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Arizona Center for Civic Leadership
Enhancing civic life in Arizona through education, engagement, and leadership programs.
The Center’s cornerstone initiative which includes participation in the Flinn-Brown Academy and Flinn-Brown Network.
Meet the 465 Fellows who make up the Flinn-Brown Network through this searchable directory.
Join us for monthly virtual public policy seminars emphasizing learning and discussion.
A partnership to measure Arizona's progress on civic participation and connected communities—and act.
Meet the 2024 Flinn-Brown Fellows, learn about their careers and public service, and the communities they serve.
An annual gathering of Flinn-Brown Fellows to make connections while learning about public service from policy experts and Fellows.
Connect with Arizona Center for Civic Leadership: Stay up to date. Join our email list.
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, engagement, and leadership-development programs. Flinn Young Leaders emphasizes civic learning and skill-building and helps teens imagine paths to making a difference. CivEx delivers educational programming for the public to become better-informed on Arizona policy and political topics. The Civic Leadership Collaborative and the Arizona Civic Life Partnership convene organizations that strengthen civic participation and connected communities. The Center’s cornerstone, the prestigious Flinn-Brown Fellowship, is an immersive experience for community leaders from diverse backgrounds. Fellows engage in rich discussions with policymakers and political experts; join a robust professional network; and gain understanding of how to address Arizona’s most pressing issues through public service.
Flinn-Brown Fellow Elyse Guidas leading effort of food access and security
Flinn-Brown Fellow Elyse Guidas talks about her dedication to providing access to food for Arizonans during this 10th episode of the Leadership for a Better Arizona podcast, hosted by Dawn Wallace with the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership at the Flinn Foundation.
Guidas, a 2019 Fellow and executive director of Activate Food Arizona, shares stories about being impacted by food security during her Phoenix childhood and her passion to eliminate barriers for others. The podcast conversation ranges from mobile markets to school lunches to EBT cards to local farmers. [Listen]
Five Fellows honored with 2024 Flinn-Brown Awards
The 2024 Flinn-Brown Awards have been given to five Fellows: 2014 Fellow Ben Henderson (Jack Jewett Award), 2017 Fellow Sarah Rose Webber (Network Builder Award), 2018 Fellow Kate Morley (Northern Arizona Champion), 2019 Fellow Jaclyn Boyes (Central Arizona Champion), and 2022 Fellow Reetika Dhawan (Southern Arizona Champion). The awards were announced during the annual Flinn-Brown Convention in August.
The individual winners of the Flinn-Brown Awards have made significant contributions to Arizona as state-government advisers, elected officials, agency executives, and policy experts—and have played important roles in strengthening their communities and the Flinn-Brown Network. [Read more]
Early childhood education, forming connections a passion for Fellow Sherri Jones
Sherri Jones, a 2022 Flinn-Brown Fellow from San Tan Valley, is a Florence Unified School District Governing Board member and development director for Rural Arizona Engagement in Pinal County.
Between 2002 and 2017, Jones drove almost 500,000 miles around rural Arizona advocating for early childhood education while she worked for the Association for Supportive Child Care. Her unwavering love for rural Arizona and early childhood education intersected perfectly at the Florence school board, which she was elected to in 2020. Jones said she always uses her voice to make sure people are reaching for network growth throughout Arizona. [Read more]
Fellow Chip Davis, a fourth generation Arizonan with nearly 40 years of service to Yavapai County
Chip Davis is a fourth generation Arizonan who has a passion for the state and its unique politics. Davis grew up in a cattle ranching family and the art has instilled in him a deep appreciation for Arizona and its people. Davis says his moral principles are strong and he makes sure to carry them with him as he navigates local politics.
The 2012 Flinn-Brown Fellow from Prescott has served as Yavapai County Treasurer since 2020 and is seeking re-election this fall. He served five terms as a county supervisor between 1997 and 2016 and was initially hired by the county in 1986. [Read more]
Fellow Gina Roberts talks voter education in Leadership Forward podcast
Gina Roberts, a 2019 Flinn-Brown Fellow from Scottsdale and voter education director at Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission, speaks about her time spent in election administration, the cruciality of voter education, a partnership with the Arizona Media Association and the role that the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission plays in Arizona politics. Bonus: Learn which Hogwarts house she’d most like to be assigned to.
This is the ninth episode of the Leadership for a Better Arizona podcast by the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership at the Flinn Foundation. Learn more about the most important issues facing Arizona from Flinn-Brown Fellows. [Listen]
Fellow Tammy Caputi’s determination leads to successful business, service to Scottsdale
Tammy Caputi is the president and owner of Yale Electric West, Inc., a lighting and electrical supply distributing company. From the beginning, the 2019 Flinn-Brown Fellow never let the demographics of her predominantly male industry be a crutch, or something that could define the success of her business.
Meanwhile, Caputi’s compassion for Scottsdale and Arizona has driven her time as a Scottsdale City Councilwoman. Caputi, who is seeking her second term on the council this fall, felt there was a need for open-mindedness and balance. [Read more]
Arizona Center for Civic Leadership welcomes its 2024 Flinn-Brown Fellows
The Arizona Center for Civic Leadership at the Flinn Foundation’s leadership program—dedicated to state-level policy and politics and forging professional connections—has selected 28 Arizonans as 2024 Flinn-Brown Fellows.
The 16th cohort of the nonpartisan Flinn-Brown Fellowship includes leaders from the private and public sector, elected officials, founders of nonprofit organizations and companies, physicians, lawyers, educators and more.
The 2024 Fellows will participate in the fall Flinn-Brown Academy, an intensive public policy institute, which begins with the Flinn-Brown Convention. The Flinn-Brown Network now includes 465 Fellows from rural, urban, and tribal communities. [Read more]
News and Updates
Civic Leadership
August 2024 Network News
A heartfelt thank you to all the Flinn-Brown Fellows who joined us at this year’s Convention. Your energy, ideas and commitment to Arizona’s future made this year particularly special.
Civic Leadership
Flinn-Brown Fellow Sherri Jones
Originally from the East Coast, Sherri Jones’ found her path to Arizona by way of a yellow brick road studded with the promise of sunshine and a maroon and gold education.
Civic Leadership
July 2024 Network News
As I write to you today, I’m amid our annual summer family vacation. Currently, at sunset, I’m enjoying some quiet time, sitting on an Adirondack chair, gazing out at the sea from a beachside cottage in Depoe Bay, Oregon, happily watching some contented seals basking lazily on the rocks.
Civic Leadership
Fellow Chip Davis, a fourth generation Arizonan with nearly 40 years of service to Yavapai County
Chip Davis is a fourth generation Arizonan who has a passion for the state and its unique politics. Davis grew up in a cattle ranching family and the art has instilled in him a deep appreciation for Arizona and its people.
For information about Civic Leadership, please contact:
civicleadership@flinn.org or (602) 744-6832
