The Fellows Council plays a vital role in strengthening and enhancing the Flinn-Brown experience. Comprised of Fellows from across the state, they serve as ambassadors for the program in their region, lead the planning of the annual Flinn-Brown Convention, promote the Flinn-Brown Network, and advise on the continual programmatic improvements of the Flinn-Brown Fellowship. The council is instrumental in fostering engagement and ensuring the program’s continued impact.
The members of the Fellows Council are:
Bill Regner (Chair)
Professional Coach
The Regner Group
2018 Flinn-Brown Fellow
LinkedIn
Bill retired from the Clarkdale Town Council in November 2022 after serving 12 and a half years. He continues to work on behalf of the town on transportation and historic preservation issues.
His professional background includes behavioral health service delivery and management; professional staffing recruitment; commercial sales; political and community campaigns; municipal boards and commissions; and business management. He is the recipient of the 2004 Outstanding Community Leadership Award from the Tempe Leadership Program and Tempe Chamber of Commerce and the 2022 Arizona Center for Civic Leadership Flinn-Brown Network Builder award. Bill is committed to good governance practices and the enfranchisement of voters through open primaries, fair districting, and support of non-party affiliated candidates.
Bill is married to Flinn-Brown Fellow Janet Regner (2017). They have two sons and daughters-in-law and four beautiful grandsons. Bill and Janet enjoy their forever home on a cliffside overlooking the beautiful Verde River and Tuzigoot National Monument in the Verde Valley community of Clarkdale in eastern Yavapai County.
Alesia Ash
Judicial Law Clerk
U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
2015 Flinn-Brown Fellow
LinkedIn
Alesia Ash is an incoming law clerk for the Honorable Rosemary Márquez at the U.S. District Court in Tucson. Before this role, she gained experience as a policymaker and as a staffer for members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. Alesia was elected to the Sierra Vista City Council in 2014, becoming the youngest person ever to earn a seat on the council. She served as Mayor Pro Tem from 2016 to 2018.
Alesia earned her Juris Doctor and Master of Public Administration degrees from the University of Arizona. She also holds a Diplomado in Mexican Public Law and Policy from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and a Bachelor of Science from Arizona State University.
Nicole Barraza
Director of Governance and Outreach
Southern Arizona Leadership Council
2020 Flinn-Brown Fellow
LinkedIn
Nicole P. Barraza is from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. She received her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Wellesley College, and her Master’s and doctorate from Stanford University in Sociolinguistics and Peninsular Literature. After living in different geographic regions in both the United States and Mexico, Nicole moved to Tucson and taught at Pima Community College. She is currently the Director of Governance and Outreach at the Southern Arizona Leadership Council, a public policy organization that works to improve the economic climate and quality of life in Tucson and the state of Arizona. Nicole is passionate about civic engagement and wants to serve where she can have the most impact.
Manuel “Jesse” Galvez
Major
Arizona Department of Public Safety
2023 Flinn-Brown Fellow
LinkedIn
Jesse Galvez is an Arizona native born and raised in Yuma and began his career as a State Trooper with the Arizona Department of Public Safety in 1999. During his career, Jesse has held various leadership positions in administrative and operational assignments in special investigations, public affairs, and highway patrol. Currently, Jesse holds the rank of Major and works from the Agency’s headquarters in Phoenix. Jesse graduated from ASU with a degree in sociology and is also an FBI National Academy and Arizona’s Leaders Connect Program graduate. Jesse loves running with his wife and volunteering at his children’s school.
Elyse Guidas
Executive Director
Activate Food Arizona
2019 Flinn-Brown Fellow
LinkedIn
Elyse Guidas is executive director of Activate Food Arizona, a local nonprofit organization which develops and deploys community-based food system solutions to improve the lives of all Arizonans. AFA has extensive experience in expanding access to healthy, affordable food through cross-sector collaborations and partnerships, most notably via its Farm Express Mobile Market program which launched in 2014. Elyse is also adjunct faculty at the University of Arizona’s Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health where she teaches courses related to public health practice and finance.
Michelle Hess
Executive Director
Leadership West, Inc.
2013 Flinn-Brown Fellow
LinkedIn
Michelle Hess is executive director of Leadership West, Inc., and served on the Buckeye City Council from 2012-2024. A champion for leadership development, Michelle founded the Buckeye Youth Council in 2014 and spearheaded initiatives like making Buckeye a “Read On City” to improve third-grade reading proficiency. She also serves as liaison for the Arizona SciTech Festival, promoting STEAM education and collaboration among key stakeholders. As executive director of Leadership West since 2017, Michelle develops emerging leaders in the West Valley. She is also an alumna of Harvard’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government program.
Alberto Olivas
Executive Director
Arizona State University
2011 Flinn-Brown Fellow
LinkedIn
Alberto Olivas, M.Ed., is the founding executive director of the Congressman Ed Pastor Center for Politics & Public Service at Arizona State University, helping students develop skills for civic and political engagement. He also provides training in civic education, public dialogue, and engagement. Previously, Alberto served as executive director of the Center for Civic Participation for Maricopa Community Colleges, Vice President of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and held leadership roles under Gov. Jane Dee Hull and Arizona Secretary of State Betsy Bayless. He has served on numerous boards, including the National Civic League, Arizona Town Hall, the Arizona Commission of Indian Affairs, and KidsVoting Arizona. Alberto holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from ASU, a master’s degree in education from Northern Arizona University, and is a graduate of the Civic Seminary at Citizen University.
Tamara Prime
Chief Operating Officer
Primavera Foundation
2014 Flinn-Brown Fellow
LinkedIn
Tamara Prime is the chief operating officer for the Primavera Foundation, a Tucson-based NeighborWorks organization that provides pathways out of poverty. She provides strategic leadership, staff guidance and accountable oversight across many lines of business including: emergency services, workforce development, civil rights restoration, financial education and empowerment, home ownership promotion, neighborhood revitalization, and community building and engagement.
Throughout her career in community development, Tamara has consistently advocated for community-driven change and social equity, holding diverse positions across multiple sectors such as: chief of staff for a local elected official; community affairs administrator for the regional’s council of government; project manager for Arizona’s statewide philanthropy serving organization; and director for several nonprofit organizations.
Tamara holds a Master of Arts degree from Prescott College and a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Arizona. She is also a Public Voices Fellow for the Tucson Op Ed Project.
Sarah Rose Webber
Deputy Director
Arizona State Parks and Trails
2017 Flinn-Brown Fellow
LinkedIn
Sarah Webber serves as deputy director of Arizona Parks and Trails, overseeing more than 30 state parks and natural areas, the State Trails Program, the State Historic Preservation Office, and statewide outdoor recreation planning. Previously, she was Arizona’s chief operating officer, managing the governor’s cabinet and operations for more than 37,000 state employees, and deputy COO under Gov. Doug Ducey. Sarah is an Arizona State University faculty associate at Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, a trustee for the Arizona State Retirement System, and a member of the board of directors for the AZ 250 Commission and the Phoenix Theatre Company. Sarah holds a master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Southern Utah University.
