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:
Alesia Ash (Chair)
Judicial Law Clerk
U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
2015 Flinn-Brown Fellow
LinkedIn
Alesia Ash is an attorney at Holland & Hart LLP, where she provides dedicated support to clients navigating environmental and regulatory compliance and litigation matters. She represents clients across various industries in environmental law matters, drawing on her experience in public service to help clients achieve their business goals efficiently and effectively while navigating complex regulatory frameworks.
Prior to joining Holland & Hart, Alesia served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Rosemary Márquez at the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. Before her legal career, she gained valuable experience as a policymaker and congressional staffer, working with 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, and 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.
Teresa Bravo
Senior Government Relations Representative
Tucson Electric Power
2023 Flinn-Brown Fellow
LinkedIn
Teresa Bravo joined Tucson Electric Power/UniSource Energy Services (TEP/UES) in the fall of 2022. Her current role is Senior Government Relations Representative & Tribal Liaison where she works with public and tribal officials and stakeholders to provide communication, coordination, and support on government-related issues. Prior to her current position, she served as the International Program Manager in the Pima County Attractions and Tourism Department where she focused on trade, border, economic development initiatives, as well as other special projects. She also staffed the Arizona Border Counties Coalition. Before that, Teresa worked in the Pima County Economic Development Department, engaging in business attraction and expansion activities on both sides of the United States-Mexico border.
Manuel “Jesse” Galvez
Lt. Colonel
Arizona Department of Public Safety
2023 Flinn-Brown Fellow
LinkedIn
Jesse Galvez is an Arizona native and was born and raised in Yuma. He 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, highway patrol, and he has served as his agency’s Executive Officer. Jesse holds the rank of Lt. Colonel and oversees the Technical Services Division. Jesse graduated from ASU with a degree in sociology and is also an FBI National Academy and Arizona’s Leaders Connect Program graduate. In his spare time, Jesse loves spending time with his family, attending ASU Sun Devil events.
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
Adjunct Faculty
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.
Bill Regner
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.
Lorraine Stofft
Vice President for Advancement
Executive Director, AWC Foundation
Arizona Western College
2024 Flinn-Brown Fellows
LinkedIn
Serving as the Arizona Western College Vice President for Advancement, Lorraine (Lori) Stofft has devoted her career to helping the communities in Yuma and La Paz Counties thrive. She started at the Yuma Sun newspaper, leading marketing projects, event promotions, and research to better connect readers with local businesses. Since 2008, Lori has been part of AWC, where her role has grown to include marketing, communications, research, grants, culture, external funding, and crisis management. She also helped guide the college’s 2018 and 2024 Strategic Planning efforts, engaging thousands of internal and external participants. She holds degrees from Northern Arizona University and West Virginia University and has served in her community through organizations like Yuma County Library District, Girl Scouts, and Visit Yuma. An arts advocate, Lori has fiddled in country and folk bands for 25 years, played in the Yuma Civic Orchestra, and she co-produced a 16-year independent film series. A Tucson native, Lori loves calling the Sonoran Desert home and spends her free time exploring the outdoors. She recently started section hiking the stunning Arizona Scenic Trail, because backpacking seems the ideal antidote to a hectic modern life.
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.
