The 2026 cohort is the 18th to join a network that, in 15 years, has grown to 518 Fellows working across every corner of Arizona.
The Arizona Center for Civic Leadership at the Flinn Foundation has selected 24 Arizonans as 2026 Flinn-Brown Fellows—the 18th cohort of a program that has, since 2011, connected civic-minded leaders across the state with the policy knowledge, peer networks, and tools to make a real difference in Arizona.
The new Fellows come from eight counties, representing fields as varied as rural health care, municipal finance, affordable housing, agriculture, education, and law. What they share is a commitment to public life—and a readiness to engage across differences to address Arizona’s long-term challenges.
“Fifteen years in, the Flinn-Brown Network is proof that Arizona has no shortage of people who care deeply about this state,” said Dawn Wallace, vice president, civic leadership at the Flinn Foundation. “The Flinn-Brown Fellowship is how we put them in the same room, with each other and top policymakers, and use the knowledge to turn that commitment into lasting impact.”
This summer, the cohort will begin the Flinn-Brown Academy, 13 full-day sessions running through the fall covering the state budget, education, health care, the environment, infrastructure, criminal justice, and more. Facilitators include elected and appointed officials, judges, and policy experts. Former legislators Stan Barnes of Copper State Consulting Group and South Mountain Justice of the Peace Rebecca Rios will anchor discussions from opposing political perspectives—a deliberate feature of a program built around civil, substantive dialogue.
Prior to completing the Academy, Fellows join the Flinn-Brown Network, now 518 members strong, and participate in the annual Flinn-Brown Convention—a statewide gathering for collaboration, professional development, and the ongoing work of civic leadership.
“Arizona’s challenges don’t sort neatly by sector or party, and neither does this cohort,” said Tammy McLeod, Ph.D., Flinn Foundation president and CEO. “These are people already doing the work in their communities. The Fellowship deepens their understanding of state-level policy and connects them to a network built for the long haul.”
The 2026 Fellows were selected following a competitive application process and two days of interviews by a committee of Arizona leaders.
Meet the 2026 Flinn-Brown Fellows
2026 Selection Committee
The Fellows were chosen by the following committee of Arizona leaders:
- Colleen Coyle Mathis: Commercial Manager, Electrification, Caterpillar Inc.; Former Chair, Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission
- Doug Goodyear: Chair, Arizona Board of Regents; Founding Partner (Ret.), DCI Group
- Eric Reiman, M.D.: Chair, Flinn Foundation Board of Directors; Chief Executive Officer, Banner Alzheimer’s Institutes
- Vicki Mayo: Principal Owner and Chairwoman, Mayo Family Foundation
- Mary R. O’Grady, J.D.: Attorney, Osborn Maledon; Former Solicitor General, State of Arizona
- The Honorable Christine Thompson, J.D.: (2017 Flinn-Brown Fellow), Director, Arizona Together for Impact Fund
- The Honorable Ken Bennett: Former Arizona Secretary of State; Financial Consultant, Bennett Oil Company
About the Flinn Foundation
The Flinn Foundation is a Phoenix-based private, nonprofit, grantmaking organization, founded by Dr. Robert S. Flinn and Irene P. Flinn in 1965 with a mission to improve the quality of life in Arizona to benefit future generations. In addition to the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership, the foundation supports the advancement of Arizona’s bioscience ecosystem, the Flinn Scholars Program, and Arizona’s arts and culture sector.
About 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. In addition to the Flinn-Brown Fellowship, 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.
About the Thomas R. Brown Family Private Foundation
The Thomas R. Brown Family Private Foundation of Tucson is a partner in the Flinn-Brown Fellowship. It supports solutions to community and state issues through grants and educational programs in the areas of research and education, workforce development, civic leadership, and economics education.