civil affairs. After transitioning to the Arizona National Guard, he developed long-range plans for the Joint Counter Narco-Terrorism Task Force, including budget and staffing requirements, as well as implemented statewide training programs and policies. Trojanowski holds a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry & Sustainability from Arizona State University, is a graduate of the Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy, and was named 40 under 40 by the Phoenix Business Journal. Trojanowski lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with his wife, Samantha, and two wonderful children, Dash and Charleston.

Kell Palguta – Bio
Mayor Kell Palguta moved to Prescott Valley in 1996 from a small town in Maine. In 1998, Mayor Palguta began his career in public service as a Police Officer for the Town of Prescott Valley.

As a Police Officer, Mayor Palguta received many awards and accolades including the Police Medal of Valor, Police Star, Rookie of the Year, Officer of the Year, Police Chief Commendation, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving Officer of the Year.

While working as a police officer, Mayor Palguta obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Northern Arizona University and Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from New Mexico State University. As a first-generation college graduate in his family, Mayor Palguta understands the importance of good education and recognizes that education is a valuable asset to any community.

After retiring as a Police Officer, Mayor Palguta continued his service to the community as an instructor at Yavapai College as well as a substitute teacher in the Humboldt Unified School District.

Since being elected in 2018 Mayor Palguta served on the League of Arizona Cities and Town Resolution Committee, as the Chairman of the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization for two years and continues to represent Prescott Valley as a member. In 2019 Mayor Palguta became a Flinn Brown Fellow after completing the fellowship and civic leadership program. He currently sits on the Executive Board as the Treasurer to the Boys and Girls Club of Northern Arizona. Mayor Palguta was re-elected as Mayor of Prescott Valley in 2022.

Mayor Palguta is married to his wife Aubrey and is the father to seven-year-old twins, Memphis and Emma Jo and a thirteen-year-old boy named Lincoln. Mayor Palguta strives to make certain that Prescott Valley is a place where one can be born, grow up, graduate school, get married, raise a family, and retire.

Suzanne Kinney – Bio
Suzanne Kinney is an experienced association manager and public policy professional. Since 2017, she has led the Arizona Chapter of NAIOP, the commercial real estate industry association. During her tenure, the Arizona Chapter has increased membership by around 30% to over 1,000 individuals and has won several national awards including NAIOP Chapter of the Year (2021), Most New Members out of all 53 chapters (2021), Best Government Relations Program (2020), and Best Membership Program (2019). She has been named a Real Estate Power Broker (2022 and 2023) and Woman Achiever (2022) by the Arizona Capitol Times. Suzanne was selected for the Phoenix Business Journal’s Forty-Under-40 Class of 2009.

From 2014-2017, she operated Southwest Business Policy, a consultancy which provided public policy research and communications services for business, non-profit, and higher education clients.

For eight years, Suzanne was a member of the executive staff at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry serving as Senior Vice President of Public Policy. In 2008, she founded the Arizona Chamber Foundation, a research-based public policy institute. Earlier in her career, Suzanne was a Senior Research Analyst at Morrison Institute for Public Policy at Arizona State University.

Suzanne received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Economy from Tulane University in New Orleans and a Master of Arts degree from the Committee on International Relations at the University of Chicago.

Lauren Bailey – Bio
Lauren Bailey is the CEO & co-founder of Upward Projects, a restaurant development and hospitality company. Spanning over 35 restaurants and five brands across six states, Upward Projects includes Postino WineCafe, Joyride Taco House, Windsor, Churn Ice Cream, and Federal Pizza. Upward Projects has been selected to the Nation’s Restaurant News 'Power 50' list of people who represent the best in restaurant leadership as well as Inc. 5000’s list as one of the nation’s fastest-growing companies.

David Larcher – Bio
David Larcher is a founding principal of Vestar and has been responsible for some of the most dynamic and popular retail projects in the southwest. David is responsible for Vestar’s acquisition, development and operational activities. He is a graduate of Arizona State University with a degree in Real Estate and Finance. David is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, Urban Land Institute and is on the Board of Trustees of The Nature Conservancy of Arizona.

Chip Scutari – Bio
Chip Scutari is co-founder of S+C Communications and managing partner of the firm’s Phoenix office. He brings an authentic knowledge of storytelling and public policy, using an eye for compelling content and a reporter’s instinct to the world of media relations, crisis communications and media coaching.

For 15 years, including several at the Arizona State Capitol, Chip worked on the journalistic frontlines covering Arizona’s most powerful politicians and influential business leaders. His reporting chops, connections and understanding of policy, politics and business helps an array of clients navigate the ever-evolving landscape of communications.

National news outlets like NPR, Fox News and The New York Times, frequently call Chip for his insights on the news because of his reach across the political spectrum. He has served on the boards of several organizations, including the Greater Phoenix Chamber and the Friends of Public Radio Arizona.

John Giles – Bio
John Giles is the 40th mayor of Mesa, Arizona. He was first elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2016 and 2020.

Mayor Giles oversees a growing economy that has added tens of thousands of new jobs, over $8 billion in new capital investment, and employers like Apple, Amazon, Google and Meta. Under his leadership, the city adopted a nondiscrimination ordinance, demonstrating that Mesa is an inclusive city committed to equality.

His attention to Mesa’s downtown resulted in Arizona State University’s Media, Immersion and eXperience Center (MIX Center) with cutting-edge programs and an emerging creative economy with new businesses, restaurants, housing and entertainment options.

Mayor Giles spearheads the Mesa College Promise which provides qualified high school graduates with a free community college education. His commitment to bridging the digital divide led to City Council opening the market for internet service providers to deliver fiberoptic internet to every home and business in the City of Mesa. He also established Mesa’s Education and Workforce Roundtable and is a member of the Arizona Mayor’s Education Roundtable.

His advocacy for a sustainable future for Mesa led to the adoption of a Climate Action Plan, which includes achieving carbon neutrality, using 100% renewable energy and diverting 90% of waste from the landfill by 2050. In 2023, he launched the Trees Are Cool initiative to plant one million trees in Mesa by 2050. Mayor Giles is a champion for building an infrastructure that makes electric vehicle ownership more attainable, and for testing innovative technologies that reduce impact on the environment. He serves on the Electric Vehicle Working Group, an appointed federal committee of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, as the representative for local government.

Mayor Giles is Chair of the Immigration Task Force for the U.S. Conference of Mayors and serves on the Board of Trustees. He is the Co-Chair of Mayors and CEOs for U.S. Housing Investment, Chair of the Mayor’s Alliance to End Childhood Hunger, and serves on the Accelerator for America Advisory Council.

Born and raised in Mesa, Mayor Giles earned degrees from Brigham Young University in Political Science and Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law where he is now an Adjunct Professor. He practiced law in Mesa for nearly 30 years before working full-time as Mayor. Mayor Giles has completed two full Ironman competitions, 20 marathons and four Boston Marathons. He is the creator and host of the It’s Always Cool in Mesa podcast, which shares the city’s most beloved history, people and stories. Mayor Giles and his wife Dawn have been married for more than 40 years. They have five children and eight grandchildren.

Corey Woods – Bio
Corey Woods was elected mayor of the City of Tempe in March 2020. In his professional career, he is Executive Director of Community Relations at ASU Preparatory Academy. Woods is responsible for assisting the managing director with operations, external partnerships and strategic initiatives. He previously served as the chief operating officer for the Greater Phoenix Urban League, director of college and career articulation for the Phoenix Union High School District and director of government relations for the American Lung Association of Arizona.

Woods served as a Councilmember for the City of Tempe from July 2008 – July 2016. He was elected to the Tempe City Council in May 2008 and reelected in March 2012. Woods was instrumental in guiding city policy that led to Tempe's perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign’s “Municipal Equality Index.” He championed initiatives in the areas of affordable housing and human services while working tirelessly to improve community development standards to attract business investment and protect neighborhoods.

Woods was named 2022 “Advocate of the Year” by the Arizona Housing Coalition for his advocacy work expanding affordable and workforce housing opportunities. He currently serves as Vice Chair of the United States Conference of Mayors’ Housing and Community Development Committee and as Co-Chair of the National League of Cities' Housing Supply Accelerator Steering Committee. He is also a member of the Mayors & CEOs for U.S. Housing Investment coalition.

Woods graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in April 2000 with a B.A. in Political Science, and a minor in African-American Studies. After college, Woods was a teaching assistant at ASU for three years. In May 2018, Woods earned a Master of Arts in Educational Policy from ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton College of Education.

Brahm Resnik – Bio
Brahm is recognized among the best politics reporters in Arizona and has been covering Arizona politics and government for over 20 years. He has hosted one of the most popular shows on AZ politics, “Sunday Square Off” since 2009.

Jay Parry – Bio
Jay Parry is President and CEO of the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee. She has spent her career building businesses and sports franchises to a championship level.

Jay kicked off her career at Bank of America, where she rose to the bank’s senior ranks as Executive Vice President and head of Strategic Marketing for a 10-state region.

For the second half of her career, Jay was recruited to lead the Phoenix Mercury, a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) franchise as President and Chief Operating Officer. Following seven successful seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, she moved to an executive role with the Phoenix Suns, a National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise where she led all customer-facing activities as Senior Vice President of Brand and Business Development.

In 2014, she took on the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee where she oversaw all aspects of planning and executing a record-breaking Super Bowl XLIX (49) held in Arizona in 2015.

Following the success of Super Bowl XLIX (49), the WNBA tapped her to be Chief Operating Officer of the league in New York. As a visionary leader, Jay led the business and strategy functions, successfully expanding the business and game globally.

She has returned to Arizona to lead the state’s effort to host Super Bowl LVII (57) in 2023 as the President and CEO of the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee.

Jay has been active in board roles and community service throughout her career.

A native of Del Mar, California, Jay earned her bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Colorado.

Jim Rounds – Bio
Jim Rounds is President of Rounds Consulting Group. The firm specializes in economic development and tax policy analysis; education research; healthcare economics; transportation economics; fiscal planning including revenue forecasting and budget development; strategic planning and marketing; environmental economics; impact and market studies; and litigation support.

Mr. Rounds regularly provides advice to policymakers at the Arizona State Capitol, to mayors throughout the state as well as city council members, county board members, and other public and private sector leaders in the community. He has delivered hundreds of economic presentations throughout Arizona and is quoted weekly on television, radio, and in printed media.

Jim has provided economic guidance to policy leaders across the country on matters of real estate, tourism, economic planning, fiscal planning, criminal justice reform, education policy, and economic impact modeling.

Mr. Rounds enjoys participation among multiple organizations and well as using proper analysis and communication to bridge political gaps. For example, Jim is a Senior Fellow at the Goldwater Institute; a board member of the Maricopa County IDA and Valley Partnership; and advisor to education focused groups including the Helios Education Foundation, Achieve 60 AZ, the Rodel Foundation, the Arizona Board of Regents, and the various state universities, among others. Jim is also the lead economist for multiple rural and urban area healthcare and hospital associations.

Other areas of study include advanced workforce analysis; minimum wage impact analysis; State Trust Land finance; public employee pension reform; utility infrastructure investment; and state and local area tourism planning.

Recently, Jim has been supporting the concept of “growing from within,” which includes efforts to better understand small business development issues, and strategic investment in education and workforce training. Jim is a lead member of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee’s Finance Advisory Committee, and has served on scores of committees and task force efforts at both the state and local levels.

Mr. Rounds began his career as a Senior Economist and Senior Budget Analyst with the Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee, and has been engaged in policy related economics for more than two decades. Jim has a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in Economics from Arizona State University.

Bridget Binsbacher – Bio
Bridget Binsbacher has lived in the Northwest Valley for more than three decades dedicating her time to public and community service. She serves as the Executive Director of the Arizona Cactus League Baseball Association supporting Spring Training, which is one of largest economic engines and tourism driver for Arizona. She was appointed the Cactus League’s first employee and Executive Director in 2019, but her involvement in Arizona’s spring industry has spanned nearly two decades. Bridget was elected to serve on the Peoria City Council in March of 2015, re-elected in 2016, 2020 and served two terms as Vice Mayor. Bridget has been a respected leader in both the public sector and professionally. Bridget has been recognized as 2023 and 2021 AzBusiness Leaders – Top Five Tourism Leaders of Arizona, 2019 AzBusiness Leaders – Most Influential Women in Arizona, and 2016 Arizona Who’s Who – Top Five Women in Business Leaders of Arizona. She is also a 2021 Colangelo Servant Leadership Award recipient, Paul Harris Fellow recipient and a West Valley 24 Mover and Shaker. Bridget has more than 30 years of professional experience in the finance and nonprofit industries. She has also served her community by volunteering with various charitable organizations such as the ASU Sports Business Advisory Board, Peoria Education Foundation and the Alzheimer’s Association. Bridget currently sits on the board of the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association. Her husband, Jon, is a fire captain and paramedic at Daisy Mountain Fire Medical Department. They live in Peoria and have four children and one grandchild.

Lisa Urias – Bio
As a proud fourth-generation Arizonan, Lisa Urias has built her career on crafting and promotingthe multi-faceted brand of Arizona through several companies, organizations, and roles. Ms.Urias’ family has a long history of service to Arizona – a value she holds dear. Her more than 35 years as a marketing & PR professional have taught her that a strong organizational culture, a responsive strategic plan, and dedication to innovative ideas lead to sustained success.

She has utilized this approach with corporations and with her own agency, Urias Communications, which has a track record of significant success for her clients and for the state.

Today, Urias Communications is employee-operated and is regularly named a top agency in The Phoenix Business Journal’s Book of Lists, with an average capitalized billing of $30 million. Clients include some of the largest corporations in the region such as APS, Bank of America, Dignity Health, Arizona Indian Gaming Association, and many others.

Under Ms. Urias’s leadership, the agency’s diverse portfolio of branding work remains reflected throughout the state. A few examples include the Phoenix Zoo’s iconic brand identity and logo, APS’ “stewardship” campaigns, the Native American Connections logo, and myriad others. Their work has also earned numerous accolades including Addy Awards and International Association of Business Communications (IABC) awards.

After serving as a board member of the Arizona Community Foundation (ACF) for more than 7 years, ACF wanted to more fully utilize Ms. Urias’ storytelling impact and dedication to Arizona’s statewide communities. She was recruited in 2021 by the CEO to serve as ACF’s Chief Program & Community Engagement Officer. There she led the foundation’s engagement with statewide communities and was responsible for an aggregate annual budget of over $33 million, overseeing special programs, discretionary grantmaking, ACF’s six statewide affiliate networks and rural philanthropy, and the Community Impact Loan Funds.

Ms. Urias has earned numerous accolades including “Most Admired CEO,” from the Phoenix Business Journal, “One of 13 to Watch,” from The Arizona Republic, “Woman of Achievement” from AZ Biz Magazine, and “Woman of the Year” from the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Ken Bennett – Bio
Senator Bennett currently serves in the Arizona State Senate as Chairman of the Education Committee, Vice-Chairman of the Elections Committee, and as a member of the Appropriations Committee.

Sen. Bennett was a member of the Arizona State Senate from 1999 – 2007 and, during that same time, president of the Senate from 2003 – 2007. He was appointed Arizona's Secretary of State in 2009 to complete Jan Brewer's term, and subsequently elected to that position in 2014. He assumed his current office of District 1's Senator in January 2023.

Ken Bennett, a 5th-generation Arizonan, was born in Tucson but raised in Prescott. He graduated from Yavapai College, then transferred and graduated from ASU with a bachelor’s in finance. He served on the Prescott City Council in the late 80’s, also serving as their Mayor Pro Tem.

His business career was in fuel distribution in northern Arizona where he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Bennett Oil until 2006. He now sits on the board of directors for a sustainable building systems company, as well as treasurer on the board of directors for Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

Senator Bennett lives in Prescott with his wife Jeanne, whom he met at ASU. They have three grown children and four grandchildren.

Doug Coleman – Bio
Douglas Coleman began his political career in 1991 by serving on the Apache Junction City Council and after serving 4 years on City Council he was elected Mayor of Apache Junction in 1995. He was the first Mayor of Apache Junction to be re-elected by the voters and was re-elected 6 times. Coleman also served as President of the Arizona League of Cities and Towns from 2006 to 2007, and is a life member of the League.

On January 31, 2012 Coleman resigned from City Council to run for the Arizona House of Representatives. Coleman served in the Arizona House of Representatives from District 16 from 2013 to 2018, when he was elected Justice of the Peace, serving in the Apache Junction Justice Court.

Doug and his wife Roxanne are the proud parents of six daughters and twenty grandchildren.

Christian Price – Bio
Christian Price is the Chief Economic Development Officer for the City of Maricopa in the Office of Economic Opportunity. Christian and his family have been residents of Maricopa since early 2005. Christian is an enormous advocate of networking – meeting new people and establishing relationships because he strongly believes that good working relationships help directly influence the quality of life of the residents of the Maricopa region through an enhanced economic development climate. For more than 25+ years, Christian has been an entrepreneur and small business owner. He is a professional Financial Advisor and is a partner in the Sierra Wealth Group LLC., a Registered Investment Advisory firm.

Christian has been actively engaged in regional, statewide, and national organizations, bringing his dynamic leadership to many endeavors that focus on economic development, infrastructure, transportation, and other areas that impact community vitality and sustainability. He was most recently the CEO of the Maricopa Economic Development Alliance. He was the Mayor of the City of Maricopa, serving the residents and the State of Arizona from 2012 to 2022. During this time, he was the President of the Arizona League of Cities and Towns, Member of the Arizona Commerce Authority's Board of Directors, Regional Councilmember and member of the Transportation committee of the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), Officer & Chair of the statewide I-11 Coalition, Board of Director of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council & Chair of GPEC's Ambassador's program, Chair of the Pinal County Governmental Alliance, officer of the Lower Santa Cruz River Alliance, distinguished fellow of the Flinn-Brown Leadership Academy, and participant/officer of many other boards, commissions, and non-profits. And for 11 years he maintained regular attendance at the Arizona State Transportation Board of Directors meetings held monthly around the state.

Trinity Donovan – Bio
Trinity Donovan is a dynamic leader who has passionately served as the CEO of AZCEND for 15 years, leading the nonprofit with a compassionate commitment to provide help and hope to neighbors in need, so that no one faces their challenges alone. With 25 years of dedicated experience in nonprofit leadership, Trinity has focused on addressing hunger relief, homelessness prevention, early childhood education, senior programs, and youth development. She also served two terms as a Council Member for the City of Chandler, where she proudly represented the city on regional and national platforms, championing human services, transportation, water management, and sustainability efforts. In addition to her role at AZCEND, Trinity serves on the East Valley Dignity Health Community Board and the East Maricopa First Things First Regional Council, further contributing her expertise and passion to the well-being of the community. Trinity holds a bachelor's degree in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity and a master's degree in Sociology, both from Stanford University. She is a proud mother of two daughters in elementary school. Together they enjoy exploring new places and playing board games. Outside of work, Trinity participates in international service projects, volunteers for Art Masterpiece, and is an active member of her church community.

Kevin Hartke – Bio
William Sims III of Sims Mackin Ltd. is a corporate attorney with more than thirty-eight years of experience in private practice, preceded and complemented by substantial government service experience. Mr. Sims is the Attorney for Jerome, Globe, Pinetop-Lakeside, Safford, Taylor, Snowflake, Dewey-Humboldt and Willcox. He is involved in a legal counseling program regarding land use matters that advises approximately 77 cities and towns who are members of the Arizona Municipal Risk Retention Pool. His private practice has been focused on representing for-profit and non-profit corporations, cities, towns, counties, schools, and universities; negotiating and documenting development projects and other complex transactions involving the financing, construction and operation of public facilities. He has extensive experience in connection with large public-private partnership contracts, including the former US Airways Center, Chase Field, Cactus League facilities, and Arizona State University development projects. He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. Mr. Sims has been recognized as a Rhodes Scholar and graduated from Oxford University, England. He received his law degree summa cum laude from the University of Arizona.

Craig McFarland – Bio
Mayor Craig McFarland has lived in Casa Grande since 2005. He retired from Golden Eagle Distributors in January 2015 as VP of Sales and has 36 years’ experience in the beverage business sales management and operations.

McFarland started his first term as Mayor in December 2016 and is now in his fourth and final term which ends December 2024.

His priorities include implementation of the City Strategic Plan and 2030 General Plan, pushing for I-10 widening, marketing the City of Casa Grande, developing and implementing his homeless coalition called CGHELPs and affordable housing projects, improving Quality of Life projects like the Community Recreation Center & Trails system, supporting Education & Workforce Development, developing plans for Downtown Redevelopment, building new Business and Industrial Opportunities, and supporting Regional Economic Development.

City of Casa Grande has grown exponentially during his 8 years in office with companies like Lucid Motors, Kohler, Ecobat, and semiconductor support industry like NRS, Air Products, CCCP, Kanto, LCY, and Solvay. During his tenure, total Pinal County industry growth with 12,000 new full-time jobs and capital expenditures of over $13 billion.

Mayor McFarland has been married to his best friend, Nancy McFarland, for over 47 years.

Angela Creedon – Bio
Angela Creedon is Arizona’s Public Affairs Director for County, City, and Higher Education for Intel Corporation. Angela is responsible for developing and implementing strategic engagements with city and county officials as well as Arizona-based higher education institutions to protect Intel’s license to operate, enhance Intel’s reputation and ability to influence, as well as promote a favorable business environment that enables Intel’s growth. Angela was previously the Associate Vice President for Innovation Zone Development and Corporate Engagement at Arizona State University. An Arizona native, Angela has spent many years working in Arizona's communities and in local government relations. She is presently serving as the Past Chair of Fighter Country Foundation, an organization dedicated to serving the men, women, and families of Luke Air Force Base.

Laura French – Bio
Laura Franco French serves as Director, State Government Relations, for TSMC AZ Corp. French is the liaison between the leading semiconductor foundry and the state and local government as TSMC continues towards the opening of their new Arizona fab.

French brings over two decades of experience in community relations, government affairs, international relations and communications in the public and non-profit sectors. Most recently, she served as Senior Policy Advisor to Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. In this role she provided strategic counsel and built community partnerships on issues such as economic development, international affairs, Latino community affairs, water, refugee and asylee issues, as well as arts and culture.

French also previously served as legislative liaison at the Arizona Office of Tourism. Additional experience includes a variety of positions spanning Greater Phoenix Leadership, Unidos US and the International Republican Institute. Early in her career, French worked at CNN at both their Atlanta and New York bureaus.

French serves as board member of the Arizona-Mexico Commission, the Phoenix Symphony, an Honorary Commander of Luke Air Force Base, is a member of Charter 100 and is a graduate of Valley Leadership class 29. French was also an honoree for the 2012 Phoenix Business Journal 40 under 40 and the 2008 Hispanic 40 under 40.

French earned her undergraduate degree from Arizona State University, and later earned a master’s degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and also a master’s degree in Journalism from Columbia University.

Kate Gallego – Bio
Since her early days serving Phoenix on the City Council, Kate has been focused on creating the Phoenix of the future: a welcoming, thriving city with ample high-wage jobs and opportunities for all.

As mayor, Kate spends every day focused on getting things done for Phoenix families. The results speak for themselves: Kate brought a historic $65 billion semiconductor manufacturing plant to Phoenix that’s creating thousands of great-paying career paths; she built coalitions to deliver critical improvements to parks, public safety, and city infrastructure; and she is partnering with ASU to build a brand-new medical school in downtown Phoenix.

Kate is the second elected woman mayor in Phoenix history and one of the youngest big city mayors in the nation. She graduated from Harvard and holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. Though serving Phoenicians keeps her days busy and her heart full, her favorite job is being Michael’s mom.

Wendy Riddell – Bio
Wendy Riddell, founding and managing partner with the law firm of Berry Riddell, focuses on land use law and lobbying. She represents a multitude of development clients throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area, including major national home-builders, Fortune 500 retailers, multi-family developers, resort, hospital, office, and industrial builders, advising and guiding such diverse and significant projects as Fiesta Mall and the Mesa Gateway Airport, the IDEA (Innovation, Discovery, Education & Arts) Campus at the Tempe Center for the Arts, the redevelopment of the old trotter track into the Innovation Centre (now known as 10 Goodyear), Honor Health campuses valley-wide, and campuses for the Diocese of Phoenix, including Xavier College Preparatory. Riddell has been vital in getting many of the high-rises that dot the Phoenix and Tempe skyline approved. In May 2015, she was awarded the Xavier College Preparatory Women of Achievement Award for Service to the School. Riddell, featured in the 2000 Phoenix Business Journal’s Top Guns Under 30, has continued her commitment to both career and community. As a member of the Scottsdale Leadership Class of XVII, she chaired Business Community Day. She worked on the City of Scottsdale District Advisory Task Force, advising the City Council on a districting system, and served as the Recorder for Arizona Town Hall. She also chaired the Maricopa County Board of Adjustment for two terms, working to promote positive development within the community. Riddell is a past chair of the Xavier Board of Trustees and past chair of the Facilities Committee. She is a past Board President of Christ Church School, where she oversaw their expansion from a pre-school to an elementary school and advocated for a primary school curriculum that advances the development and education of young children, receiving the Christ Church School Outstanding Leadership Award. Riddell is a current Board member of Home Arizona, where she advocates with other top business leaders for much-needed housing. Riddell was recognized as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Arizona by AZ Business Magazine in 2018 and 2024. Riddell was also listed as one of The Best Lawyers In America©, 2019-2024. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in English and Fine Art from Colgate University, she earned a Juris Doctor as a Pedrick Scholar from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.

Nick Ponder – Bio
Nick Ponder, Senior Vice President for Governmental Affairs, has nearly two decades of experience working in state and local governments in Arizona and New York City. Mr. Ponder has been nominated for “Best Lobbyist Under 40” and “Best Government Lobbyist” by the Arizona Capitol Times.

Prior to joining HighGround, Nick served as Legislative Director for the League of Arizona Cities and Towns where he spearheaded several major policy efforts including securing the passage of Wayfair legislation and strengthening local revenue bases by increasing the municipal portion of Voter Approved Local Revenue in 2021. Mr. Ponder’s work helped the organization win “Best Industry or Trade Association” from the Arizona Capitol Times in 2019. Prior to his role representing municipalities Nick spent thirteen years working on state and local pensions at the state and local level.

Courtney LeVinus – Bio
Courtney has over 24 years of experience in both political and non-profit fields. President & CEO Arizona Multihousing Association and founder and President of Capitol Consulting, LLC.

She has been honored with multiple awards, such as the Arizona Capitol Times Women Achievers of Arizona Award for Unsung Hero, the Arizona Housing Coalition Housing Hero, and the prestigious Outstanding Women in Business and Forty Under 40 by the Phoenix Business Journal. She was also a member of the Arizona Multihousing Team, which won the “National Apartment Association Paragon Award” five times for their grassroots advocacy efforts. Additionally, she was Commissioner for the Arizona Department of Housing and the Maricopa County Housing Authority.

Courtney is an active member of various boards, such as the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Arizona Tax Research Association, the Phoenix Country Club, and the International Dyslexia Association. She was a member of the Junior League of Phoenix for sixteen years and held the position of President at the Phoenix Country Club from 2020-2022.

She is an avid marathoner and occasional triathlete and was a member of the 2014 Boston marathon team MR8, which raised over $40,000 for Boston area charities for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.

An Arizona native, Courtney completed her undergraduate studies at Texas Christian University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Speech Communication. She resides in Phoenix with her husband, Chuck, and their son, Charlie.

Luis Ramirez – Bio
Luis is the President of Ramírez Advisors Inter-National, LLC., a highly specialized firm dedicated to creating and implementing innovative solutions for cross-border business and economic development opportunities, and improving the ability for goods and people to cross the border.

Luis has over 30 years of experience on US-Mexico border infrastructure projects, North American relations, international business and negotiations, regional economic development, industrial site selection, government procurement, project management and governmental affairs. Luis has dedicated a considerable amount of time, both personal and professional, to fostering better relations with Mexico and Canada, improving the quality of life for the residents of the border and promoting the economic development of the region.

He has led multidisciplinary teams on a number of cross-border projects, including site selection for major manufacturing facilities; design, funding and construction of new ports of entry; assisted companies in pursuing government procurement contracts; and identifying joint venture partners for a variety of business ventures.

He serves on multiple professional and charitable boards including as Chair Emeritus and current Vice President of the Arizona District Export Council, a member of the Advisory Council for the Arizona Department of Real Estate, and recently completed his third and final term as a member of the National Advisory Council for the Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency as it pertains to the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation. Additionally, he just completed 8 years of service as a member of the Board of Trustees for United Cerebral Palsy.

Luis received his Bachelor of Arts and Science from the University of Arizona, Cum Laude, and his Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University with a Dean’s Citation of Service. He attended High School in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was born in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.

Douglas Nicholls – Bio
Douglas J. Nicholls is the 27th Mayor of Yuma. He is a civil engineer, a business owner, husband, father, and is fully committed to serving the people of Yuma. He has been re-elected twice and is currently serving his third term.

Mayor Nicholls spearheaded 4FrontED, a board comprised of local leaders from Arizona, California, Sonora and Baja California that aims to boost the region’s global competitiveness. He led the launch of the Elevate Southwest initiative to bring greater higher education opportunities to the greater Yuma region, with greater collaboration between higher education and existing and future workforce needs.

Mayor Nicholls is President of the Arizona League of Cities and Towns, serves on the EPA’s Local Government Advisory Council, on the Arizona Commerce Authority Board of Directors, the Governor’s Interagency and Community Council on Homelessness and Housing, the Arizona Military Affairs Council, the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Board of Directors, the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors and the Amberly’s Place Board of Directors.

Mayor Nicholls and his wife Danette have raised their family in Yuma. He is President and Owner of Core Engineering Group, a civil engineering and land surveying firm. He believes the best way to serve in local government is to listen to the needs of Yuma’s residents and families.

Donald Huish – Bio
Mayor Donald C. Huish was born and raised in Douglas, becoming its 32nd mayor on June 10, 2020. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Public Administration. While doing graduate work at Northern Arizona University he began his career in city administration with the City of Prescott. He was fortunate to be able to come back home to handle Douglas’ community development. He finished his career leading the business/financial operations for the local school district. Prior to becoming Mayor, he served on the city council for one term.

Mr. Huish is married to the former Sherry Nielson and they are the proud parents of ten children and 18 grandchildren.

Nieves Riedel – Bio
Mayor Nieves Riedel was elected this past August 2, 2022, by the residents of San Luis, Arizona. She has been a resident of San Luis, Arizona for over 20 years, a successful businesswoman in southern Yuma County where she has helped over 3,000 families in San Luis, Arizona become homeowners, has also been an urban developer and owns a construction company which she started with her late husband more than 30 years ago.

During all these years, Mrs. Nieves Riedel, as a mother of three children with successful careers, is a true believer in education and committed to the youth of San Luis, Arizona and all its residents. As such, she has been an active community member and has helped in providing scholarships to students in AWC and San Luis high school so that they may continue their studies. She has also actively been involved in supporting several non-profit organizations such as the House for Domestic Violence Victims, Gadsden School District, as well as a sponsor to the San Luis Film Festival, among others. As a resident, she has always strived to be focused on the needs of this community.

Bobbi Magdaleno – Bio
Bobbi Magdaleno is the Executive Director in the Office of Government and Community Engagement at Arizona State University. Her office serves as a liaison to local communities and key business organizations focusing on advancing ASU, impacting communities and creating opportunities for learning. Goals are accomplished by embedding ASU in our communities through our faculty, student and staff relationships, partnerships, collaborations, events and other community engagement activities.

Bobbi serves as a director on several boards including Glendale Chamber of Commerce, WESTMARC, Leadership West and involvement with the Peoria Chamber of Commerce, Northwest Valley Chamber of Commerce, Estrella Mountain Community College and West-MEC. She is a graduate of Leadership West’s class XXI.

Bobbi’s career at ASU began in 1986 with the ASU Alumni Association. She transferred to ASU’s West Valley campus in 1988. Throughout the years she has worked on building the alumni, fundraising and community relations programs for the University.

Bobbi graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Dickinson State University in North Dakota. She is a proud Sun Devil as a lifetime member of the ASU Alumni Association.

Kimberly Jordan – Bio
Kimberly Jordan serves as the Executive Vice President of Western Maricopa Coalition (WESTMARC) and is committed to actively participating in the future strategic development, growth, and success of the state of Arizona. Kimberly moved from New York to Arizona in 1999 and has been a resident of the West Valley for 25 years. In her role, she manages seven issue committees including the Infrastructure Committee, focused primarily on water, transportation, communication & connectivity. She also leads the administration and operations of the Greater Maricopa Foreign Trade Zone (GMFTZ) #277 including coordination with municipalities, consultants, locates, zone operators and the Federal Foreign-Trade Zones Board.

Jeanine Jerkovic – Bio
Jeanine Jerkovic, CEcD, is the Economic Development Director of the City of Surprise. Jeanine is a self-professed 'business incubator nerd' and is wildly proud of starting up the West Valley’s first business incubator, the AZ TechCelerator, in 2010 – a program getting ready to launch its next evolution in 2025! Jeanine also sparked an award-winning crowdsourced retail marketing strategy a decade ago that placed resident engagement front-and-center and recruited a Costco (and much more) to Surprise! Jeanine has a B.A. from Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University, and has an MSc from the London School of Economics in the UK. Jeanine, her husband Velko, and their two children live in Surprise, Arizona. She enjoys baking cakes, watching UFC, and singing along to 80’s music hits.

Ann Donahue – Bio
Ann Donahue has served on the Litchfield Park city council for two terms. She has lived in Litchfield Park for 33 years with her husband John. She has two grown children, Molly and Jack, and two grandchildren. She retired as the PIO with the Litchfield Elementary school district and prior to that spent 10 years in sales and marketing with Lifescan Inc., a Johnson and Johnson company.

Ann grew up in Saint Joseph, Michigan, and attended Arizona State University from 1977 to 1979 where she played basketball. She transferred to Central Michigan University in 1980 and received a BS in Public Health.

Ann and her husband moved four times in six years before joining a family business in 1993 having moved from Seattle to Litchfield Park.

She lived in six different metropolitan cities in 6 different states and found the quiet of Litchfield Park charming. Much has changed in Phoenix over the past 33 years however the village of Litchfield Park is still charming.

She serves on the board of Westmarc, Southwest Lending Closet and PW Litchfield Heritage Center.

Ann is an avid tennis player, loves to play bridge, has just started pickleball and is about “all things fun.”

Dan Munnerley – Bio
Dan has led innovation and digital transformation projects at Higher Education institutions and in the private sector. He has authored a national curriculum for digital media in the UK, helped establish the first purpose-built university campus for Emirati women in Dubai, researched Augmented and Virtual Reality in Education as an Associate Professor, and won awards for architecture, innovation, and collaborative work on future learning environments at the University of Canberra, James Cook University, and Arizona State University. He is currently the Executive Director of Next Lab at Arizona State University, where he leads a diverse team of creatives, technologists, and educators who share a vision of making learning more inclusive, accessible, and agentic for everyone. Together, they are building the 'University of the Future' in collaboration with faculty, staff, students, and partners, using a unique model that includes an innovative student-led studio.

Justin Pierce – Bio
Justin is a founding member of Pierce Coleman PLLC. He and the other lawyers in his firm represent private and public employers in employment related claims and also serve as general counsel to over 20 Arizona municipalities. He and the lawyers in his firm also represent other Arizona municipalities and public entities in special projects and other litigation. He is admitted to practice before various courts, including the United States Supreme Court. He has been listed as a top-rated attorney in Southwest Super Lawyers® for many years and served on the faculty of the Defense Research Institute for its 2015 national conference for Governmental Tort and Civil Rights Liability.

Justin received his B.S. in Accountancy in 2000 from Arizona State University and his J.D. in 2003 from the Georgetown University Law Center where he graduated with Honors and was the Executive Editor of the Georgetown Journal of Law and Public Policy. After law school, he was a law clerk at the Arizona Supreme Court for the Honorable Charles E. Jones (ret. Chief Justice).

While maintaining his law practice, Justin served in the Arizona House of Representatives from May 2011 through January 2015, where he was the Chairman of the Public Safety, Military, and Regulatory Affairs Committee. Additionally, he served as the Vice-Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Government Committee, and Technology and Infrastructure Committee. He also served as a member of the Education Committee and an ad hoc House Committee on International Trade and Commerce.

As is evident from his “Rock the Employment Law” presentation, Justin has a musical background, playing in a band in college that played gigs with such artists as the Gin Blossoms, Modern English, and the Refreshments, among many others. Justin is also a certified Rescue Diver by the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) and enjoys SCUBA diving wherever and whenever his wife will permit.

Rene Guillen – Bio
René Guillen is a Deputy Director at the Arizona League of Cities and Towns. René was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. He began working in politics in 2003 when he interned for the Arizona House of Representatives. He returned to work as research staff for the House in 2005. In 2010 he began working for the League of Arizona Cities and Towns and in 2011 he became their Legislative Director. In January of 2015 he became the Policy Advisor on Government and Transportation for Governor Doug Ducey. In the fall of 2017, he left the Ducey administration to join the Town of Gilbert to serve as their Director of Intergovernmental Relations. In 2020 he left to rejoin the League as a deputy director serving under Tom Belshe. René has worked a wide variety of legislative issues including: HOAs, pension reform, illegal immigration, energy and water policy, transportation issues, deregulation, autonomous vehicles, occupational licensing, the sharing economy and local government issues. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Arizona State Retirement System. René and his wife Stacy live in Goodyear, AZ and have two children, Lincoln (9) and Charlotte (7).

Charles D Francis – Bio
As Senior Consultant, Charles is a local government finance expert who helps public agencies in pension and OPEB policy development. He provides local and state governments with real solutions – both short and long-term financial solvency, stability and fiscal resiliency. With more than 45 years of experience, Charles is a retired municipal finance director having local government financial management experience in both the public and private sectors. In his most recent role as the Director of Administrative Services and Treasurer for the City of Sausalito, he led the city to being the first in the nation to implement the pension rate stabilization program (PRSP), an innovative, IRC section 115 irrevocable trust program designed to help public agencies manage their ongoing pension costs through prefunding. Charles specializes in local government municipal finance, including twenty years of experience as a Chief Financial Officer. He has also served as a Finance Manager for the Town of Colma, CA, and as Chief Financial Officer for the Cities of Indian Wells, CA, Tracy, CA, and Treasure Island, FL. Charles has a Bachelor of Business (BB) in Accounting from Western Illinois University. In addition to his professional accomplishments, he has taught Governmental Accounting and Budgeting at the University of California, Riverside, and has published numerous handbooks on municipal budgeting and finance. He also regularly participates in multiple conferences, panels, and seminar presentations on behalf of PARS regarding various retirement finance topics.

Paul Matson – Bio
Paul Matson has been with ASRS since 1995, serving as Executive Director since 2003, overseeing $50 billion in investments and 220 employees. He previously worked as a senior investment advisor in Alberta, Canada. Paul holds multiple degrees and certifications, including a Master’s in International Relations and an MBA.



Mike Townsend – Bio
A career public servant with two decades of government management experience, Michael Townsend was appointed to lead the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) as the system’s administrator in November 2019.

Townsend most recently worked as the deputy county manager for Coconino County. There he helped lead an organization of more than 1,100 employees with an annual budget of $160 million. Townsend led a multi-year planning process with the Coconino County Board of Supervisors that increased the county’s PSPRS funding status from 25 percent to 70 percent funded. The county’s CORP funded status increased from 65 percent to 100 percent funded.

Townsend served on the board of trustees for the civilian Arizona State Retirement System from 2004 to 2012, and served as chairman for two years. In 2014, the Arizona City/County Management Association awarded Townsend the Catherine Connolly Award as the outstanding assistant city/county manager in the state. Additionally, he served as the Coconino County’s interim county manager from November 2011 to August 2013.

Prior to joining the county, Townsend worked with the City of Flagstaff and in the private sector in the manufacturing and automotive industries. He is a graduate of Northern Arizona University, where earned his degree in accounting. In 2015, Townsend completed the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Mignonne Hollis – Bio
Mignonne Hollis is the Executive Director of ARED, focusing on economic development in Arizona. She graduated from Tombstone Union High School, attended the University of Arizona, and earned her MBA from the University of Phoenix. Mignonne co-writes a weekly newspaper advice column for business owners and serves on multiple boards including the local homeless shelter (President), Premier Alliances, and the International Economic Development Council. She has held leadership roles on the Arizona Commerce Authority Board, the Greater Arizona Development Board, and was named Economic Developer of the Year in 2014. In 2017, her organization was named Small Organization of the Year. She is also a member of the Arizona Mexico Commission, the State Bar of Arizona Board of Governors, the Good Neighbor Environmental Board, the National Small Business Association Advisory Board, and serves on the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. Mignonne founded the Aerospace Arizona Association and established the UAS Center For Innovation at Benson Airport. Her organization also created Rural Care, a telehealth office and incubator for mental health providers, aimed at making a significant economic impact throughout Arizona.

Sandip Bhowmick – Bio
Sandip Bhowmick, Vice President of Infrastructure and State Broadband Director at the Arizona Commerce Authority, oversees broadband infrastructure development across Arizona. He has extensive experience in telecommunications and has contributed to satellite startups, nonprofits, and government in roles such as CTO, Network Engineer, Solutions Architect, and Government Affairs Manager. Sandip holds bachelor's and master's degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering.



Mila Besich – Bio
Mila Besich is a lifelong resident of Superior, Arizona. Elected in 2016 as Mayor of Superior, she has played a key role in leading her community through the Resolution Copper Environmental Impact Statement while also actively galvanizing and leading collaborative region-wide initiatives to preserve the majestic beauty of her town and Arizona’s Copper Corridor region while encouraging sustainable economic development.

Paul Fleming – Bio
Paul Fleming is a distinguished executive with over 25 years of experience in technical and engineering leadership roles. As the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Wecom Fiber, Paul has led the company to unparalleled growth and success in the telecommunications industry. Paul holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma, underpinning his technical expertise and engineering acumen. With a career that includes working at Nortel and Sparkplug, Paul excelled in network design and sales roles across key markets such as Las Vegas, Phoenix, Charlotte, and Chicago. Paul joined Wecom Fiber in 2009 in roles that include Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO). Paul ascended to the role of CEO, driving remarkable growth and expansion. Under his leadership, Wecom Fiber has experienced exponential revenue growth and network expansion, solidifying its position as an industry leader.

Beyond his professional achievements, Paul is a devoted family man. He is happily married to his wife Noelle and is the proud father of two daughters who share his passion for horse riding. Their shared love for equestrian activities has created cherished family moments and a deep bond over their mutual interest.

Paul is renowned for his strategic foresight, collaborative approach, and commitment to excellence. His leadership is characterized by a focus on innovation, empowerment, and fostering a culture of success within Wecom Fiber. Paul's ability to inspire his team, drive transformative change, and deliver exceptional results underscores his leadership prowess. As the CEO of Wecom Fiber, Paul Fleming continues to steer the company towards continued success, leveraging his technical proficiency, strategic vision, and dedication to excellence. His role as a family man, alongside his professional accomplishments, exemplifies his well-rounded character and commitment to both personal and professional endeavors.

Rachel Aja – Bio
Rachel Aja is the Director of Government Affairs for Cox Communications, leading local, state, and federal political engagement and strategy. Previously, she served as Chief of Staff for Mayor Georgia Lord in Goodyear and Mayor Bob Barrett in Peoria. A native of Arizona, Rachel graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Communications and Journalism. She is recognized as one of the Top 20 Most Influential Minority Business Leaders and a Women In Cable Television Rising Leader. Rachel serves on several boards and is active in community organizations.

Scott Overton – Bio
Scott has served as the Public Works Director for the City of Flagstaff since 2021. Prior to serving as Public Works Director, Scott led the Streets section working on the operational level maintaining the City’s multi-modal transportation system.

Scott has been a resident of Flagstaff for 49 years. He has been a long-time contractor owning his own construction business for twenty years. He also served on the Flagstaff City Council for twelve years, serving as Vice Mayor from 2006 to 2008.

As a credentialed All Hazards Type III Incident Commander, Scott’s strength lies in his ability to deliver complex projects and working collaboratively to bring all parties together. Post wildfire flooding has been significant in the Flagstaff region in the past few years and the community has endured all phases of a major natural disaster from initial response to long term recovery.


Scott Bordenkircher – Bio
Scott B. Bordenkircher is the Director of Forestry and Fire Mitigation at Arizona Public Service Company (APS). He is responsible for the strategy and execution of APS’s integrated vegetation management and fire mitigation programs, which include a focus on wildfire prevention and response, deployment of field technologies leading to better environmental situational awareness, avian protection, right of way line clearance, and other natural resource special programs. Prior to his current role, Bordenkircher served in a variety of leadership positions overseeing Technology Innovation, IT Applications, and Cybersecurity & Compliance. He attended the University of California, Irvine, and the University of Phoenix, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business and Information Systems. Outside of work, he can be found traveling with his family, riding horses, woodworking, or playing guitar


Britton Holdaway – Bio
As a seasoned Emergency Management Professional, my career is defined by leadership roles in strategic crisis response and public safety, including my current position as Planning Manager at Lee County Department of Public Safety's Division of Emergency Management. My expertise spans overseeing emergency systems, disaster recovery planning, and serving as Planning Section Chief during critical events like Hurricane Ian. My approach is centered around visionary leadership, operational excellence, and effective decision-making under pressure.

With degrees in public administration, planning, political science, and economics, my academic foundation complements my practical experience. I am committed to enhancing emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation programs, aiming to improve community safety and resilience through strategic innovation and collaboration.

Tom Torres – Bio
Tom is the AZ State Forester with leadership responsibility for the state’s forestry and wildfire organizations and also leads the office the State Fire Marshall. Tom has been in this role since February 2023. Prior to this position, Tom worked for the US Forest Service for 33 years in a variety of staff and leadership roles in the Western United States including Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, California, Oregon and Washington. The last 10 years of his Forest Service career was spent in Arizona and he retired as the Deputy Forest Supervisor on the Tonto National Forest in Phoenix, Arizona.

Tom graduated from New Mexico State University where he studied undergraduate Civil Engineering and he also studied graduate level organizational management at Portland State University. Tom has considerable experience in wildfire management, forest restoration, engineering, partnership development and executive leadership.

Julia Wheatley – Bio
Julia Wheatley was elected Queen Creek Mayor in August 2022. She previously served as Town Council Member, first elected in June 2010 and re-elected in November 2014 and August 2018. She represents the Town on the Maricopa Association of Governments Regional Council, as well as the Greater Phoenix Economic Council Board of Directors and the GPEC Mayors and Supervisors Council. She also serves as Chair for both the MAG Transportation Policy Committee and the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Association Board of Directors.

Julia Wheatley was elected Queen Creek Mayor in August She holds a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies with a minor in Criminal Justice.

Julia Wheatley was elected Queen Creek Mayor in August Wheatley, an Arizona native and her husband Benjamin made Queen Creek their home in 2007 and have loved raising their four children in our family-friendly community, Queen Creek.

Julia Wheatley was elected Queen Creek Mayor in August In the private industry, Wheatley and her husband own a mortgage and real estate company.

John Bullen – Bio
John Bullen is the Chief Transportation Officer at the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), where he oversees all transportation activity for the organization, including primary executive responsibility for the implementation the existing Proposition 400 and future Proposition 479 programs. Prior to this role, John served as the Transportation Funding Policy Program Manager where he oversaw transportation funding policy and program implementation for the region. John joined MAG in 2012 and holds both a bachelor’s degree and Master of Public Administration from the University of Pittsburgh.

Jenn Daniels – Bio
Jenn Daniels is an expert in navigating the nuances and complexities of municipal government. She served in elected leadership for over a decade as a Council Member, Vice-Mayor and the Mayor of Gilbert, Arizona. Jenn led the Town to earn AAA bond ratings from all three rating agencies, opened three new parks, and transformed the Heritage District into a regional destination with some of the best restaurants in Arizona.

Jenn’s public and private sector experience spans a broad spectrum of responsibilities. She has a deep understanding of critical infrastructure, transportation planning and policy, and economic development strategies. Jenn is currently serving a six year term on the Arizona State Transportation Board and also serves as a board member for the Arizona Commerce Authority. Jenn is a Rodel Fellow, a Senior Housing Fellow for the Common Sense Institute, and in 2020, Jenn was named as an Arizona Capitol Times “Leader of the Year”.

Jenn’s true talent is her innate love of people and ability to organize anything. Her four kids keep getting older while she is unsuccessfully working on reverse-aging. She loves to hike, bake delicious treats, and be out and about in Arizona or wherever her travels take her with friends and family.

Vinny Gallegos – Bio
Vincent “Vinny” Gallegos is the Executive Director of the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization (CYMPO). He graduated Northern Arizona University (NAU) Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Human Behavior and Community Planning. He also holds master’s degree in Public Administration. Vinny is a Flinn-Brown Fellow from the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership. Serves on the Arizona Transit Association (AzTA) Board of Directors. Chairman of the Rural Transportation Advocacy Council (RTAC) Advisory Committee.

Chip Scutari – Bio
Chip Scutari is co-founder of S+C Communications and managing partner of the firm’s Phoenix office. He brings an authentic knowledge of storytelling and public policy, using an eye for compelling content and a reporter’s instinct to the world of media relations, crisis communications and media coaching.

For 15 years, including several at the Arizona State Capitol, Chip worked on the journalistic frontlines covering Arizona’s most powerful politicians and influential business leaders. His reporting chops, connections and understanding of policy, politics and business helps an array of clients navigate the ever-evolving landscape of communications.

National news outlets like NPR, Fox News and The New York Times, frequently call Chip for his insights on the news because of his reach across the political spectrum. He has served on the boards of several organizations, including the Greater Phoenix Chamber and the Friends of Public Radio Arizona.

Daniel Scarpinato – Bio
Daniel Scarpinato is a skilled communications professional and strategist who has worked at the highest levels of government and politics. Daniel began his career as a newspaper reporter and editor, before making the leap to politics and cutting his teeth on some of the most competitive races in the country. In 2011, Daniel joined the staff of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), where he eventually served as the committee's National Press Secretary. Daniel worked closely with candidates and strategists across the country to develop messaging and communications strategies that helped the party win key congressional races. After several years at the NRCC, Daniel returned to his home state of Arizona to serve as the Communications Director, and later as Chief of Staff, for Governor Doug Ducey. In this role, he helped the Governor navigate a range of complex policy issues, including education reform, tax policy, and border security. Throughout his career, Daniel has been recognized as a skilled communicator and strategist who is able to develop and execute effective messaging and outreach campaigns. He is widely respected by his colleagues and peers for his integrity, work ethic, and is considered one of the leading voices in politics today.

Paul Bentz – Bio
Paul Bentz specializes in public opinion surveys at HighGround helping the firm earn five “Best Pollster” awards from the Arizona Capitol Times. He has more than two decades of experience in strategy, messaging, and campaign management.




Tony Cani – Bio
Tony Cani is a strategic communications and political consultant with 20 years of experience in municipal government, campaigns, and advocacy. Known for running data-driven campaigns and simplifying complex ideas into persuasive messages, Tony has led successful political and communications efforts, earning media and driving narratives for his clients. He served as Senior Policy Advisor to former Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton and in a similar role to former Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell. Tony was the Arizona Deputy Director for Joe Biden’s 2020 Presidential campaign, the campaign manager for Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, and has won transportation and infrastructure campaigns in Tucson and Phoenix.

Lisa Glow – Bio
Lisa Glow is a seasoned consultant with over 30 years of experience in government and nonprofit sectors. She has raised substantial funding, built impactful collaborations, and developed strategic plans with expertise in resource and sustainability planning. Lisa previously served as CEO of Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS), expanding services and securing significant funding. She advocated for homeless funding in the Arizona legislature, resulting in record state appropriations. Lisa is a graduate of the James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona, with a background in international law and antitrust cases, and has held executive leadership positions with former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano.

Gina Montes – Bio
Gina Montes has spent her career of 30 years in local government focused on services that improve the quality of life for residents, especially the most vulnerable community members. She is currently Deputy City Manager for the City of Phoenix and oversees the Housing, Human Services, Homeless Solutions and Heat Response and Mitigation departments. As the strategic lead for affordable housing and homelessness, Gina’s work is focused on rapidly increasing emergency services while also increasing affordable housing with a priority for very low-income people and those in need of supportive services. Gina also served the City of Avondale, Arizona as Assistant City Manager where she oversaw a diverse range of city services including police, fire, public works and finance, among other functions. Gina was the founding director of Avondale’s Neighborhood and Family Services Department which continues to be the community’s human services, youth development and neighborhood redevelopment department.

Gina is a leader in the profession of local government and served as past President of the Arizona City/County Management Association (ACMA) Board and the 2022 recipient of the ACMA Catherine Connolly Outstanding Assistant City/County Manager Award. She completed the 2017 Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Texas Christian University, and a Master’s degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, the University of Texas at Austin.

Tami Bohannon – Bio
Tami Bohannon has been the President & CEO of FSL since 2022, becoming the nonprofit’s first female CEO. FSL addresses barriers to quality healthcare and housing statewide. Tami has over 30 years of nonprofit experience, previously working with Catholic Charities, Boys Hope Girls Hope of Arizona, and the American Cancer Society. She is an advocate for aging issues, serving on multiple councils and boards, and is a certified End of Life Doula.


Ross Schaefer – Bio
Ross Schaefer, born in Richmond, Virginia, is the Executive Director of Flagstaff Shelter Services since 2014. She has a background in working with homeless services and has received several community recognitions including the Arizona Department of Housing's Advocate of the Year (2024) and the ATHENA Award (2023). Ross is an appointed member of the Governor's Interagency and Community Council on Homelessness and Housing, the State Bar of Arizona’s Access to Justice Committee, and the Flagstaff Housing Commission. She is pursuing a Master’s in Business Administration at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

Chris Camacho – Bio
A proven leader with more than 15 years in executive management roles, Chris Camacho serves as the president & CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC), one of the longest-standing public-private partnerships for economic development across the country. Chris served as the organization’s executive vice president from 2008-2014 before being named president & CEO in 2015. As chief executive, he has been instrumental in the region’s technology and advanced manufacturing sector growth, leading the attraction of over 540 companies during his tenure, creating over 100,000 jobs and $56.8 billion in capital invest- ment. Some notable projects include TSMC, Apple, LG Energy Solutions, Microsoft, GoDaddy, Amazon, Garmin, General Motors, HelloFresh, KORE Power, Williams-Sonoma and headquarters including Benchmark Electronics, Carlisle Companies, Rogers Corporation and EMD Electronics. Chris leads the development and execution of the region’s strategic economic strategy, oversees domestic and international business development, and ensures the market position remains competitive through coordination with partner organizations, private sector leaders, and municipal and state leadership. He has particular expertise in emerging technology, tax policy and international economic development.

In October 2021, Chris led GPEC to being recognized as the top economic development organization globally by the International Economic Development Council a year after being named the top EDO in the U.S. in 2020. Chris was recognized as one of ‘North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers’ by Consultant Connect in 2015, 2016 and 2021. In 2018, he was honored as ‘Man of the Year’ by the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and named ‘Most Admired Leader’ by the Phoenix Business Journal. In 2013, he was named among an international group of ‘40 Under 40’ by Development Counsellors International, a New York-based firm recognizing rising talent in economic development. And in 2012, he received a ‘40 Under 40’ award from the Phoenix Business Journal, which identifies talent throughout Arizona each year. Chris is the past president of the Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED), and in 2011, AAED named him ‘Economic Developer of the Year.’

His professional affiliations include serving on the boards of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the International Economic Development Council, Partnership for Economic Innovation and Valley of the Sun United Way. Since 2016, he has served on the U.S. Investment Advisory Council to advise the Secretary of State on foreign direct investment policies and strategies. Chris is also an Honorary Commander at Luke Air Force Base and a member of The Thunderbirds.

Before GPEC, Chris served as president & CEO of the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation (GYEDC) from 2006-2008, after serving as the business development manager for two years. During his tenure, GYEDC helped 35 companies and 3,500 jobs locate in Greater Yuma, resulting in more than $350M of capital investment. Some of the larger projects included Alside Window and Door, Northwestern Indus- tries Inc., Johnson Controls and Shaw Industries.

Chris graduated from Southern Illinois University with an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a graduate degree in Public Administration and Policy Analysis. He attained his Economic Development Certification in Economics and International Development from the University of Oklahoma.

Chris currently resides in Scottsdale with his wife and three children and enjoys golfing and playing soccer with his family in his free time.

Delia Patterson – Bio
Delia Patterson is Senior Director Regulatory Affairs and Compliance, Salt River Project (SRP). Ms. Patterson oversees SRP’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), North American Electric Reliability Corporation, and Environmental, Safety and Health compliance; Arizona Corporation Commission regulatory efforts; and SRP’s corporate political action committees (PACs).

Before joining SRP, Ms. Patterson served as Senior Vice President, Advocacy & Communications and General Counsel at the American Public Power Association (APPA). At APPA, Ms. Patterson oversaw the regulatory, government relations, and communications teams. She led energy policy formulation and advocated before the FERC, federal courts, and other energy policy forums. She also served as the organization’s chief legal officer. Prior to her work at APPA, Ms. Patterson was a senior associate at Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP.

Ms. Patterson held the rank of Lieutenant in the United States Navy, serving six years within the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program before being honorably discharged. She is a member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Electricity Advisory Committee; is on the Advisory Board of E Source; has served as Board President (May 2022- May 2023) of the Energy Bar Association; and is a Board Member of the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute.

Ms. Patterson holds a J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, a M.S. in Industrial & Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, a B.S. from the United States Naval Academy, and a Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate from Georgetown University’s Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership.

Joshua Bednarek – Bio
Joshua is the Planning and Development director for the city of Phoenix, the fifth largest city in the United States. The Department works with the community to develop the long-range vision of the city and administers the zoning ordinance as well as reviews all plans, issues permits and inspects all construction projects. The Department also includes the Historic Preservation Office, which manages the city’s historic resources and historic neighborhoods. Planning & Development has a $101 million annual budget and employs 545 staff for a 519 square-mile city. Joshua has been working in various positions within the planning field for more than 20 years and has held several board positions with the Arizona Chapter of the American Planning Association. Joshua has a Bachelor in Political Science from the University of Arizona and Masters of Urban and Environmental Planning from Arizona State University.

James Murphy – Bio
James Murphy is the CEO of Willmeng Construction, a premier construction company in Arizona. With adept leadership, James has steered the growth of this privately held (non-ESOP) construction powerhouse, overseeing a workforce of over 350 professionals and driving annual revenues close to $1 billion. Willmeng's diversity of market types reaches far beyond the industrial market sector the company was founded upon to encompass various market segments in municipal, public works, and parks and recreation projects.

With a distinguished career spanning decades across the Valley and Southwest, James has established himself as a visionary leader in shaping the infrastructure of tomorrow. Having overseen a multitude of high-profile construction endeavors, James's insights into the challenges and opportunities inherent in public projects are invaluable. His ability to navigate the intricacies of funding, regulatory compliance, stakeholder engagement, and environmental considerations makes him a trusted voice in the industry.

Willmeng's exceptional performance and diversification across markets have resulted in industry recognition, with the company securing over 22 awards in 2022 alone. Notably, James's leadership led to the unprecedented feat of winning RED General Contractor of the Year for two consecutive years—a milestone in NAIOP national history. Acknowledged as CEO of the Year by the Arizona Corporate Excellence (ACE) awards and bestowed with Executive of the Year by CFMA in 2021, James Murphy exemplifies unmatched proficiency and accomplishments in the construction realm. James is also a member of Greater Phoenix Leadership, the Greater Phoenix Phoenix Economic Council, and serves on the City of Phoenix Development Advisory Board.

Ben Blink – Bio
Ben Blink serves as a strategic advisor to the Governor to develop and implement his policy agenda related to transportation, automated vehicles, broadband internet development, government technology, public-private partnerships, and economic affairs.

Ben previously served as a senior budget analyst at the Arizona Governor's Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting. My work focused on transportation and public safety.

Prior to his time in Governor Ducey's office, Ben received a master's degree at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and spent five years at Google Inc., where he helped found its international relations team.

Ian Linssen – Bio
Ian Linssen serves as an Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Mesa. He acts as a technology and innovation policy advisor and project manager and is part of the City’s government relations team. Ian previously served as Mayor Giles’ Chief of Staff. Ian is an avid consumer of all things tech and is especially interested in the intersection of technology and government.


Roi Lusk – Bio
Roi Lusk is a graduate of Northwestern University and the Loyola University of Chicago School of Law. Since joining the Office of the City Attorney for the City of Tucson in 2007, he has focused his practice on municipal prosecution, land use litigation, telecommunications, real estate, economic incentives, utility law, code enforcement and transportation, among other areas.

Upon moving to the Civil Division of the City of Tucson in 2016, Roi was tasked with advising several City departments, including Real Estate, Transportation and Mobility, Planning and Development Services, Procurement, Code Enforcement, Economic Initiatives and IT. After the State of Arizona passed sweeping legislation related to Small Cell Wireless Facilities, Roi helped to create a streamlined process for Small Wireless Facilities in the right of way, drafting the terms and conditions and site license agreements for approval by the Tucson City Council.

Roi has recently focused on cybersecurity, telecommunications and utility law, representing the City in litigation with Tucson Electric Power in both Pima County Superior Court and before the Power Plant and Line Siting Committee of the Arizona Corporation Commission, and advising the Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility on utility coordination and right of way management. He regularly attends utility coordination meetings with Tucson public service corporations, internal departments and municipal telecommunications and utility professionals from across the state. Additionally, Roi is a member of the Advanced Technology Committee for the City of Tucson and advises the City IT department on cybersecurity and other issues, including the City’s Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) Program.

Roi loves to make the most of Tucson’s sun-filled days and surrounding mountain ranges as an avid cyclist, hiker, runner and rock-climber. One can often find him hiking in the Tucson Mountains with his significant other and his daughter or mountain-biking in the Tortolita Preserve with friends. A “recovering musician,” Roi still enjoys playing guitar, bass and drums when time permits.

Matthew Clark – Bio
Matt Clark is the Manager of State and Local Government Relations for Verizon in Arizona and New Mexico. His role is to help navigate the challenges and opportunities that face Verizon as it grows its worldwide telecommunications network.

Prior to joining Verizon, Matt served as the Government Relations Director for the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) where he helped identify, develop and promote legislation that supports ADOT’s Vision, Goals and Strategic Plan. Before his time at ADOT, Matt served as the Transportation, Technology and Municipal Government Policy Advisor to Governor Doug Ducey. Matt also advised the Governor on public pensions, autonomous vehicles, and broadband development.

Matt spent the three years working as Chief of Staff to Mesa City Councilmember Kevin Thompson. In his role with the city, he monitored the implementation of policy and projects initiated by the Councilmember and assisted the City’s intergovernmental Relations Office on specific legislative projects.

Matt has over 18 years of experience processing and navigating the legislative procedure. He started as a Legislative Assistant in Representative John Shadegg’s office in Washington D.C. and completed his time in Washington D.C. as a Special Assistant to U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Elaine Chao. In addition to his other work in Arizona, Matt has served as a Senior Policy Planner for the Maricopa Association of Governments.

Matt is an avid sports fan and especially enjoys watching college football. He also has experienced the joys of coaching and watching his young children’s t-ball, soccer, and softball teams. Matt has been married to his beautiful and forgiving wife Mary for almost 15 years and they have three children.

Patrick Mulhearn – Bio
Patrick's experience is rooted in local and state government: a concentration in public infrastructure finance and policy led to his developing and implementing some of the first local government broadband policies in California.

Consulting for local and state governments on broadband and digital equity strategies followed his career in public service, including developing and implementing a statewide digital equity program and authoring fiber broadband strategic plans for several local governments.

As the director of public policy and new market development for Ting Internet, Patrick looks for opportunities to apply his extensive public sector experience to bring high-speed data connections to everyone. Digital inclusion is central to his process, and fostering long-term relationships with local governments is a vital feature of his success.

Ruben Alonzo – Bio
Ruben Alonzo is Executive Director for Government and Community Engagement at Arizona State University. Prior to joining ASU, Alonzo served as Mayor Stanton’s Chief of Staff for Operations, a role he took on after successfully managing Stanton’s mayoral campaign. Born and raised in the border town of Somerton, AZ, Alonzo moved to the valley to attend Arizona State University as a Flinn Foundation Scholar. After graduating, Alonzo worked on various political campaigns, including serving as Campaign Manager for Attorney General Terry Goddard’s re-election in 2006 and Ruben Gallego’s primary election bid to replace retiring Congressman Ed Pastor in 2014. Alonzo chairs the Phoenix Aviation Advisory Board as well as the Roosevelt Row CDC Board. He also serves on the board of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Phoenix Community Alliance. He lives in central Phoenix with his wife Catherine.



Inger Erickson – Bio
Inger Erickson was named Deputy City Manager in July 2020. Prior to that, she served as director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department since December 2015.

Her resume is highlighted by partnerships developed with non-profits, academic institutions and professional sports teams that improved city programs and facilities for the community, while saving taxpayer funds.

Erickson’s 30-plus year career with the City of Phoenix started in 1986 as a lifeguard at Coronado Pool. In the years that followed, she held a variety of positions in the Parks and Recreation Department, including aquatics supervisor, maintenance supervisor, and deputy and assistant director.

She holds a bachelor of science degree in physical education from Grand Canyon University and a master of arts in organizational management from the University of Phoenix.


Danny Smith – Bio
Hi my name is Danny Smith. My wife Deanna has taught kindergarten at Dorothy Stinson School now for 25 years. My son Andrew is a Junior at ASU and Grant is a senior at Safford High School.

I grew up in my dad’s grocery store at Thriftee Supermarket in Safford. After graduating from NAU, I returned to the Gila Valley and started a business called Gila Outdoor on Main Street in Safford in 1995. I quickly learned that a “rising tide lifts all ships” and set out to revitalize downtown Safford 25 years ago. I am currently leading a 1.9M project to rebuild the Safford Theatre into an economic engine on Main Street.

From 2003- 2013 I worked as VP sales and board member our family and investor owned mining company near Willcox. We mined calcium/marble for several industries shipping around 22 truckloads per day to our customers all over the southwest. I found the markets, found the customers, arranged freight and helped develop the processing. I managed our daily sales, marketing, and our Tucson sales location. We sold the business sold in 2011 to Hickman Family Farms.

Starting in the mid 90’s, I have helped form several local organizations including Gila Valley Leadership, the Gila Valley Community Foundation, People Who Drink Water in the Gila Valley and Southeastern Arizona Clean and Beautiful (current board president) I had a great time serving Safford citizens on the Safford City Council for 11 years and the Graham County Chamber of Commerce board.

I currently serve as a board member of our AYSO Soccer and our Graham County Senior Center. I serve as board president of the Gila Watershed Partnership and for the past 9 years I serve on the Graham County Board of Supervisors.
Sarah Ferry – Bio
As a born-and-raised Kingman native, I hold a deep affection for this community. Like many young people, it wasn’t until I left for a couple of years and came back that I learned to truly appreciate my hometown for its character and its beauty.

For its resilient desert landscape that reminds us how strong we are, For the outdoor trails that keep us connected to nature and each other. I decided that Kingman is the place that my family and I will call home.

We built our first home and small business in the heart of downtown —with the support only a community like ours can provide.

I will continue to choose Kingman and my neighbors here. From serving on the Kingman Clean City Commission to organizing downtown’s First Friday events and volunteering as president for Kingman Main Street, I am dedicated to celebrating everything our town has to offer.

I am passionate about growing our community to suit the needs of its residents while maintaining the small-town charm we know and love.

Clark Princell – Bio
Clark Princell joined Valley Partnership as President & CEO in 2023. Prior to Valley Partnership, Clark served as both Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief of Staff for Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. Before joining Mayor Gallego’s staff, Clark served in a number of government affairs roles including Government Relations Manager with the City of Phoenix, legislative liaison for the Arizona Department of Economic Services, Director of Federal Advocacy for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and a number of roles for Congressman Bob Filner in both the official and campaign offices. Clark attended San Diego State University where he received both his undergraduate and graduate degree in Political Science. He lives in Central Arizona with his wife Ashton, daughter Montgomery, and son Joel.

Dawn Penich – Bio
Dawn began her career in Strategic Communication with the U.S. Army and has since led on dozens of successful political campaigns across Arizona and the U.S. She has been featured for her political expertise in the New York Times, Ms. Magazine, Washington Post, NPR, and numerous local, national, and international outlets. She was recognized as a Breakout, Best PR Person, and Political Rising Star by Arizona Capitol Times and was awarded the Phoenix Business Journal’s '40 under 40' distinction. Her passion is helping good people do good things.

Chuck Coughlin – Bio
Chuck Coughlin is CEO and President of HighGround, Inc. He founded the Company 27 years ago as a political consulting firm specializing in campaign management. Today, the firm has a full palate of public affairs professionals from lobbying, communication, public opinion polling, social media, and campaign management. Coughlin is a six-time winner of Arizona’s “Best Political Operative” awarded by the Arizona Capital Times. HighGround has won over 50 awards from Campaigns and Elections and the American Association of Political Consultants. Coughlin served as Governor Brewer’s transition Chairman for her 2009 Transition team and was the campaign manager for Governor Symington’s 1994 re-election campaign which overcame a post-Labor Day double-digit deficit to win re-election. HighGround is the longest continuously operating Public Affairs firm in Arizona and currently has 8 employees: 4 professional lobbyists, two digital communications specialists and campaign managers, one professional pollster and campaign consultant, and an office manager.

Chad Heywood – Bio
Chad Heywood is a Partner at Public Square where he provides advice on political and strategic consulting. An expert in grassroots advocacy, data targeting, and public affairs, Heywood has led campaigns at every political level. Prior to Public Square and its affiliated company Camelback Strategy Group, Chad was Executive Director of the Arizona Republican Party from 2013-2016.

Chad has developed winning strategies and run successful local campaigns for Mayor and City Council in cities across Arizona. In 2020 and again in 2022, Heywood ran the Republican Legislative Victory Committee helping retain Republican Majorities in the House and Senate.

Prior to his involvement in politics, Chad worked as a sales and marketing professional, training teams in direct sales, and presenting at marketing and trade shows. Heywood is the father of six children. Happily married to his wife of 21 years, they live in Gilbert, Arizona.

Stephen Pauken – Bio
Stephen Pauken, City Manager, City of Bisbee, recipient of the 2023 Community Builder Award (Small City/Town) - 2023 Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Awards.

Stephen has worked as the City Manager for the City of Bisbee not once but thrice. He advocates for Bisbee at the Federal, State, and County level. As the CEO of Bisbee, his efforts to keep the community looking forward.

Irma Hollamby Cain – Bio
Irma Hollamby Cain is a recognized local leader in the affordable housing and rental subsidy space. Irma worked for Maricopa County for 12 years where she held leadership positions in various Public Works departments before catching the Housing bug and discovering the power and necessity of housing stability in people’s lives.

Irma currently serves as the City of Tempe’s Deputy Director of Community Health & Human Services where she leads the City’s Housing Authority, an affiliate non-profit development arm of the Housing Authority called the Tempe Coalition of Affordable Housing, and administers several U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development grants intended to meet basic and critical human service needs of the City’s most vulnerable residents and neighborhoods.

Irma is the current Arizona chapter president of both the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials and the Public Housing Authority Directors Association.

Irma is a Master in Public Administration, and last year’s recipient of the Mark Bethel Scholarship Award for demonstrating and addressing the need of affordable housing throughout the state of Arizona.

Titus Mathew – Bio
Titus Mathew is the Director of the City of Phoenix Housing Department and Executive Director of the Phoenix Public Housing Authority (PHA). Titus has worked for the City of Phoenix for 24 years spanning four City Departments. In his role, Titus oversees 129 full-time staff, 51 contract staff and an operating budget of $199 million and a capital improvement budget of $167 million to provide housing programs to Phoenix residents. Titus is also a board member of the Phoenix Community Development and Investment Corporation (PCDIC). The mission of PCIDC is Commercial real estate gap financing to attract employers creating jobs. Gap financing for commercial real estate for small businesses and non-profits having difficulty securing loans at favorable rates. Blight, particularly within the city’s most distressed New Market Tax Credit Tax census tracts. Helping Nonprofits expand services to the disadvantaged communities they serve.

The Housing Department facilitates public housing, Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV), affordable rental apartments and single-family homes to more than 35,000 area residents including housing for special populations inclusive of those experiencing homelessness, homeless/disabled Veterans, human trafficking survivors and their families. In addition, the department is also in the business of transformation of aged public housing units into mixed income multifamily apartment complexes. In addition, the department is in the midst of a Choice Implementation grant. This is the conversion of 577 public housing units into over 1,000 mixed income units. Department also partners with non-profit and for-profit community organizations on the preservation and development of affordable housing units. Titus and his staff manage the City's Housing Phoenix Plan, which has a goal of creating or preserving 50,000 homes by 2030 to address the housing shortage in Phoenix.

Titus began his career with Deloitte & Touché and has over 30 years of experience in finance/accounting, operations and general management in the private sector and municipal government.

Sarah Darr – Bio
Sarah Darr is the Housing Director for the City of Flagstaff, Arizona, where she oversees all housing programs, including the Housing Authority. With a career in housing spanning 24 years, she has been instrumental in developing and implementing community solutions to address housing issues in Flagstaff, including one of the first municipal community land trusts in the country and the recently approved $20 million bond measure to create housing opportunities in Flagstaff.

A native of Flagstaff, Sarah holds a degree in Criminal Justice with an emphasis in Social Work from Northern Arizona University. She furthered her professional development by becoming a Certified Public Manager through the Arizona State University Bob Ramsey School of Executive Management.

Before her tenure with the City of Flagstaff, Sarah gained valuable experience working in the legislative arena in Phoenix. Her extensive background in public service and management has equipped her with a deep understanding of the complexities surrounding housing and community development.

Outside of her professional commitments, Sarah enjoys spending quality time with her family, tending to her garden, and indulging in her passion for reading. Her dedication to her community and her profession is evident in her longstanding commitment to improving housing conditions and creating sustainable housing solutions for the residents of Flagstaff.

Jenny Poon – Bio
Jenny Poon is a serial entrepreneur and and most notably founder of HUUB, a city-wide entrepreneur platform. Before HUUB, she has been building equitable ecosystems as founder of CO+HOOTS, a purpose-driven coworking and entrepreneur center. Ranked No. 4 coworking space in the U.S. by Inc.com, CO+HOOTS currently houses 280+ scaling entrepreneurs and small businesses and has been an integral role in creating thousands of jobs locally. She has led CO+HOOTS from its inception in 2010 to being recently ranked the No. 1 most innovative coworking space in the world. Through her background in business, design-thinking and marketing, she built a place where she could connect with like-minded professionals who believe business growth comes from collaboration between different industries. She speaks regularly on leadership, the importance of nurturing innovation in the workspace and works tirelessly to create scalable solutions for entrepreneurs and economic developers. She believes we, collectively, can build vibrant and equitable cities everywhere.

Jenny serves as an advisor for numerous startups, Board Chair of CO+HOOTS Foundation (a 501c3 nonprofit) and as a mentor for several young entrepreneurs. Jenny was named Phoenix Business Journal’s 2016 Phoenix Businessperson of the Year. The first minority and the first woman to receive the honor.

Monica Villalobos – Bio
Ms. Villalobos was named President & CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber in late 2019 after serving as the Vice-President and Foundation Executive Director for seven years. In this role, she is responsible for the strategic growth initiatives of the Chamber, operation of the Arizona Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center, the Native American Business and Economic Development Center (NABEDC), and the Capital Readiness Program - all funded by U.S. Department of Commerce.

Ms. Villalobos is also Editor-In-Chief of 23 research publications (www.issuu.com/azhcc) over the last decade including the annual DATOS: State of Arizona’s Hispanic Market. She was also appointed by newly elected Governor Hobbs to co-chair the transition committee in 2023 for selection of the state directors to lead the Arizona’s government.

Ms. Villalobos was the founding principal at ResearchByDesign, a marketing research firm specializing in primary qualitative and quantitative research. She was selected as the 2015 Latina Style Inc. Entrepreneur of the Year, ASU Entrepreneurship & Innovation Visionary Awardee, 2017 Achieving My Purpose: Celebration of Women award recipient, 2018 Cox Communication Hispanic Heritage honoree, 2018 Phoenix Business Journal Outstanding Women in Business recipient, and recognized as one of the 2020 Most Influential Women in Arizona by AZ Business Magazine. In 2022, she was a Titan 100 recipient and named a Trendsetter by Trends Magazine as well as a nominee for the Greater Phoenix Chamber Athena Award. In Business Phoenix Magazine recognized her as a 2023 Women of Achievement. She is also on the 2024 AZ Business Magazine’s Latinas to Watch list. Recently, she was recognized with the Ohtli award, the highest honor bestowed on individuals outside of the country for work to benefit citizens by Ambassador Barragan and the Mexican Government.

Ms. Villalobos is the former Director of Accounts at Latin Force LLC, purchased by Goldman Sachs, a business strategy firm specializing in the Hispanic marketplace. In that capacity, she supervised strategy development for clients such as Wells Fargo, National Football League (NFL), Kraft Foods, and ING. Her expertise is in the development of Integrated Multicultural Communication Platforms and ROI Business Case Assessments.

In December 2024, Ms. Villalobos will complete her doctorate at the University of Southern California. She has a Master of Arts in Communications degree from Seton Hall University with honors. She is also a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, with a double major in Linguistics and Psychology.

Ms. Villalobos has served on the board of the New Jersey Regional Chamber of Commerce, a former member of the Republican Eagles, and as a former board member of the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation in Paterson, NJ, Mental Health Association of Essex County, Montclair, NJ, and Girls, Inc. of NJ. Currently, she serves on the boards of Valley of the Sun United Way, Delta Dental Foundation, St. Mary’s Food Bank, and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Villalobos is a first-generation Mexican-American and the only child of an elementary school teacher and truck driver; she resides in Phoenix, AZ, with her fiancé and two sons, while caring for her mother.

Mignonne Hollis – Bio
Mignonne Hollis is the Executive Director of ARED, focusing on economic development in Arizona. She graduated from Tombstone Union High School, attended the University of Arizona, and earned her MBA from the University of Phoenix. Mignonne co-writes a weekly newspaper advice column for business owners and serves on multiple boards including the local homeless shelter (President), Premier Alliances, and the International Economic Development Council. She has held leadership roles on the Arizona Commerce Authority Board, the Greater Arizona Development Board, and was named Economic Developer of the Year in 2014. In 2017, her organization was named Small Organization of the Year. She is also a member of the Arizona Mexico Commission, the State Bar of Arizona Board of Governors, the Good Neighbor Environmental Board, the National Small Business Association Advisory Board, and serves on the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. Mignonne founded the Aerospace Arizona Association and established the UAS Center For Innovation at Benson Airport. Her organization also created Rural Care, a telehealth office and incubator for mental health providers, aimed at making a significant economic impact throughout Arizona.

Jaye O'Donnell – Bio
Jaye O’Donnell is the Economic Development Director for the City of Mesa, focusing on business attraction, retention, expansion, and workforce development. She has led several programs including Mesa CARES and the strategic planning process for the Office of Economic Development. Jaye was previously the Senior Director of Marketing and Business Attraction at the Arizona Department of Commerce and holds a B.S. in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State University and a certificate in Global Leadership from Thunderbird School of Global Management.


Jeanine Jerkovic – Bio
Jeanine Jerkovic, CEcD, is the Economic Development Director of the City of Surprise. Jeanine is a self-professed 'business incubator nerd' and is wildly proud of starting up the West Valley’s first business incubator, the AZ TechCelerator, in 2010 – a program getting ready to launch its next evolution in 2025! Jeanine also sparked an award-winning crowdsourced retail marketing strategy a decade ago that placed resident engagement front-and-center and recruited a Costco (and much more) to Surprise! Jeanine has a B.A. from Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University, and has an MSc from the London School of Economics in the UK. Jeanine, her husband Velko, and their two children live in Surprise, Arizona. She enjoys baking cakes, watching UFC, and singing along to 80’s music hits.

Christine Mackay – Bio
Christine Mackay has led the Community and Economic Development Department for Phoenix since 2014, overseeing job creation, capital investment, and workforce development. Under her leadership, the department has facilitated over 100,000 high-value jobs and $75 billion in capital investment. Christine has been recognized as a Top 50 Economic Developer and holds over 26 years of experience in economic development and commercial real estate.

Katie Wilke – Bio
Katie Wilken, AICP is a professional planner and has over 20 years of municipal experience. She has been with the City of Goodyear since 2005 but recently took over the role of Development Services Director. A native of Indiana, Katie graduated from Ball State Univeristy with a Bachelor of Urban Planning and Development and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning.

Bobby Olsen – Bio
Bobby Olsen has worked for SRP for the last 18 years, where he has worked in various roles with responsibilities across different functional areas at SRP including generation, major projects, planning, strategy, environmental services, and trading/marketing. Bobby currently serves as SRP’s Associate General Manager & Chief Planning, Strategy, and Sustainability Executive where he’s responsible for helping establish and execute on SRP’s transition towards a more sustainable resource portfolio. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Northern Arizona University.

Shea Joachim – Bio
Shea Joachim is the Assistant Town Manager for Queen Creek, Arizona, a position he assumed June 5, 2023. Prior to joining the Town of Queen Creek, Joachim worked as the Business and Economic Development Director for the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority (PMGAA) since 2016, where he was primarily responsible for driving growth. During his tenure with PMGAA, Joachim secured master development agreements for nearly 700 acres of aeronautical and non-aeronautical land and recruited new tenants including Gulfstream, Virgin Galactic, and Boeing. Prior to his role at PMGAA, he worked for the City of Mesa for almost ten years on a variety of special projects.

Shea has a Master of Business degree from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University and a Bachelor of Arts from Pomona College and is a member of numerous professional associations including the International City/County Management Association, Urban Land Institute, and International Economic Development Council.

Lee Grafstrom – Bio
Lee Grafstrom is the Tax Policy Analyst for the League of Arizona Cities and Towns. In this role, he assists the cities and towns with all tax matters, including representing them before the Municipal Tax Code Commission regarding changes to the Model City Tax Code. Lee provides advice and assistance on city ordinance and resolution preparation for tax and licensing issues, and acts as a liaison to the Arizona Department of Revenue. Lee is a member of the City Tax Administrators Council and chairs the MCTC Review Committee, working on efforts to simplify and modernize the Model City Tax Code. During the legislative session, Lee defends the financial and administrative interests of all cities and towns through analysis of bills and amendments, preparing position papers and determining the potential impact of tax law changes for cities and towns. Prior to joining the League, Lee was the Tax Audit Supervisor for the City of Chandler for 14 years and began his career in state and local tax in 1991 as a sales tax auditor for the California Board of Equalization in its Chicago office. Lee is an Air Force veteran who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master of Public Administration degree from Arizona State University.o

Rosa Inchausti – Bio
Rosa Inchausti, a 30-year City of Tempe employee, has been appointed to serve as City Manager. Inchausti recently served as the Chief Deputy City Manager, overseeing the areas of Economic Development, Community Health and Human Services, Community Development, Information Technology, and Strategic Management and Innovation.

She began her Tempe career in 1993 as the city’s first bilingual Marriage and Family Therapist. Since then Inchausti has continued with her “firsts” as she advanced to be the city’s first Diversity Director, where she worked with City Council to create Tempe’s Anti-Discrimination Ordinance. She then promoted to the position of the city’s first Strategic Management and Diversity Director, where she spearheaded the wastewater testing for COVID-19 and opioids, advancing community health. In this position she also led the city in becoming a nationally-acclaimed “What Works City.” Additionally, Inchausti spent a year as the Interim Municipal Utilities Department Director while concurrently working as the Strategic Management Director.

In her new role, Inchausti will be the first female to hold the position of City Manager at the City of Tempe. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Loyola Marymount University and a Master’s degree from Northern Arizona University. Inchausti has been a Tempe resident for over 30 years. She raised her two daughters in south Tempe and now resides in Tempe’s urban core.

Travis Pruitt – Bio
Travis Pruitt is an accomplished professional with a diverse Public Administration background spanning over the course of more than 20 years. With a Master’s degree in public administration, Master’s degree in environmental management, and a Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Travis possesses a robust educational foundation complemented by real-world expertise. Travis’ experience includes service with the City of Scottsdale, The U.S. Department of State, The Town of Gilbert, and the City of Bullhead City, in various Management and Administration roles and responsibilities.

Throughout his career, Travis Pruitt has exemplified a commitment to excellence, leveraging his expertise in public administration to effect positive change in the communities he serves. “I drive success and build value every day by listening to the story the data is telling me, leveraging technology solutions, and igniting a passion for success within those I work with”.

Pat Walker – Bio
With more than 40 years of experience in local government and municipal finance, Pat Walker has provided a broad array of management and financial planning services. Ms. Walker was with the City of Chandler, Arizona, for 23 years and served as the City’s Management Services Director and Chief Financial Officer. At the City, she was responsible for all financial management including budgeting, auditing, and strategic financial forecasting as well as numerous other divisions such as sales tax, utility billing, human resources, purchasing and information technology. In 2007, she became a municipal management and financial consultant to cities, towns and utilities across the Country. In 2012, she formed Pat Walker Consulting LLC to continue her consulting in municipal management and financial services to small and large communities for cities and towns throughout Arizona by providing services for budget development and forecasting, strategic financial planning, audit preparation as well as all areas of financial management.

Titus Alexander Blake – Bio
Titus "Alex" Blake is the Mayor of Duncan, Arizona (2022-2026). Alex is the father of 12 and a 7th-generation Arizona native, born in Tucson and raised in Safford until high school graduation. He and his wife, Amanda, are proudly still raising the 8th and spoiling the 9th generation. He has over two decades of management experience in banking, accounting, project management, healthcare, insurance, and HSE in private and government sectors. Currently serving as the Mayor of Duncan, Arizona, he owns an environmental consulting business and works full-time as a Safety & Health Manager for a small business and contractor for Freeport-McMoRan Morenci's open-pit copper mine. Alex served seven years in the US Army Reserve as an enlisted Medical Laboratory Specialist with multiple deployments for Operation Enduring Freedom. He studied International Business at BYU-Idaho and holds a Certificate in Clinical Laboratory Science from George Washington University. Alex loves military history, researching family history, and studying the geopolitical conflicts that have shaped our current world. He is connected to Duncan's rural lifestyle and has two dogs, 27 chickens, six ducks, eight geese, two horses, and over a dozen barn cats. Getting outside on the water in a kayak or stand-up paddleboard, exploring ghost towns, or hiking to a remote or hidden locale is a priority. He is dedicated to sustainable and impactful community initiatives and values his volunteer work with the American Legion as the Honor Guard Bugler, Team Rubicon as a Region 9 Strike Team Leader, The Wounded Warrior Project, and as the past president of Duncan Little League. His greatest accomplishment is his amazing children and marriage, and he is so grateful for his spouse, who supports him daily to be a better father, husband, and citizen of our great state and country.

Dennis Osuch – Bio
Dennis is the managing partner and founder of Osuch Consulting PLLC. He is a licensed CPA in the state of Arizona and has over 27 years of experience in public accounting performing audits of and consulting for nonprofits and state and local governments. His experience includes audit, consulting, reviews, compilations, certain agreed-upon procedures, and prepared and reviewed tax returns for nonprofit organizations and homeowners’ associations. Dennis began his career at a small local CPA firm in 1997. In 2009, through a merger of his previous firm, Dennis joined a mid-tier CPA firm as an owner and partner where he continued his public accounting career working with state and local governments. In 2016, his firm became a top 10 accounting firm. Dennis finished his public accounting career at the beginning of 2023 and began his consulting practice to serve the governments he has been passionate about his entire career in another capacity. Today, Dennis and his firm provide a range of services including audit preparation, grants management, bookkeeping, special projects, finance director/CFO services, and other accounting services for governments in Arizona.


Jeff Kulaga – Bio
Jeff Kulaga has served as Town Manager / Clerk for Guadalupe, Arizona, since September 2017. He is also the Zoning Administrator, Business License Administrator, Cemetery Administrator, and Community Development Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the Town and overseeing an $18.4M annual budget. Jeff has over 35 years of municipal government experience, previously working as Assistant City Manager in Tempe, and holding various roles in Mesa and Scottsdale. He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Arizona State University and is a member of the Arizona City and County Management Association, the Arizona Municipal Clerks Association, and the Urban Land Institute.

Dana Berchman – Bio
Dana Berchman is the CEO of “Oh, hi! Communications”, a national agency with the know-how to combine storytelling and strategic communications to engage audiences and meet people where they are. An experienced innovator, public speaker, and media professional, she is a proven expert at creating digital roadmaps for cities and organizations and building and leading teams with the right skillsets. A creative problem solver who can deliver practical applications to maximize reach using technology, including AI and social media, to deliver data-driven results with heart.

Dana spent 12 years as Gilbert, Arizona’s Chief Digital Officer building the award-winning Office of Digital Government where she managed all internal and external communications, marketing and digital government initiatives, government innovation, civic engagement, and open data and storytelling efforts. Her accolades include a Rocky Mountain Emmy, Sharman Stein Award for Storytelling, Social Media Team of the Year, Civic Engagement Program of the Year, Communications Team of the Year, Municipal Employee of the Year. She created and hosted the podcast, “Government Gone Digital”, and a coding contest for junior high and high school students called “SPARK App League” developed through partnerships with Arizona State University, Google, and Waymo.

Prior to her time in the public sector, she spent eight years working in New York City as a producer and director at MTV and a producer and writer for Andrea Mitchell at MSNBC.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Arizona State University and her master’s degree in Journalism and Public Affairs from American University.

Nick Simonetta – Bio
Prior to launching Pivotal, Nick gained the depth of his government relations’ perspective through various positions in the state’s executive branch, legislative leadership staff and as a contract consultant. He was the Communications and Policy Advisor to the Majority in the Arizona State Senate. Nick also worked as the Director of Communications and Legislative Affairs for the Arizona State Land Department. In these roles, Nick developed specialized expertise in natural resources, environmental and water issues, municipal representation, business development and expansion, and government-media relations and legislative process.

Since leaving the Senate, Nick has represented an array of clients at the state, county and municipal level through his government relations practice.

Nick has a B.A. from St. John’s University and a J.D. from Rutgers School of Law. He is also a member of the State Bar in both Arizona and New York. Nick has twice been appointed to the State Urban Land Planning Commission by Governor Jan Brewer, and was selected, and served, as a member of Governor Doug Ducey’s transition team.

Jenn Daniels – Bio
Jenn Daniels is an expert in navigating the nuances and complexities of municipal government. She served in elected leadership for over a decade as a Council Member, Vice-Mayor and the Mayor of Gilbert, Arizona. Jenn led the Town to earn AAA bond ratings from all three rating agencies, opened three new parks, and transformed the Heritage District into a regional destination with some of the best restaurants in Arizona.

Jenn’s public and private sector experience spans a broad spectrum of responsibilities. She has a deep understanding of critical infrastructure, transportation planning and policy, and economic development strategies. Jenn is currently serving a six year term on the Arizona State Transportation Board and also serves as a board member for the Arizona Commerce Authority. Jenn is a Rodel Fellow, a Senior Housing Fellow for the Common Sense Institute, and in 2020, Jenn was named as an Arizona Capitol Times “Leader of the Year”.

Jenn’s true talent is her innate love of people and ability to organize anything. Her four kids keep getting older while she is unsuccessfully working on reverse-aging. She loves to hike, bake delicious treats, and be out and about in Arizona or wherever her travels take her with friends and family.

Judy Keene – Bio
Jeff Kulaga has served as Town Manager / Clerk for Guadalupe, Arizona, since September 2017. He is also the Zoning Administrator, Business License Administrator, Cemetery Administrator, and Community Development Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the Town and overseeing an $18.4M annual budget. Jeff has over 35 years of municipal government experience, previously working as Assistant City Manager in Tempe, and holding various roles in Mesa and Scottsdale. He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Arizona State University and is a member of the Arizona City and County Management Association, the Arizona Municipal Clerks Association, and the Urban Land Institute.



Mary Jo Pitzl – Bio
Jeff Kulaga has served as Town Manager / Clerk for Guadalupe, Arizona, since September 2017. He is also the Zoning Administrator, Business License Administrator, Cemetery Administrator, and Community Development Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the Town and overseeing an $18.4M annual budget. Jeff has over 35 years of municipal government experience, previously working as Assistant City Manager in Tempe, and holding various roles in Mesa and Scottsdale. He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Arizona State University and is a member of the Arizona City and County Management Association, the Arizona Municipal Clerks Association, and the Urban Land Institute.

Isaiah Lopez – Bio
Isaiah Lopez is the CEO and founder of Ozo Development, which pioneers AI-driven personal and public safety technology. His personal experiences growing up in Maryvale fueled his commitment to safety. At American Express, Isaiah developed early AI systems for global crises. In 2018, he founded Ozo Development, initially a U.S. Defense contractor, now focusing on Laura, an AI-powered 911 dispatcher assistant that enhances public safety. Isaiah has a strong background in global crisis management and technology.

Ana Tomboulian – Bio
Ana is a 2nd time founder in the AI industry. Before she started working on the 911 AI, Ana was CTO of a local company that builds HIPPA compliant conversational AI systems answering patient calls for the healthcare industry. She later went on to build an autodialer platform that used an outbound AI agent to qualify leads and transfer them to a human closer, saving the human sales reps time.


Julian Soh – Bio
Julian Soh is a software engineer with Microsoft whose focus is on artificial intelligence and advanced analytics. He collaborates extensively with data scientists, engineers, and developers across the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) vertical, government organizations, and Health and Human Services providers. He assists organizations in integrating the responsible use of AI and harnessing the potential of the Microsoft Azure Cloud in their software and services.

Ian Linssen – Bio
Ian Linssen serves as an Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Mesa. He acts as a technology and innovation policy advisor and project manager and is part of the City’s government relations team. Ian previously served as Mayor Giles’ Chief of Staff. Ian is an avid consumer of all things tech and is especially interested in the intersection of technology and government.


Carm Taglienti – Bio

Kimberly Jordan – Bio
Kimberly Jordan serves as the Executive Vice President of Western Maricopa Coalition (WESTMARC) and is committed to actively participating in the future strategic development, growth, and success of the state of Arizona. Kimberly moved from New York to Arizona in 1999 and has been a resident of the West Valley for 25 years. In her role, she manages 7 issue committees, including Economic Development and Infrastructure, focused primarily on water, transportation, communication & connectivity. Kimberly leads the coordination of the ERC Fellow project focused on leveraging AI and Emerging Technology for Learning & Workforce Solutions and oversees the Marketing and Media Relations team. She also leads the administration and operations of the Greater Maricopa Foreign Trade Zone (GMFTZ) #277, including coordination with municipalities, consultants, locates, zone operators, and the Federal Foreign-Trade Zones Board.

Travis Metcalfe – Bio
Travis Metcalfe is an experienced energy strategist with over 20 years in the industry. As an Energy Projects Manager at Amazon Web Services, he supports the development of energy projects to power data centers across North and South America.

Prior to AWS, Metcalfe spent 20 years with a vertically integrated municipal utility, where he held various leadership roles and led initiatives around strategic planning, integrated resource planning, enterprise asset management, capital portfolio and project management, training and apprenticeship programs, and corporate performance analytics.

Metcalfe is a licensed Professional Engineer, a certified Project Management Professional, and has additional certifications in OKR management, data storytelling, and change management. He is deeply committed to developing as a leader and inspiring excellence in his teams.

Mike Eugenis – Bio
Mike Eugenis is the Director of APS’s Resource Planning group, which is primarily responsible for the development of our Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and supporting generation procurement efforts. Mike has a background in electrical engineering, and spent seven years within the T&D organization at APS prior to leading the Resource Planning group. He is particularly focused on maintaining reliable service, affordable rates for customers, and meeting APS’s clean generation goals.

Kevin Thompson – Bio
Elected to the Mesa City Council in August 2014 and re-elected to a second term in August of 2018, Councilmember Kevin Thompson represents Mesa's District 6. His second term on the Council runs until January of 2023.

Since taking office, Councilmember Thompson has been very active representing Mesa on both the national and local level. He is in his sixth term on the National League of Cities Community and Economic Development Committee, including one term as Chair and two terms as Vice Chair. He serves on the American Public Gas Association’s Public Gas Policy Council and is the President of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association. He is a member of the Arizona League’s Budget, Finance and Economic Development Policy Committee and a member of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Works Committee.In Mesa he serves on the Mesa Chamber of Commerce Industry and Defense Council, the Centers for Habilitation Board of Directors, and the MesaCAN Tripartite Board of Directors.

A veteran of the United States Air Force, Thompson spent eight years in the service, including serving in Operation Desert Storm. He earned a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Thompson is the principle owner of his own consulting firm. Kevin and his wife Donna have two children.

Josh Rogol – Bio
Joshua has 15 years of experience in energy finance, project development, technology development, and entrepreneurship. He is currently the President at Strata Clean Energy, where he leads origination and development, corporate strategy, and execution across the United States for Strata’s solar and battery energy storage portfolio.

Prior to Strata, Joshua led global sales and strategy for a leading energy storage technology manufacturer, developing the company’s first utility scale project in Europe, microgrid facility in Nicaragua, and behind-the-meter C&I project in the United States. His previous experience also included leading global development for Urban Green Energy (UGE), helping to take the company public in 2014. Additionally, opening their Shanghai offices, Joshua was co-founder of Photon Consulting, a leading renewable energy consulting firm, supporting IPOs, M&A, and global business strategy for companies such as First Solar, Canadian Solar, Hanwha, and Trina Solar.

Joshua is dedicated to community involvement and has served on the board of directors at blueEnergy, a global nonprofit focused on empowering healthy families and resilient communities by unlocking access to renewable energy, safe water, sanitation, hygiene, and sustainable food security in the face of climate change.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude from Tufts University, in International Relations and Economics, and completed additional studies at La Universidad de Playa Ancha in Valparaiso, Chile.

Joshua currently resides in Washington DC with his wife, Michelle, their 3-year old son, Oliver, 9-month old daughter, Simone, all of whom are big advocates of renewable energy.