Flinn Foundation

Improving the quality of life in Arizona to benefit future generations.

Arizona Center for Civic Leadership

Enhancing civic life in Arizona through education, engagement, and leadership programs.

icon
Arizona's premier fellowship program of learning and support for state-level public service.
icon
Meet the more than 435 Fellows who make up the Flinn-Brown Network through this searchable directory.
icon
Monthly virtual public policy seminars emphasizing learning and discussion.
icon
A partnership to measure Arizona's progress on civic participation and connected communities—and act.
icon
A statewide resource for organizations interested and involved in strengthening civic leadership.
icon
An annual gathering of Flinn-Brown Fellows to discuss public policy and make connections.

Connect with Arizona Center for Civic Leadership: Stay up to date.


The Arizona Center for Civic Leadership

The nonpartisan Arizona Center for Civic Leadership at the Flinn Foundation enhances civic life in Arizona through civic education, leadership, and engagement programs. The Arizona Civic Exchange—CivEx—creates opportunities for the public to become better informed and educated on political and policy topics impacting their communities. The prestigious Flinn-Brown Fellowship fosters civic leaders in Arizona by building knowledge, skills, and a robust network to find solutions for Arizona’s long-term issues. The Center promotes civic engagement through the Civic Leadership Collaborative and the Arizona Civic Life Partnership by convening organizations committed to generating public discussion about the critical importance of civic participation and connected communities to effective civic leadership—and our broader prosperity and quality of life.


Arizona Center for Civic Leadership

Arizona Center for Civic Leadership announces 2023 class of Flinn-Brown Fellows

The Arizona Center for Civic Leadership at the Flinn Foundation has selected 28 leaders from across the state as the 15th class of Flinn-Brown Fellows. The Fellows bring diverse career and political experiences, policy interests, and perspectives to Arizona’s most prestigious leadership program on state-level policy and politics. 

The 2023 Fellows represent eight Arizona counties, with half of the new class from beyond Maricopa County. The Fellows work in the public sector, private business, nonprofit institutions, and other organizations. [Read more]


Arizona Center for Civic Leadership

Flinn-Brown Fellow Brittney Kaufmann advocates on behalf of Arizona’s largest health systems 

Brittney Kaufmann serves as CEO of the Health System Alliance of Arizona, an advocacy organization which represents the largest health systems and employers across Arizona, including Abrazo Health, Banner Health, Carondelet Health, Dignity Health, HonorHealth, and Northern Arizona Healthcare, to advance public policy expanding access to health care. 

Kaufmann, a 2013 Flinn-Brown Fellow from Phoenix, says numerous times she has reached out through the Flinn-Brown Network to ask for help and resources or make mutually beneficial connections. The Network has also been beneficial for her in forming relationships, particularly at the Arizona Legislature. [Read more]


Arizona Center for Civic Leadership

Registration open for May 31 CivEx on graduate medical education in Arizona

The Arizona Center for Civic Leadership and Maricopa County Medical Society will host a CivEx webinar on Wednesday, May 31 at 2:00 p.m. to hear from a panel of experts about the current state of graduate medical education in Arizona.

Following a welcome from John McElligott, executive director of Maricopa County Medical Society, Flinn Foundation’s Brian Powell will moderate a panel of experts including former State Senator Heather Carter, Ed.D., executive vice president, Greater Phoenix Leadership; Dan Derksen, M.D., director, Arizona Center for Rural Health; and Jason Bezozo, vice president, government relations, Banner Health. [Register]


Arizona Center for Civic Leadership

Fellow Christina Spicer helping grow the Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council

Christina Spicer serves as co-CEO of Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, an organization she joined in 2014 and was integral in growing its annual fund from $600,000 in 2014 to $4 million in 2021. Earlier in her career, she founded CAMEO, a women’s mentorship organization and worked for Teach for America-Phoenix.

The 2013 Flinn-Brown Fellow currently serves on the Young & Empowered Women Board and the City of Phoenix’s Women Commission. She received the Phoenix Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award in 2022 and was named a Diverse Business Leader to Watch in 2023. [Read more]


Arizona Center for Civic Leadership

Flinn-Brown Fellow John Garcia III brings expertise to federal agency

John Garcia III, a 2012 Flinn-Brown Fellow living in Washington, D.C., is a senior advisor in the Office of Policy, Evaluation and Planning at the U.S. Department of Education where he strengthens pathways from K-12 to postsecondary and in-demand careers as part of the Unlocking Career Success Initiative, in partnership with the Department of Commerce and Department of Labor. He left a career in business, working at Intel and Jet Propulsion Labs, in order to improve the economic opportunities of our youth through education.

Garcia says Flinn-Brown creates connections and common understanding among civic leaders in Arizona, and there needs to be strong ways to communicate how “people-first policies” and compromise are good for all Arizonans. [Read more]


News and Updates

Civic Leadership

May 2023 Network News

Thoughts from Dawn Wallace On Monday, we announced our new cohort of Flinn-Brown Fellows! 28 leaders from across the state were selected as the 15th cohort of Flinn-Brown Fellows. Each new Fellow brings varied career and political experiences, policy interests, and perspectives to the Flinn-Brown Network—collectively, this cohort represents our eight Arizona counties, with half of the […]

Civic Leadership

Flinn-Brown Fellow Brittney Kaufmann advocates on behalf of Arizona’s largest health systems

Fellows Spotlight Brittney Kaufmann  (Phoenix, 2013)Chief Executive OfficerHealth System Alliance of Arizona Twitter | LinkedIn 1. Can you please describe your work and how public policy impacts how you manage your organization? I serve as CEO of the Health System Alliance of Arizona. The Health System Alliance of Arizona represents the largest health systems and employers across […]

Civic Leadership

Arizona Center for Civic Leadership announces 2023 class of Flinn-Brown Fellows

Flinn Foundation program selects 28 Fellows for their interest to engage actively in civic life The Arizona Center for Civic Leadership at the Flinn Foundation has selected 28 leaders from across the state as the 15th cohort of Flinn-Brown Fellows. Each brings diverse career and political experiences, policy interests, and perspectives to Arizona’s most prestigious […]

Flinn-Brown Fellow Christina Spicer

Civic Leadership

Fellow Christina Spicer helping grow the Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council

Fellows Spotlight Christina Spicer(Phoenix, 2013)Co-Chief Executive OfficerGirl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council LinkedIn A 2013 Flinn-Brown Fellow, Christina Spicer earned a Master’s in nonprofit management from Arizona State University in 2008. Shortly after, she joined the staff of Teach For America-Phoenix as the Manager of Corporation and Foundation Relations and was later promoted to Managing Director of […]