Last week, I attended the opening night of Suffs at Gammage – the first official event of AZ250, Arizona’s initiative marking America250, our country’s semiquincentennial celebration. 

As citizens of a democratic society, we have historically held free speech as an unshakable right — a principle so deeply ingrained in our legal frameworks and cultural norms that its stability seems beyond question. Increasingly of late, this unalienable right has…

Centuries ago, salons were a powerful force in shaping culture, politics, and civic life.   Salons were curated gatherings (usually in a private home) where a host, often a woman, brought together writers, scientists, artists, and public officials to debate ideas,…

Last week, I came across a quote by Carl Jung in an art exhibit that made me reflect: “You don't get wounded alone. And we don't heal alone.”  Jung was speaking to the human experience of suffering and healing, and…

In a recent Chronicle of Philanthropy article, I described Flinn-Brown Fellows as “sentries at the gate.” For me, the analogy reflects the spirit of the founding aspiration of the Flinn-Brown Fellowship—to build a strong network of principled leaders to help offset the…

While summer in Arizona often brings triple-digit heat, weekend escapes to higher elevations, and the steady hum of air conditioning, for me, it signals something far more energizing: the arrival of a new class of Flinn-Brown Fellows. Each year, we…

April is National Poetry Month, a perfect reminder that words—when chosen with care—can move people, change minds, and bring meaning to complexity. I’ve always believed that strong leadership, like good poetry, begins with listening.