Thoughts from Dawn Wallace
As I write to you today, I’m amid our annual summer family vacation. Currently, at sunset, I’m enjoying some quiet time, sitting on an Adirondack chair, gazing out at the sea from a beachside cottage in Depoe Bay, Oregon, happily watching some contented seals basking lazily on the rocks. Thanks to my 6-day itinerary, courtesy of ChatGPT, we’ve experienced some spectacular sights so far— the serene Japanese gardens in Portland, a bald eagle dining outside our hotel room in Astoria, vibrant sea stars at Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, and an abundance of seafood. To my surprise, my favorite part has been exploring the lighthouses that line the coast.
Lighthouses have a celebrated history dating back to ancient societies, serving as beacons of safety for seafarers navigating perilous waters. Often isolated and exposed to harsh weather conditions, these lighthouses were maintained by dedicated keepers who ensured the lights remained operational through kerosene lamps, cranks, and pulley systems. Historically, a lighthouse keeper’s role was a 24-hour responsibility. Beyond routine duties and repairs, keepers had to be prepared to respond to emergencies, including shipwrecks, at any time of day.
The role of a lighthouse keeper serves as a poignant analogy for change, illustrating how essential roles adapt over time. Historically, lighthouse keepers were the steadfast guardians of their shorelines. As technology advanced, automated systems gradually replaced the need for human keepers, symbolizing a shift in how tasks are performed and the inevitability of change. Today, while their original function is obsolete, these lighthouses are preserved as storytellers of their region’s history, standing as enduring symbols of safety and resilience.
In many ways, we are all lighthouse keepers of our own lives. Just as lighthouses have found new purposes, we too must change and adapt. This analogy applies to various life transitions: children leaving for college, transitioning to a new career, retirement, moving to a new place, or adjusting to an empty nest. Each change brings new opportunities to redefine our roles while continuing to make a positive impact.
Our final stop will be in Eugene for a campus tour of the University of Oregon. There’s so much on my mind as I think about the changes ahead. As a mother, it’s both heartwarming and a bit daunting to realize that, like the lighthouse keeper, this part of my job is gradually coming to an end. Watching my daughter prepare for this new journey of independence and growth is a bittersweet experience. The daily hands-on role of parenting may be winding down, but it presents a chance to embrace a new role and trust that I’ve prepared my daughter well for this next adventure.
2024 Flinn-Brown Academy
In the past, we have welcomed Flinn-Brown Fellows from previous cohorts to join us for Academy to either “make up” days that they missed, or just to listen in to the incredible insights of our presenters, speakers, and keynotes. We’re doing so again in 2024. You can find the general schedule here, but if you are interested in a particular policy day, please contact me for specifics.
Best,
Dawn
2024 Flinn-Brown Convention
Our registration numbers are looking good, but we need more of you to attend to truly feel the Network vibe!
In addition to the Convention on Friday, Aug. 16, at On Jackson, 245 E. Jackson St., in downtown Phoenix, Fellows have organized some pre-Convention activities.
- August 15 Evening Reception: The 2014 Flinn-Brown Fellows are invited to a cohort reunion at the FOUND:RE Hotel at 5:00 p.m., followed by a reception at 5:30 for all Fellows who would like to attend.
- August 16: On the morning of the Convention, Fellows are invited to a nature walk along the Salt River within the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area, organized by Fellow Sarah Rose Webber (2017).
When you register, please do not forget to respond to the questions about pre-Convention activities and Convention Day programming.
Fellows Spotlight
The Honorable Chip Davis
County Treasurer
Yavapai County
(Prescott, 2012)
“When I went into Flinn-Brown, I had been a county supervisor for 16 years and I had no idea how much education I would receive from Flinn-Brown in regard to healthcare, education and immigration. So many experts were brought in to give us an in-depth look at these different fields and it was really eye-opening. We all have our built-in biases, but when you get to hear the whole story, suddenly you look at things a little differently.” — The Hon. Chip Davis
Chip Davis is a fourth generation Arizonan who has a passion for the state and its unique politics. Davis grew up in a cattle ranching family and the art has instilled in him a deep appreciation for Arizona and its people. Davis says his moral principles are strong and he makes sure to carry them with him as he navigates local politics.
Davis has served as Yavapai County Treasurer since 2020 and is seeking re-election this fall. He served five terms as a Yavapai County Supervisor between 1997 and 2016 and was initially hired by Yavapai County in 1986.
“I am a Republican. But more than that, I’m a father, I’m a grandfather, I’m a husband and I’m a Christian,” says Davis. “I’ve been trying to spread the message that we as human beings are a lot of things and you get way down the list before you finally come to whether you’re a Republican, an Independent or a Democrat.”
Davis continues working in the government not because he feels like he has to, but because he knows there is value in passing down his expertise to his successors.
“It’s like in sports when they bring in these old players to be the broadcasters because they know the game well,” Davis says. “I’ve learned a lot about how to make Arizona a better place, and I have to share that with the people around me. As human beings I think we have the responsibility to try and make others better at whatever they do.”
Davis believes that political polarization is a massive downfall for nationwide politics and yearns for a time when government officials can have open conversations on how to run counties, cities and towns based on what’s best for the community.
That kind of change takes time, but Davis believes that there are amazing steps being taken that one day could help strengthen Arizona’s civic life.
In Davis’s eyes, a big needle mover for Arizona could be the passing of open primaries. Davis says that having a ballot which represents a group of centrist, reasonable people would better allow Arizonans to “choose a person based on their morals, ethics and goals, not just based on party affiliation.”
Another strong point for Arizona was opening up PAC funding for election campaigns. “Letting us know who’s financing these elections so we can figure out what’s behind them is important,” he said.
Davis’s current role as Yavapai County Treasurer is no easy feat, but he finds the work fascinating and loves to collaborate with his colleagues to tackle complex issues. Doing the job is one thing, but doing the job right is what truly excites Davis. “I believe it’s the Peter Principle in management, where you rise to your point of incompetency. I will never master it. When people think of the county treasurer, it’s not the county treasurer… We’re the treasurer for 84 different public entities and the job is huge,” Davis says. “The activity that runs through my little 12-man department is unbelievable. We do $2 billion worth of activity every year, and I have the most amazing staff members that step up. Every time we get a challenge, we figure out how to fix it and make it better. I’m still on a steep learning curve and I’m still loving every minute of it.”
If you missed a Fellows Spotlight, you can find them here.
Fellows Meet Fellows
The 2024 Flinn-Brown Fellows met as a cohort for the first time at an orientation lunch at the Flinn Foundation. You can meet them too, at the 2024 Flinn-Brown Convention on Aug. 16!
The Honorable Ben Graff (Phoenix, 2011), The Honorable Alexandra Arboleda (Phoenix, 2018), and Paul Brierley (Phoenix, 2011) talked Arizona water policy over sushi at Harumi Sushi.
2022 Fellows Charlina Haudley, Ph.D. (Tucson), Alanna Riggs (St. David), and Doug Hockstad (Tucson) met for lunch in Tucson recently.
Dave Engelthaler, Ph.D. (Flagstaff, 2022) was featured in the Fourth of July Parade for being selected as Flagstaff’s Man of the Year.
The Honorable Mila Besich (Superior, 2019) gave Erin Carr-Jordan, Ph.D. (Chandler, 2013) a tour of Superior.
Dana Kennedy (Phoenix, 2016) and The Honorable Juan Ciscomani (Tucson, 2011) in front of Rep. Ciscomani’s office in Washington, D.C.
Drew Trojanowski (Tempe, 2013) and Mignonne Hollis (Hereford, 2013) planning for collaboration.
Rebecca Perrera (Laveen, 2020) and The Honorable Joanne Osborne (Goodyear, 2012) meet at the Mountainside High School ribbon cutting and open house in the Nadaburg Unified School District.
So many Fellows at the Gabe Zimmerman Awards! Amanda Burke, Ed.D. (Phoenix, 2022), Mignonne Hollis(Hereford, 2013), The Honorable Alexa Lucchese (Tucson, 2024), Katelyn Harris Lange (Phoenix, 2020), The Honorable Kevin Hartke (Chandler, 2014), Tim Gomez (Phoenix, 2023), and Julie Katsel (Tucson, 2014).
Fellows Field Trips
Our next field trip is out of this world. Join Mayor Becky Daggett (Flagstaff, 2014) and Joanne Keene(Flagstaff, 2016) from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 9, for a tour of the new Lowell Astronomy Discovery Center in Flagstaff.
Paul Perrault, Ph.D. (Phoenix, 2016) is inviting all Flinn-Brown Fellows to a Tuesday, Aug. 27 convening featuring a panel discussion with Fellows engaged in PreK – 12 education policy.
The event will be held from 3:00-5:00 p.m. in the Vince Roig Convening Center at the Helios Education Foundation in Phoenix followed by a networking reception.
Fellows are encouraged to suggest or offer opportunities for Fellows to visit and learn more about what is happening in Greater Arizona. Please let Dawn know if you have an idea or are interested in providing a field trip opportunity.
Fellows Lists
Each month we feature a Fellows list in a specific employment sector, public policy area, affinity group or region. This month, we focus on Fellows in Economic Development.
While we try very hard to keep up to date on Fellows’ activities, we recognize that we may have missed someone. Please let Dawn know and we will happily update the list.
Fellows Directory Updates
Help us keep our Fellows Directory accurate and updated! We update our online directory monthly and print hard copies twice a year (July and December). Please take a moment to complete this survey with your current information. You can also upload a new headshot to this Google Drive folder.
Please contact Jennifer if you have problems accessing the survey or uploading a photo.
Fellows Celebrating Birthdays
We want to wish a happy birthday to all the Fellows celebrating in August!
- The Honorable Mary Hamway (Paradise Valley, 2012)
- Ryan Gregg (Scottsdale, 2015)
- Amanda Lomayesva, J.D. (Tucson, 2015)
- The Honorable Christine Thompson, J.D. (Phoenix, 2017)
- The Honorable Brian Garcia, J.D. (Tempe, 2018)
- Melissa Duke, Pharm.D. (Phoenix, 2019)
- Jack Schwimmer (Phoenix, 2020)
- Michael Deiana Jr. (Anthem, 2022)
- Charlinda Haudley (Tucson, 2022)
- Allison Otu (Phoenix, 2024)
- Rodney Short, J.D. (Yuma, 2024)
This is not a complete list, but we can only wish you a happy birthday if we know when it is! You can help us make sure we celebrate you by sharing your birthday with us in the Fellows Survey.
Fellows Book Recommendations
In this month’s Fellow Spotlight, The Honorable Chip Davis references the book, “The Peter Principle,” developed by Dr. Laurance J. Peter and written by Raymond Hull.
Prescott, 2012
by Dr. Laurence J. Peter
Three years after the publication of The Peter Principle, Dr. Peter published “The Peter Prescription,” a manual on how to overcome the Peter Principle. While reading about the theory itself may be interesting, learning how to overcome it is far more beneficial.
Fellows In The News
We are happy to promote your work through social media, so reach out if you would like us to recognize a professional accomplishment, event or program with which you are involved.
The Honorable Deborah Ann Begay (Phoenix, 2024) discusses why she is running again for Moon Valley Justice of the Peace in this interview with azcentral.com.
Paul Brierley (Phoenix, 2011) is quoted in this azcentral.com article about USDA’s moves to incorporate Native produce in international trade deals.
Troy Campbell (Mesa, 2018) will serve on the University of Redlands Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Erin Carr-Jordan, Ph.D. (Chandler, 2013) announced the Digital Equity Institute has been rebranded to the Institute for Digital Inclusion and Acceleration, or IDIA (pronounced “idea”).
The Honorable Tammy Caputi (Scottsdale, 2019) discusses her plans if re-elected to the Scottsdale City Council in this interview with azcentral.com.
The Honorable Nikki Check (Jerome, 2012) discusses key water issues in Arizona with other Yavapai County candidates in a forum hosted by the Citizens Water Advocacy Group.
The Honorable Juan Ciscomani (Tucson, 2011) was honored as a special guest by the Border Trade Alliance as it welcomed two new board members, as reported in this article from the Rio Grande Guardian.
Melanie Colavito, Ph.D. (Flagstaff, 2023) is a Board Member for the Willow Bend Environmental Education Center.
The Honorable Becky Daggett (Flagstaff, 2014) spoke at a signing ceremony for the Indian Water Rights Settlement.
Michael Deiana Jr. (Anthem, 2022) is now the Superintendent of Antelope Union High School District.
Lenay Dunn, Ph.D. (Phoenix, 2017) is now Research Director at WestEd.
Brandy Flores (Paradise Valley, 2013) is now Director, State Government Relations-CO, OR, WA, Pfizer, Inc.
Adam Goodman (Paradise Valley, 2023) interviewed with KJZZ Phoenix to discuss how he renovated his company workspaces to encourage remote workers to return to the office.
The Honorable Daniel Hernandez (Tucson, 2011) wrote a piece for Tucson.com about the severity of threats against election workers.
Ricky Hernandez (Sahuarita, 2018) is a member of the Board of Directors for Vantage West Credit Union.
Mignonne Hollis (Hereford, 2013) and Eric Nielsen (Tucson, 2013) were appointed to the Arizona Commission on Appellate Court Appointments.
Dana Kennedy (Phoenix, 2016) is quoted in a 12News story about a Scottsdale couple’s hospice fraud scheme.
Claire Louge (Phoenix, 2023) is quoted in this ABC15 story about efforts to prevent heat related child deaths.
Reyna Montoya (Gilbert, 2020) discusses her passion for immigration activism and the journey that led her to that interest in this piece from the Arizona Luminaria.
Noah Mundt (Gilbert, 2023) is quoted in this azcentral.com article discussing the candidates running for Gilbert Town Council.
The Honorable Stephanie Parra (Phoenix, 2020) is quoted in this article discussing the planned usage for a $200,000 grant from Bank of America dispersed to nonprofits All In Education and Arizona Friends of Foster Children.
Heather Patenaude (Kingman, 2020) was promoted to Senior Consultant at Ellucian.
The Honorable Jennifer Pawlik (Chandler, 2018) is quoted in this article from azcentral.com discussing how recent budget changes will affect Arizona schools.
Ryan Smith (Mesa, 2013) is quoted in this ABC15 story about Virgin Galactic’s spaceship facility in Mesa.
Christina Spicer (Phoenix, 2013) is quoted in this article from azcentral.com about the role Girl Scouts had at the WNBA Changemaker Day.
Edgar Soto (Tucson, 2022) is quoted in this article from tucsonsentinel.com summarizing a forum with the District 3 Pima County Board of Supervisors Democratic candidates.
Robert “Nick” Staab, M.D. (Phoenix, 2024) is quoted in this azcentral.com article discussing COVID-19 vaccines.
Benjamin Taylor, J.D. (Phoenix, 2019) wrote a piece for the Arizona Daily Star and the Phoenix Business Journal on Arizona State Bar’s strides to increase diversity.
The Honorable Raquel Terán (Phoenix, 2018) is featured in this azcentral.com article highlighting the Arizona 3rd Congressional District candidates.
Lisa Urias (Phoenix, 2011) discusses Arizona’s booming wine industry with Wine Industry Advisor in this article.
Heath Vescovi-Chiordi (Tucson, 2023) spoke at an event hosted by the Arizona Commerce Authority and the Greater Phoenix Economic Council highlighting Arizona’s potential for global investors in energy sectors and aerospace.
Kevin Volk (Tucson, 2022) is quoted in this article from tucsonsentinel.com which discusses Legislative District 17 candidates.
The Honorable Tara Walter (Florence, 2024) is quoted in this azcentral.com article discussing how Pinal County superintendent candidates plan to manage taxpayer dollars and school boards.
Janelle Wood (Phoenix, 2013) addressed the Peoria Unified School District Board at a meeting discussing leadership changes at Peoria High School.
Board and Commission Openings
Serving on a board or commission is a great way to influence public policy on issues where you have expertise or a passion to serve.
The Governor’s Office is currently seeking interested individuals for the following boards and commissions:
- Information Technology Authorization Committee
- Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct
- Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission
- Trial Court Appointments Commission
The Governor’s Office has more than 200 boards and commissions. Applications are accepted through this standard application. To apply, complete the application on the website. For a list of vacancies, please see here.
Most Arizona counties and cities have boards and commissions with frequent vacancies:
Check local websites for more opportunities.
To share specific opportunities, contact Jennifer Papworth.
Career & Professional Opportunities
The application for the 2024 class of the African American Leadership Institute opens on Aug. 1.
Prescott College is accepting applications for the role of development officer to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward foundation donors.
The ASU Art Museum is looking for a new Director of Development to create and lead fundraising and engagement activities.
Per Scholas is seeking a Senior Manager, Professional Development to conduct comprehensive career development training sessions.
The Buckeye City Council recently approved 66 new positions across multiple city departments.
ClearPath, Inc. is hiring a Policy Advisor, Critical Minerals & Permitting to join its policy team.
GLSEN is hiring an Arizona Chapter Director to focus on statewide organizing efforts.
Rosie’s House: A Music Academy for Children is seeking a Development Manager to play a key role in fueling the organization’s growth.
The McCain Institute is searching for Senior Program Manager, Human Rights and Freedom to support the McCain Institute’s efforts to protect and advance individual human rights and freedom.
The Children’s Action Alliance is hiring a Director of Early Childhood Policy.
The SciTech Institute has positions open for an AZ STEM Ecosystem Project Manager and a Chief Scientist International Program Coordinator.
Social Ventures Partners Tucson is looking for a President and CEO to provide strategic and tactical leadership.
Events & Conferences
Registration is open for Local First Arizona’s 17th Annual Rural Policy Forum Aug. 7-9 in Clarkdale.
The Arizona Community Reinvestment Collaborative (ACRC) is putting on free Spanish-language small business seminars Aug. 9, 13, and 14, with half-day sessions in Chandler, Glendale and Tucson.
Registration is open for Arizona Impact for Good’s UNITE 2024 Nonprofit + Grantmaker Conference Aug. 15 in Mesa.
Central Arizona Project will livestream the CAP Annual Water Users briefing on Aug. 21.
The Arizona Office of Tourism hosts the 2024 Arizona Governor’s Conference on Tourism Aug. 21-23 at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa.
The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and the Arizona Manufacturers Council will hold the Summer Policy Summit in Flagstaff Aug. 22-23.
The League of Cities and Towns annual conference will be at the Arizona Biltmore Aug. 27-30.
The 11th Arizona Health Equity Conference will be held Oct. 10 at the Desert Willow Conference Center in Phoenix.