Fellows Profiles

David Garcia

2011 Fellow | Associate Professor, Arizona State University | Maricopa

(Feb. 28, 2024) David Garcia is an associate professor at Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College in the division of educational leadership and innovation, and director of the Arizona Education Policy Initiative at ASU. He utilizes his expertise in research through writing and his teachings. The Flinn-Brown Fellow in 2022 published his book, “Teach Truth to Power; How to Engage in Education Policy,” which serves to better the public’s understanding on how to utilize research and academics to influence policy. [Read more]

Dave Engelthaler

2022 Fellow | Director, Professor, TGen North | Coconino

(Jan. 31, 2024) The 2022 Flinn-Brown Fellow previously served as the Arizona State Epidemiologist and the Arizona Biodefense Coordinator and has used his vast knowledge in microbial genomics to research diseases such as COVID-19, tuberculosis, MRSA, and valley fever. Engelthaler said the Flinn-Brown Fellowship turns out better and more informed politicians while simultaneously providing enrichment for citizens through leadership development. [Read more]

Benah Parker

2011 Fellow | Executive Coach and Author, Level 42 Consulting | Maricopa

(Dec. 21, 2023) Benah Parker, a social psychologist, author, and executive coach with Level 42 Consulting, helps high-performing leaders identify their blind spots and uncover what’s missing while integrating applied psychology to help leaders live a life that is aligned with their dreams. Parker, a 2011 Flinn-Brown Fellow from Gilbert and a member of the inaugural Flinn-Brown class, said if we focus on becoming our best selves—the best leaders, community members, family members, engaged citizens, consumers, whatever—we can be, the positive ripple effects are limitless. [Read more]

Clare Aslan

2017 Fellow | Director, School of Earth and Sustainability, Northern Arizona University | Coconino

(Nov. 10, 2023) Clare Aslan leads a large research group focused on sustainability science at Northern Arizona University and offers training to the next generation of sustainability professionals, environmental scientists, hydrologists, and geologists. Aslan, a 2017 Flinn-Brown Fellow and Flinn Scholar alum, is the director of the School of Earth and Sustainability at NAU and co-director of the NAU Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes. Aslan connects with underserved communities by engaging students in transformative and experiential education, opening new growth opportunities for them, and linking them with the ecosystems of northern Arizona. Her research links to Arizona’s public policy by emphasizing resource management, sustainable agriculture, and fire preparedness and mitigation. [Read more]


Fernando Shipley

2011 Fellow | Owner/Agent, State Farm; Councilman, City of Globe; Governing Board Member, Gila Community College | Gila

(Oct. 2, 2023) Fernando Shipley is dedicated to a number of public service roles in Gila County: Globe City Council for 15 years including four years as mayor plus the governing boards of Gila Community College and Cobre Valley Regional Medical Center. He is also a member of the First Things First Gila Regional Partnership Council and the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority’s Federal Programs Committee. He is also a State Farm agent in Globe. The 2011 Flinn-Brown Fellow says if we truly want to make progress, we need to sit down and talk to each other, not make policy in a silo and then expect everyone to accept it blindly. [Read more]


Sean Berens

2016 Fellow | Senior Counsel, Office of General Counsel, Governor’s Office | Maricopa

(July 31, 2023) Sean Berens works in the Office of General Counsel for Gov. Katie Hobbs, where he provides analysis of both existing and proposed policy in a wide range of different subjects, with a focus on housing and water issues.

Berens is a Flinn-Brown Fellow from Phoenix who was an attorney in private practice before joining the Governor’s Office as senior counsel. Berens said in his role he glimpses the human impact of nearly every policy area. He hopes to see civic health strengthened by Arizonans joining boards and commissions, task forces, and councils. [Read more]


Yvette-Marie Margaillan

2020 Fellow | CEO & Clinical Director, Autism Pediatrics | Pima

(June 28, 2023) Yvette-Marie Margaillan serves as CEO and clinical director of Autism Pediatrics in Tucson, which provides therapeutic health-care services and advocates for public policy initiatives that help increase access to health care. Margaillan says her work focuses on bridging the health-literacy gap to increase early intervention services and reduce the need for lifelong care among individuals with developmental disorders.

The 2020 Flinn-Brown Fellow is also leading an initiative of the World Economic Forum in Arizona. She said the Tucson hub will engage in various collaborative projects by connecting youth to mentors with a goal to engage civic leaders in the process. [Read more]


Brittney Kaufmann

2013 Fellow | Chief Executive Officer, Health System Alliance of Arizona | Maricopa 

(May 25, 2023) 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 says numerous times she has reached out through the Flinn-Brown Network to ask for help and resources or make mutually beneficial connections. [Read more


Christina Spicer

2013 Fellow | Co-Chief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council | Maricopa
Flinn-Brown Fellow Christina Spicer

(April 28, 2023) 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]


John Garcia III

2012 Fellow | Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of Education | Washington, D.C.

(March 30, 2023) 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. 

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]


Benjamin Taylor

2019 Fellow | Attorney, Partner; Taylor & Gomez Law, LLP | Maricopa

(Feb. 28, 2023) Benjamin Taylor, a 2019 Flinn-Brown Fellow from Phoenix, is a personal-injury, civil-rights, and criminal-defense attorney who is the president-elect of the Arizona State Bar Board of Governors. He is a member of the committee that selects people who interview potential Superior Court and Appellate Court judges.   

Taylor’s passion is ensuring that our legal system gives everyone an equal opportunity. He also believes we need to respect everyone’s opinion and figure out a way to work together so that we all succeed. [Read more]


Ryan Gregg

2015 Fellow | President, Gregg Global Group | Maricopa
Flinn-Brown Fellow Ryan Gregg

(Jan. 31, 2023) Ryan Gregg, a 2015 Flinn-Brown Fellow from Scottsdale, is the president of Gregg Global Group, a global advisory company that serves both the public and private sector with expertise in proactive and incident related cybersecurity services, regulatory compliance, and a comprehensive suite of solutions surrounding litigation and regulatory investigation related discovery and data analytics.

Gregg said being a member of the Flinn-Brown Network has provided a deep understanding of our state’s history and challenges, along with access to a network of esteemed leaders who keep him on top of current challenges we face as a state. [Read more]


Ryan Smith

2013 Fellow | Director of Communications and Government Relations, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport | Maricopa

(Dec. 21, 2022) Ryan Smith leads communications and government relations for Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. The 2013 Flinn-Brown Fellow works to ensure Gateway’s positive impact on the community and contribution to economic development, and finds himself interacting with policymakers and regulators at all levels of government, from local municipalities to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Smith says being part of the Fellows Network provides a common bond with other leaders as they come together to address challenges. [Read more]


Matthew Herman

2019 Fellow | Councilman, City of Casa Grande; General Manager, Norris RV | Pinal

(Nov. 29, 2022) Matthew Herman is the general manager of his family’s RV dealership and repair shop in Casa Grande, Norris RV. The 2019 Flinn-Brown Fellow and third-generation Arizonan also serves on the Casa Grande City Council, where he weighs the needs of all stakeholders in setting public policy for his community. Herman has served on the council since 2008.

Herman, a lifelong resident of Casa Grande, said the Flinn-Brown Network has been invaluable, especially helping the Pinal County resident feel more connected to statewide policy and decision-making and enabling him to make a difference.  [Read more]


Reyna Montoya

2020 Fellow | CEO and founder of Aliento | Gilbert

(Oct. 31, 2022) Reyna Montoya is a social entrepreneur, community organizer, educator, and dancer who works to advance justice for immigrant communities. She is the founder and CEO of Aliento, which serves undocumented, DACA, and mixed-immigration status families.

Montoya, a 2020 Flinn-Brown Fellow from Gilbert, said that she sees great opportunity to invest in the civic education and participation of Arizonans beyond elections, helping to ensure that residents feel able to participate in their communities. [Read more]


Cecilia McCollough

2018 Fellow | Mayor, Town of Wellton | Yuma

(Sept. 30, 2022) The Honorable Cecilia McCollough was first appointed as mayor of Wellton in 2014 and was recently re-elected for another term. The 2018 Flinn-Brown Fellow said because Wellton, a community of mostly retirees, does not have the resources that larger urban areas have, the connections with local, county, and state leaders have been important to create solutions.

Currently, Mayor McCollough is working on a team to pursue grants for Wellton for after-school STEM-related programs and activities. She said collaboration in the southwest Arizona region is key to bringing a unified voice on regional issues, plus it has allowed for the sharing of best practices. [Read more]


JP Martin

2017 Fellow | Director of Small Business and Community Engagement, City
of Tucson | Pima

(Aug. 30, 2022) JP Martin is the director of small business and community engagement for the city of Tucson, where Martin says he works to use the power granted by the state to organize leadership and change policies that build a consensus of diverse and popular voices. Martin said he works with neighborhood associations and plans to create and support the first municipal participatory-budgeting process in Arizona.

The 2017 Flinn-Brown Fellow said the Flinn-Brown Network provides a platform for Fellows to exchange values as effective and ethical public stewards who carry out critical governance decisions. [Read more]


Nicholas Vasquez

2016 Fellow | Emergency Physician, Envision Healthcare | Maricopa
Fellow Nicholas Vasquez Headshot

(July 28, 2022) Dr. Nicholas Vasquez is an emergency physician at Envision Healthcare in the East Valley who sees a link between public policy and who shows up as his patients, with insurance coverage decisions, rental assistance, food insecurity, and evictions among the many issues faced by his patient population.

Vasquez, a 2016 Flinn-Brown Fellow from Chandler, said the Flinn-Brown Network has been helpful in his role as chair of the Vitalyst Health Foundation board of trustees by identifying potential board members and staff. [Read more]


Amanda Lomayesva

2015 Fellow | General Counsel, Casino Del Sol Resort | Pima
Amanda Lomayesva

(June 23, 2022) Amanda Lomayesva is the general counsel for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe’s Gaming and Tribal Enterprise Divisions, Casino Del Sol, AVA Amphitheater, and Sewailo Golf Club. In her position, Lomayesva advises the enterprises, reviews agreements, and works on gaming compact related issues.

The 2015 Flinn-Brown Fellow believes working toward full engagement in the election process, making sure Arizona keeps voting as accessible to all Arizonans, including tribal members and those living in remote parts of the state, is of utmost importance and an important opportunity. [Read more]


Rep. Morgan Abraham

2014 Fellow | Member, Arizona House of Representatives | Pima

(May 25, 2022) Morgan Abraham is a member of the Arizona House of Representatives representing LD-10 in Tucson. He is also managing partner at ABECAP, a real estate investment firm specializing in affordable housing development, and an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Abraham says the Flinn-Brown Network has enabled him to call on friends who are subject area experts for advice on bills introduced at the Arizona Legislature. The 2014 Flinn-Brown Fellow from Tucson says bipartisan groups like Flinn-Brown are the key to strengthening civic health and exactly what our country needs. [Read more]


Michelle Hess

2013 Fellow | Executive Director, Leadership West Inc., Buckeye City Council | Maricopa
Michelle Hess

(April 29, 2022) Michelle Hess exercises leadership in two domains: as a member of the Buckeye City Council, and as executive director of Leadership West, which builds connections among West Valley leaders and supports them in addressing the most important issues facing their communities. In both roles, she emphasizes adaptiveness, flexibility, receptiveness, and communication to build working relationships with all parties. [Read more]


Frances Sjoberg

2012 Fellow | Principal Attorney, Economic and Community Development Unit, Navajo Nation Department of Justice | Maricopa

(March 29, 2022) Frances Sjoberg recently left private practice at Lewis Roca to work in-house as a principal attorney for Navajo Nation Department of Justice’s Economic and Community Development Unit. She assists the Nation with gaming compact implementation, advises on election matters, and works to facilitate, finance, foster, and further business and economic activity on the Navajo Nation.

Sjoberg, a 2012 Flinn-Brown Fellow, said public policy is critical to every facet of her work as she advises on legislation, supports intergovernmental negotiations, and coordinates teams to further policy objectives. Her goal is to find a win-win in even the most intractable problems. [Read more]


Frank McCune

2011 Fellow | Director of Government Relations, City of Phoenix | Maricopa

(Feb. 23, 2022) Frank McCune is the director of government relations for the city of Phoenix. In this role, he confers with the mayor, council members, city leadership and department heads to build and represent the city of Phoenix’s legislative priorities for the regional, state, and federal levels of government.

McCune, a 2011 Flinn-Brown Fellow, said public policy makers, business and community leaders, and neighborhood activists must create from consensus to form meaningful public policy. McCune said the Flinn-Brown Fellowship is helping to address the social connectedness and community engagement required for civic health. [Read more]


Kimulet Winzer

2011 Fellow | Director, SunHawk Consulting, LLC | Maricopa

(Jan. 24, 2022) Kimulet Winzer’s work is to advise, direct and counsel as well as to educate, train and strategize. She has served as a health care compliance professional and also as a member of a First Things First regional council.

Winzer, a 2011 Flinn-Brown Fellow from Phoenix, said her work provides impact in public policy by facilitating conversations at all levels and providing information, resources, tools, and connections to help move forward faster. There are opportunities to strengthen civic health in Arizona, Winzer said, by expanding conversations about civic health in more meaningful ways while partnering with organizations. [Read more]


Quintin Boyce

2019 Fellow | Superintendent, Roosevelt School District | Maricopa

(Dec. 20, 2021) Quintin Boyce is the superintendent of the Roosevelt School District in south Phoenix, which includes 20 schools, about 7,500 students, and more than 1,000 employees.

Boyce, a 2019 Flinn-Brown Fellow, said it is never too early to learn about civic engagement—whether intentionally developing opportunities for young people to be engaged with efforts such as school level participatory budgeting or creating democratic systems in our schools. He said the future of our state’s civic health starts with young people. [Read more]


Elyse Guidas

2019 Fellow | Executive Director, Activate Food Arizona | Maricopa County

(Nov. 29, 2021) Elyse Guidas connects food to people, in both urban and rural communities throughout Arizona, as executive director of Activate Food Arizona. The organization’s flagship program is Farm Express, a mini fleet of mobile produce markets that provide affordable food options in neighborhoods with limited access to healthy food.

Guidas, a 2019 Flinn-Brown Fellow from Phoenix, says food offers a unique opportunity for Arizonans to come together over a myriad of social and political issues. She says our civic health greatly depends on our ability to sustain local, thriving food systems in big and small communities throughout Arizona. [Read more]


Ricky Hernandez

2018 Fellow | Assistant Vice President, Financial Operations, Alumni & Development, University of Arizona | Pima County

(Nov. 1, 2021) Ricky Hernandez serves as assistant vice president of University Alumni & Development Program Financial Operations for the University of Arizona Foundation. He manages and controls the coordination of all accounting, budgeting, auditing, and financial operations functions to ensure the financial integrity of the University Alumni & Development Program.

Hernandez, a 2018 Flinn-Brown Fellow from Tucson, has worked in public finance for over 18 years in Arizona—in both K-12 and higher education in roles that required him to be a strong steward and advocate for the resources that support educating Arizona’s students. [Read more]


Robert Navarro

2017 Fellow | Deputy Director of Operations for Support Services, Arizona Department of Child Safety | Maricopa

(Sept. 24, 2021) Robert Navarro serves as deputy director of operations for support services for the Arizona Department of Child Safety, which includes oversight of the department’s budget, business operations, comprehensive health plan, and information technology to ensure the front-line staff and vendors have the tools needed to serve Arizona families effectively and efficiently.

Navarro, a 2017 Flinn-Brown Fellow from Chandler, supports opportunities for the public to engage in learning about government programs and services, as well as the government itself, to drive a more constructive conversation regarding civics in Arizona. [Read more]


Kathryn Leonard

2016 Fellow |  State Historic Preservation Officer | Maricopa

(Aug. 23, 2021) Kathryn Leonard was appointed by Gov. Doug Ducey in September 2016 to the role of state historic preservation officer, where Leonard administers the State Historic Register and the State Historic Preservation Act and works with both state and federal agencies to help conserve and enhance Arizona’s rich heritage. 

Leonard, a 2016 Flinn-Brown Fellow, has found that most people agree that we have a beautiful state with rich history that is worthy of preservation. She believes historic preservation projects and initiatives provide the perfect backdrop for civic engagement as the very enterprise of preservation is to make the past relevant for the future. [Read more]


Sarah Benatar

2015 Fellow | Coconino County Treasurer | Coconino

(July 30, 2021) Sarah Benatar, a 2015 Flinn-Brown Fellow, was elected as Coconino County Treasurer in 2016 and again in 2020. Benatar says serving in elected office has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of her life, and all Flinn-Brown Fellows running for office should remember the passion and values that drive them.

Benatar’s office collects property tax, manages investment portfolios, and serves as the custodian of public monies for all taxing entities located within Coconino County, impacting the overall fiscal health of its schools, public safety, hospitals, and water and fire districts. [Read more]


Blaise Caudill

2014 Fellow | Public Affairs Analyst, Southwest Gas Corp. | Maricopa

(July 1, 2021) Blaise Caudill, a 2014 Flinn-Brown Fellow, is a public affairs analyst for Southwest Gas Corporation. Caudill serves as a problem-solving catalyst for the utility’s customers and provides education on what Southwest Gas is doing on key emerging issues within energy such as renewable natural gas and carbon-negative energy.

Caudill says the favorite aspect of what he does is being able to genuinely engage with and meet people from all walks of life. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University and a master’s degree from Arizona State University. [Read more]


Karen Francis-Begay

2013 Fellow | Assistant Vice Provost for Native American Initiatives, University of Arizona | Pima

(May 29, 2021) Karen Francis-Begay is a citizen of the Navajo Nation and Assistant Vice Provost for Native American Initiatives at the University of Arizona. Francis-Begay, a 2013 Flinn-Brown Fellow, coordinates and supports the Native student programs and Native faculty and works closely with Enrollment Management, Student Success & Retention Innovation, and Faculty Affairs.

Public policy has been a vital part of her career in higher education. She graduated from the Eller College of Management at UArizona in public administration and earned a master’s degree in American Indian studies, and now is close to completing a doctorate in higher education. [Read More]


Joanne Osborne

2012 Fellow | Member, Arizona House of Representatives | Maricopa

(April 23, 2021) Rep. Joanne Osborne, a 2012 Flinn-Brown Fellow from Goodyear representing Legislative District 13, talks about the importance of listening to people’s concerns and being a part of the community as one prepares to run for office.

Osborne, who previously served on the Goodyear City Council, is a supporter of a bill to benefit the state’s parks, trails, and historic places. She is also a supporter of the Flinn-Brown Network, which she credits for success in her first run for the Arizona Legislature. [Read More]


Daniel Hernandez

2011 Fellow | Member, Arizona House of Representatives | Pima

(March 25, 2021) Rep. Daniel Hernandez, a 2011 Flinn-Brown Fellow, talks about his role as a state legislator and discusses the importance of the Flinn-Brown Network.

Hernandez said one of his favorite hobbies is helping people explore running for office, whether it is a school board, municipal, county or state office. Hernandez, who represents Legislative District 2 in the House serving alongside Flinn-Brown Fellows, said he is constantly working with other Fellows on legislation and community partnerships. [Read More]


Alberto Olivas

2011 Fellow | Executive Director, Pastor Center for Politics & Public Service at Arizona State University | Maricopa

(Feb. 17, 2021) Alberto Olivas, a 2011 Flinn-Brown Fellow from the inaugural cohort, talks about his role as executive director of the Congressman Ed Pastor Center for Politics & Public Service at Arizona State University.

Olivas said a high priority for the Pastor Center is to keep the congressman’s legacy alive by engaging students from across the ideological spectrum and from all disciplines to engage each other effectively and learn how to work through differences to achieve common ground objectives. [Read More]


Ben Henderson

2014 Fellow | Director of Operations and Cabinet Affairs at Colorado Governor’s Office

(Nov. 23, 2020) Ben Henderson currently serves as the director of operations and cabinet affairs for Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado. He is the day-to-day liaison to the cabinet, managing all state-agency operations while fostering a one-team mindset across the entire executive branch.

Ben has spent the last decade working in city and state government focusing on budgeting, economic development, and public administration. He lives in Denver with his fiancée and dog and is a huge marching-band nerd. [Read More]


Kate Morley

2018 Fellow | Deputy General Manager, Mountain Line| Coconino

(Oct. 23, 2020) Flinn-Brown Fellow Kate Morley enjoys promoting public transportation across northern Arizona, which she says enables her to play a role in a wide range of issues facing the state and actively engage on them.

Morley is the deputy general manager of Mountain Line, which provides transit service in the Flagstaff area. In her career as a planner and transportation executive, Morley has been motivated by getting people physically active and improving health. [Read More]


David Martinez III

2011 Fellow | Director, Capacity Building & Community Engagement, Vitalyst Health Foundation | Maricopa

(Sept. 22, 2020) Flinn-Brown Fellow David Martinez III serves as director of capacity building and community engagement at Vitalyst Health Foundation, working with community-based leaders, organizations, and coalitions to increase capacity and civic participation and improve the health of Arizonans.

Martinez (2011), a University of Arizona graduate, previously worked for the Center for the Future of Arizona and St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance and is involved with the Arizona Community Foundation’s Center for LGBTQ Philanthropy and the Desert Botanical Garden. [Read More]


Lisa Urias

2011 Fellow | Managing Partner, CoNecs North America | Maricopa

(Aug. 7, 2020) Lisa Urias launched Urias Communications in 2006 to provide strategic advertising, public-relations, and creative services to various Fortune 1000 clients, large nonprofit organizations, and government agencies throughout the U.S. and in Mexico.

A member of the first Flinn-Brown cohort, Urias (2011) also serves as a board member of Greater Phoenix Leadership, Arizona Community Foundation, and the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. [Read More]


Kevin Bonine

2014 Fellow | Director of Education and Outreach, University of Arizona | Pima

(July 17, 2020) Flinn-Brown Fellow Kevin Bonine  is director of education at Biosphere 2 and a science-faculty member in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Arizona. 

Bonine (2014) writes about how he serves southern Arizona nonprofits, the K-12 education system, and UArizona, the impact of COVID-19 on Biosphere 2 and Tucson, the value of the Flinn-Brown Network, and how his work advances the biosciences, research, and a culture of innovation and creative excellence. [Read More]


Sarah Douthit

2013 Fellow | Chief Probation Officer, Coconino County Adult Probation | Coconino

(June 10, 2020) Flinn-Brown Fellow Sarah Douthit, the chief probation officer for the Coconino County Adult Probation Department in Flagstaff, answers questions about her profession, public policy, the Flinn-Brown Network, the benefits of art, and the impact of COVID-19.

Douthit (2013) has held a variety of positions in the criminal justice system in Arizona and is an active member of the American Probation and Parole Association. She is dedicated to servant leadership in Arizona to promote successful outcomes and healthy communities. [Read More]


Jessica Rigler

2019 Fellow | Assistant Director, Arizona Department of Health Services | Maricopa

(Feb. 3, 2020) Jessica Rigler (2019), who has worked for the Arizona Department of Health Services since 2008 and in her current role as an assistant director since 2018, is responsible for leading the state’s preparedness for an infectious disease outbreak and sharing critical information with the public. 

She has previously led public health responses and public messaging pertaining to the Zika virus, opioid prevention, the 2014 Ebola outbreak, vaccines, the West Nile virus, and the recent Hepatitis A outbreak in Arizona. [Read More]


Sarah Coles

2017 Fellow | Family Physician; Assistant Professor, Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix | Maricopa

(Dec. 18, 2019) Dr. Sarah Coles is caring for the residents of Arizona in countless ways. Coles (2017), a Flinn-Brown Fellow, is a physician, educator, curriculum developer, policy expert, a member of state and national boards, and overall advocate for patient health.

Coles splits time between seeing her own patients as a family-medicine primary-care provider and running the primary-care programs as a faculty member for the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix on the campus of Banner University Medical Center-Phoenix. [Read More]


Diana Gomez

2016 Fellow | Director of Public Health, Yuma County | Yuma

(Nov. 25, 2019) Diana Gomez has spent a lifetime living in—and a career serving—Yuma County.

Gomez has worked for the county’s public health district for 22 years, including the last seven as chief health officer. The 2016 Flinn-Brown Fellow oversees efforts to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, advocate health policies, enforce public health law, and protect against environmental hazards. [Read More]


Chad Marchand

2011 Fellow | Vice President, National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development | Pima

(April 22, 2019) Chad Marchand is a businessman and economic developer, a broker and networker, a community and civic leader, and a multi-degreed student with a zeal for spreading educational opportunities for Native Americans.

The 2011 Flinn-Brown Fellow is director of business development and the Community Development Financial Institution Program for the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development at its national headquarters in Mesa. His dedication to Native Americans and indigenous people has led him to pursue jobs working alongside entrepreneurs and businesspeople and assisting tribes impacted by climate change. [Read More]


Marie Raymond

2017 Fellow | Human Services Manager, City of Tempe | Maricopa

(Nov. 2, 2018) The success of young children has been a passion for Marie Raymond through a career that has taken her from the Rhode Island Philharmonic to the cities of Scottsdale, Mesa, and Tempe.

Raymond, a 2017 Flinn-Brown Fellow, oversees education and senior services for the city of Tempe as human services manager and is active on the national, state, regional, and local levels promoting early childhood education. [Read More]


Matt Walsh

2013 Fellow | Intergovernmental and Legislative Liaison, U.S Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, Ft. Huachuca | Cochise

(Sept. 18, 2018) Matt Walsh describes Fort Huachuca, where he serves as the executive liaison assistant to the installation Commanding General on federal and state-level public-policy issues, as “not on the beaten path to anywhere.”

The 2013 Flinn-Brown Fellow, a civilian employee for the past 25 years at Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista in southeastern Arizona, has spent the past 15 years in a role that elevates awareness and provides education about the United States Army installation and its assets to Arizona’s policymakers from the Governor’s Office to the Arizona Legislature to the U.S. Congress. [Read More]


Joe Hughes

2014 Fellow | Managing Director, Global Government Affairs, American Airlines | Maricopa

(Aug. 13, 2018) Since being elected as a Safford city councilman at a young age, Joe Hughes has been immersed in the inner workings of all levels of government.

Hughes, a 2014 Flinn-Brown Fellow, has spent most of his career working in government relations representing transportation and construction interests, currently working for American Airlines, and is a fixture in the state’s leading business and policy organizations. [Read More]


Candida Hunter

2017 Fellow | Senior Director of Tribal Affairs, First Things First | Maricopa

(June 12, 2018) Candida Hunter remembers, when she was a young mother, meeting a First Things First representative during a visit to the Hualapai community in northwestern Arizona. The staffer’s personal interest, so genuine that she asked to take a photograph of Hunter’s 2-year-old daughter, caught Hunter’s attention.

The positive experience remained with Hunter, a 2017 Flinn-Brown Fellow, who went on to serve on a First Things First Hualapai Tribe Regional Partnership Council and in 2014 was named the senior director of tribal affairs for the statewide system. She works out of her Kingman and Phoenix offices. [Read More]


Drew John

2014 Fellow | Graham

(April 19, 2018) Arizona Rep. Drew John talks about his constituents as the coaches, family, and friends he grew up with.

The fourth-generation Arizonan and 2014 Flinn-Brown Fellow, who is serving his first term in the Arizona House of Representatives and planning a run for the state Senate this fall, sees his role as one of protecting the interests of Arizona’s rural counties. [Read More]


Jaime Dempsey

2013 Fellow | Executive Director, Arizona Commission on the Arts | Maricopa

(Feb. 26, 2018) From the time she was very little, Jaime Dempsey knew she was an artist. She trained as an actor and in vocal music and graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in theatre. But while in college, a nonprofit leadership class and the pursuit of a social anthropology minor changed her direction.

Dempsey, a 2013 Flinn-Brown Fellow, is the executive director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts, leading the state agency that provides grants to arts organizations, artists and community groups, promotes public access to the arts, and leads statewide initiatives. [Read More]


Coral Evans

2011 Fellow | Mayor, City of Flagstaff | Coconino

(Nov. 1, 2017) Coral Evans (2011) to this day describes herself as a community organizer, someone who likes advocating for neighborhoods that she says are being overlooked, impacted negatively by policy decisions, or in need of services.

The Flagstaff native, whose family first arrived in northern Arizona nearly a century ago, was elected to the Flagstaff City Council in 2008 and again in 2012. In 2016, she ran for and was elected mayor of Flagstaff. [Read More]


Joanne Keene

2016 Fellow | Deputy County Manager, Coconino County | Coconino

(Oct. 6, 2017) Joanne Keene learned early on, as a legislative intern in the governor’s office and broadcast journalism student, that she was drawn to public policy and its importance and impact on the state.

In the two decades since graduating from Northern Arizona University, Keene (2016) has worked for Coconino County, NAU, the Arizona Governor’s Office, U.S. congressmen, the Arizona Department of Water Resources, and in the private sector. Keene has also been appointed to state boards and commissions and serves on the boards of statewide and regional organizations. [Read More]


Cynthia Aragon

2015 Fellow | Chief of Staff, Arizona House of Representatives | Maricopa

(July 19, 2017) By 2014, Cynthia Aragon had worked alongside lawmakers at the Arizona Legislature for several years—but had never actually voted for any of them.

But that year, she became a United States citizen and exercised her right to vote for the first time. Aragon (2015) is the chief of staff for the House Democratic Caucus and a one-time community organizer who has worked on many high-profile issues in Arizona. [Read More]


Sharon Carpenter

2016 Fellow | Policy Advisor for Natural Resources, Arizona House of Representatives | Maricopa

(June 20, 2017) While a student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, majoring in aviation environmental science, Sharon Carpenter (2016) never envisioned working at the Arizona Legislature.

But she needed to have an internship to graduate, and received an email advertising an internship program with the Arizona Legislature. She applied and was accepted, and today plays a key role by providing sophisticated research and analysis to the legislators as an Arizona House of Representatives legislative research analyst. [Read More]


Juan Ciscomani

2016 Fellow | Senior Advisor for Regional and International Affairs, Arizona Governor’s Office | Pima

(May 9, 2017) Juan Ciscomani (2011) started his day with a breakfast event in Tucson, met with agricultural leaders in Yuma for lunch, and attended a program in Phoenix that evening with the Mexican ambassador before driving back to his Tucson home.

Welcome to the life of the senior advisor for regional and international affairs for Gov. Doug Ducey. Ciscomani, a Flinn-Brown Fellow, has served on Ducey’s senior staff since being named director of the Southern Arizona Office in March 2015. [Read More]


Cheyenne Walsh

2013 Fellow | Founder, Cheyenne Walsh PLC | Maricopa

(Oct. 6, 2016) Cheyenne Walsh (2013) knows that in the public’s mind, lobbyists are not very well thought of.

But she doesn’t view the role in a negative way, and not just because it’s a career she loves, representing clients at the state capitol, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small independent businesses to trade and professional associations. [Read More]


Teniqua Broughton

2013 Fellow | Executive Director, The State of Black Arizona | Maricopa

(Sept. 22, 2016) For Teniqua Broughton, a leader in the Valley’s arts and African-American communities, her true passion is exposing others to the programs.

Broughton (2013) is the founder and CEO of VerveSimone Consulting, serves as director of The State of Black Arizona, is a longtime Desert Botanical Garden board member, creator of its Monarch Society and Council for young and mid-career professionals, and a former manager at Arizona State University Gammage. [Read More]


Diana Rhoades

2013 Fellow | Public Policy & Community Engagement Strategist | Out-of-State

(Aug. 30, 2016) Diana Rhoades (2013) has long been an advocate on behalf of parks and wildlands—whether it’s a large national forest or a small neighborhood park—through a career spent crafting public policy and strategic messaging.

As a National Park Service Urban Fellow for Tucson and Saguaro National Park, Rhoades’ mission during her two-year term is to introduce people who may have never visited a national park to new outdoor experiences, promote a national park’s health benefits to city dwellers, and reach out specifically to Latino and other minority communities. [Read More]


Gilberto ‘Gil’ Villegas

2014 Fellow | Chief Financial Officer/ Director, Yuma County | Yuma

(Aug. 22, 2016) For most of his life, Gilberto “Gil” Villegas rarely had politics on his mind.

The Yuma County deputy chief financial officer, who runs the operations of the county finance department, says after participating in Flinn-Brown he emerged as a political devotee. Villegas (2014) also serves as treasurer of a Yuma nonprofit organization that provides educational and literacy services to those aged 16 and older. [Read More]


Kim Hartmann

2015 Fellow | Chief Executive Officer, KCH Solutions, LLC | Maricopa

(Aug. 16, 2016) Over a cup of coffee, an associate told Kim Hartmann (2015) that she had heard being on the Scottsdale Unified School District governing board was the most thankless job in the world. Hartmann responded: “Absolutely, you are right, but it’s also the best job I have ever had.”

Her first time running for office earned her a seat on the five-person SUSD governing board that oversees 30 elementary, middle, and high schools, and more than 24,000 students. [Read More]


Stuart Noggle

2015 Fellow | Chief Technology Officer, Woz ED | Pinal

(Aug. 11, 2016) Stuart Noggle, who is from a rural northeastern Arizona town bordering the Navajo Nation, has been a multifaceted leader in his community.

Noggle (2015) has worked to inspire students and teachers at the Sanders Unified School District and was named the 2012 Apache County Teacher of the Year for his efforts. Noggle runs an organization to benefit local youth, serves as an information-technology consultant, and has promoted positive developments in and around Sanders. [Read More]


Amanda Stone

2015 Fellow | Intergovernmental Affairs Director, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality | Pima

(May 19, 2016) As a college student, Amanda Stone (2015) went door-to-door in polluted neighborhoods, providing information and guidance to families affected by contamination.

She was then a community-outreach intern with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Today, more than two decades later, Stone is the chief policy and legislative affairs officer for the state agency, working with the governor’s office, legislators, and stakeholders on specific bills and the agency’s budget. [Read More]


Brett Rustand

2011 Fellow | Vice President, Crest Insurance Group | Pima

(May 16, 2016) After nearly a decade of service in the U.S. Army, Brett Rustand returned to Tucson in 2008 ready to move on to the next phase of his life.

But as time went by, the retired Army captain began to see military veterans who were struggling, and he felt a need to help those suffering from mental-health and physical challenges. Rustand (2011), an insurance executive, has served on the Veterans Advisory Commission of the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services and is active in nonprofits assisting veterans. [Read More]


Lea Márquez Peterson

2011 Fellow | Arizona Corporation Commissioner, Arizona Corporation Commission | Pima

(May 4, 2016) Lea Márquez Peterson likes owning and running her own business. And she enjoys promoting businesses both big and small, helping them expand their workforce and market.

Márquez Peterson (2011), president and CEO of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce since 2009, is an influential Arizona business leader who was a close advisor to Doug Ducey’s gubernatorial campaign, and later appointed by the governor as co-chair of the Arizona Zanjeros business-ambassador organization. [Read More]


Mignonne Hollis

2013 Fellow | Executive Director, Arizona Regional Economic Development Foundation | Cochise

(April 18, 2016) From the time Mignonne Hollis was a senior at Tombstone High School—graduating-class size: 28—she believed the key to her success was to make connections outside of Cochise County. She would attend events in Tucson and Phoenix to seek out scholarships and other opportunities.

Today, her mindset is much the same, as Hollis (2013) spends her time promoting the economic-development interests of the rural southern Arizona county she still proudly calls home as executive director of the Arizona Regional Economic Development Foundation (AREDF). [Read More]


Kevin Hartke

2014 Fellow | Mayor, City of Chandler | Maricopa

(July 17, 2015) You can call Kevin Hartke pastor, director, or vice mayor, since his days include at once ministry, municipal policymaking, and leading a social-service initiative, among many other roles.

Helping people is the simple motivation for his multi-faceted career. Hartke (2014) began his ministry at the Trinity Christian Fellowship in Chandler in 1985 and has been the senior pastor since 1992. His service there is magnified by directing For Our City Chandler, a faith initiative bringing faith communities, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and governments together to solve community issues and improve quality of life. [Read More]