The Arizona Center for Civic Leadership is pleased to announce the Fall 2012 class of Flinn-Brown Civic
Leadership Academy. This is the fourth class to participate in the Academy, an initiative of the Flinn Foundation in Phoenix and the Thomas R. Brown Foundations in Tucson.
With now over 100 Arizonans participating in the initiative, Flinn-Brown Fellows can be found all over the state, including Kykotsmovi, Flagstaff, Jerome, Cottonwood, Goodyear, Globe, Mesa, Tempe, Phoenix, Vail, Tucson, Safford, and cities and towns in between. Fellows also continue to represent a wide array of perspectives, walks of life, and employment backgrounds. The newest class includes leaders from Arizona’s business, industry, nonprofit, education, and government sectors—including current and former local elected officials.
The Flinn-Brown Academy, the flagship program of the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership, was created to help prepare and support Arizona’s future state-level civic leaders who wish to serve—whether full-time or part-time, paid or unpaid—as a member of a state board, commission, or advisory council; an elected official; a state government executive; or a policy advisor.
The Academy is comprised of a 12-session seminar series that helps participants develop a better understanding of Arizona’s most pressing public-policy issues, as well as the skills required to take the next steps into state-level civic leadership. Beyond the seminars, the Academy includes advising from a private- or public-sector leader, an individual plan for civic leadership in Arizona, an alumni network, and continued learning opportunities.
The nonpartisan Academy’s content is based on the critical issues facing Arizona. Public-policy experts, scholars, current and former agency heads, elected officials, and other leaders—drawn from the public and private sectors—share with Fellows not only facts and figures, but also a wide variety of perspectives and leadership skills.
The class was selected in a highly competitive process that involved a formal application, along with an in-person interview. The Leadership Council of the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership made the final selection of Fellows. The group will begin the Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy on September 7.
Interested in participating in the Academy? The Academy seminar series is presented in the fall and spring each year. The application process for the Spring 2013 cohort will open later in September, and the Fall 2013 application process will open next March. See azcivicleadership.org for updates about both upcoming classes and subscribe to the free e-
 Kate Ali’varius, Mesa
CEO, EduKate Publishing |
 Jeremy Babendure, Ph.D., Mesa
Director, Arizona SciTech Festival |
 Jennifer Carusetta, Scottsdale
Chief Legislative Liaison, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System |
 Nikki Check, Jerome
Mayor, Town of Jerome; Director of Viticulture and Enology, Yavapai College |
 Paul Corens, Phoenix
Senior Investment Portfolio Manager, Public Safety Personnel Retirement, State of Arizona |
 Toni Eberhardt, Phoenix
Senior Manager, Public Affairs, PetSmart |
 John Fisher, Phoenix
Executive Director, Stand for Children |
 Jenna Goad, Phoenix
Intergovernmental Programs Administrator, City of Glendale |
 Kristina Gomez, Phoenix
Deputy Executive Director, Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission |
 Don Graf, Gilbert
Director of Telemedicine, UnitedHealthcare |
 Eric Gudiño, Phoenix
Director of Municipal Government Relations, Arizona State University |
 Mary Hamway, Paradise Valley
Former Vice Mayor, Town of Paradise Valley |
 Lisa Schnebly Heidinger, Phoenix
Author |
 Diane Joens, Cottonwood
Mayor, City of Cottonwood |
 James LaBar, Phoenix
Principal Policy Analyst, Salt River Project |
 Sheri Lauritano, J.D., Goodyear
Councilmember, City of Goodyear; Partner, Bain & Lauritano, PLC |
 Melissa Lempke, Phoenix
Director of Communications, Banner Health Foundation |
 Jose Luis Peñalosa, Jr., J.D., Phoenix
Attorney, Peñalosa & Associates |
 Christian Price, Maricopa
Mayor, City of Maricopa; Managing Partner, Pantheon Investments |
 Paula Randolph, Scottsdale
Project Manager, Sonoran Institute |
 Veekas Shrivastava, Tempe
Deputy Finance Director, David Schapira for Congress |
 Brenda Sperduti, Phoenix
President, Sperduti NetWorks |
 Nicky Stevens, Goodyear
Housing Program Manager, Arizona Behavioral Health Corp. |
 Susan Trujillo, J.D., Phoenix
Attorney, Quarles & Brady |
 Julie Walker, Flagstaff
Project Manager, Morrison Brothers Windmill Ranch |
 Fonda Walters, Ed.D., Tempe
Senior Research Analyst, American Indian Policy Institute, Arizona State University |