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Arizona Center for Civic Leadership
Enhancing civic life in Arizona through education, engagement, and leadership programs.
The Center’s cornerstone initiative which includes participation in the Flinn-Brown Academy and Flinn-Brown Network.
Meet the 518 Fellows who make up the Flinn-Brown Network through this searchable directory.
Join us for online public policy seminars emphasizing learning and discussion.
A partnership to measure Arizona's progress on civic participation and connected communities—and act.
A statewide resource for organizations strengthening civic leadership by working together on common priorities.
A program helping teens build necessary skills and knowledge as they imagine unique paths to civic responsibility.
Connect with Arizona Center for Civic Leadership: Stay up to date. Join our email list.
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. 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. The Center’s cornerstone, the prestigious Flinn-Brown Fellowship, is an immersive experience for community leaders from diverse backgrounds. Fellows engage in rich discussions with policymakers and political experts; join a robust professional network; and gain understanding of how to address Arizona’s most pressing issues through public service.
24 Arizonans join the Flinn-Brown Network as 2026 Fellows
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 join a network of 518 Fellows working across every corner of Arizona. The 2026 Fellows come from eight counties, representing fields as varied as rural health care, municipal finance, affordable housing, agriculture, education, and law, while sharing a commitment to public service. [Read more]
Arizona Center for Civic Leadership celebrates 15 years
In 2026, the Flinn Foundation marks the 15th anniversary of the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership as an important moment for us to reflect on how the Center began and how its work has evolved over time.
Over time, the Center has grown beyond its original focus on preparing state-level leaders. Under the leadership of Flinn Foundation President and CEO Tammy McLeod, Ph.D. and Flinn Foundation Vice President, Civic Leadership Dawn Wallace, the Center has continued to evolve, embracing a more expansive understanding of civic leadership that begins with education, deepens through experience, and is sustained through connection, dialogue, and long-term engagement within Arizona’s civic life. [Read more]
Mesa native Deanna Villanueva-Saucedo promotes civic engagement in higher education
Deanna Villanueva-Saucedo, Ed.D., is a proud Arizona native, born and raised in Mesa and still deeply rooted in the community she calls home. Deanna’s professional path has taken her through nonprofit and ministry work, municipal government, and now higher education.
Today, the 2014 Flinn-Brown Fellow serves as associate vice chancellor at Maricopa Community Colleges, where she leads the Center for Excellence in Inclusive Democracy. In that role, she supports the civic work of all 10 colleges and helps advance system-level efforts that encourage students, educators, and community members to participate more fully in public life. [Read more]
Flinn-Brown Convention to bring together Fellows this summer
The annual Flinn-Brown Convention, which attracts Fellows dating back to the first Flinn-Brown cohort in 2011, is a place to make new connections and re-connect with Fellows while learning about state-level leadership and public service. Along with sessions led by Flinn-Brown Fellows and Arizona public-policy leaders, presenters have included national leaders in their fields.
In addition, five awards honoring high-impact leaders are granted to Fellows each year at the Convention: Jack Jewett Award, Network Builder Award, and three Arizona Champion (Northern, Central and Southern Arizona) awards. The 2026 Flinn-Brown Convention will be held in August in Phoenix. [Learn more]
Flinn-Brown Fellow Zach Brooks launches startup at U of A
While a fourth-generation Arizonan might point to deep family roots, Zach Brooks, Ph.D., describes his connection to the state as rooted in aspiration. A 2017 Flinn-Brown Fellow and a past participant of the Flinn Foundation Bioscience Entrepreneurship Program, Brooks has spent nearly two decades bridging academic research, Silicon Valley experience, and public-minded leadership. Today, he is the founder and CEO of UGenome AI, an emerging startup launched at the University of Arizona.
Drawing on his national and global perspective, he sees a significant opportunity to strengthen civic health if the state deepens coordination among government, nonprofit organizations, philanthropy, and major industry leaders, particularly in the life sciences. [Read more]
News and Updates
Civic Leadership
24 Arizonans join the Flinn-Brown Network as 2026 Fellows
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.
Civic Leadership
Flinn-Brown Fellow Barbara Lang
Barbara “Barb” Lang has called Arizona home for more than three decades. She has lived in Phoenix and Gilbert and now resides in Sierra Vista with her husband, Marc, and their four dogs.
Throughout her career, Barb’s focus has remained firmly rooted in human services. She began her professional journey in Arizona as a probation officer managing a gang caseload, eventually advancing to a treatment unit supervisor. During this time, she contributed to legislative workgroups and testified before both the House and Senate on issues including foster care, victims’ rights, and the supervision of juveniles adjudicated for sexual misconduct. Her work with youth who had lost their way laid the foundation for her commitment to tackling complex social challenges and improving the lives of those she serves.
Civic Leadership
April 2026 Network News
One of the greatest strengths of the Flinn-Brown Fellowship is its ability to bring together leaders from across Arizona who are committed to thoughtful, solutions-driven public service. Senate Bill 1211 is a meaningful example of what can happen when that commitment is put into action.
Civic Leadership
Flinn-Brown Fellow Deanna Villanueva-Saucedo, Ed.D.
Deanna Villanueva-Saucedo, Ed.D., is a proud Arizona native, born and raised in Mesa and still deeply rooted in the community she calls home. Her commitment to service began early. Her father, also a Mesa native, grew up working alongside his own father on a ranch and instilled in her a deep respect for education, hard work, and the responsibility to use one’s voice in service to others. Those values have remained a guiding force throughout her life and career.
For information about Civic Leadership, please contact:
civicleadership@flinn.org or (602) 744-6832
