News and Updates

May 2025 Network News

May 23, 2025

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…


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Flinn-Brown Fellow Reetika Dhawan

May 23, 2025

As Chief Executive Officer of Entrepreneurial College and Vice President of Workforce and Healthcare Programs at Arizona Western College in Yuma, the Honorable Reetika Dhawan leads efforts to align academic programs with the evolving needs of Arizona’s workforce.


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Flinn Foundation selects 30 Arizonans as 2025 Flinn-Brown Fellows

May 15, 2025

Thirty Arizonans from across the state — representing a wide range of professionals, ideologies, and lived experiences — have been selected as the 17th cohort of the Flinn-Brown Fellowship, a flagship program of the nonpartisan Arizona Center for Civic Leadership…


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Flinn-Brown Fellow Jamie Festa-Daigle

April 25, 2025

After more than two decades in Lake Havasu City, Jaime Festa-Daigle is bringing her deep-rooted passion for public education and civic engagement to northern Arizona.


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April 2025 Network News

April 25, 2025

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.


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New data illustrates progress and opportunities for Arizona’s civic health

April 24, 2025

A new update to the Arizona Civic Health Progress Meters, including Civic Participation and Connected Communities, indicates that while Arizona has made significant strides in volunteerism, community collaboration, and consumer activism, important opportunities remain to strengthen public participation and civic dialogue. The new…


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CivEx: Still Missing Too Much School

March 27, 2025

High absence rates continue to undermine teaching and learning—leading to poorer academic outcomes, persistent attendance issues, and a higher risk of dropout, while also challenging teachers' ability to provide consistent instruction.


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