This is the day Arizonans come together and unite for positive, lasting changes in our communities by supporting the nonprofits that are making a difference in our state every day.
We invite you to step up for our youth and our communities on Arizona Gives Day with a donation to United Way of Northern Arizona.
Together we can advance early childhood development, positive youth development, and safety and security for our neighbors in northern Arizona. You can make your donation HERE.
Your donation will help ensure that we can continue our work to achieve a sustainable, just, and thriving Flagstaff through community education, engagement, and advocacy.
Arizona Gives Day is an annual giving movement uniting nonprofits, big and small, new and established, to celebrate and increase philanthropy in Arizona through online giving. The event helps raise awareness about the critical role Arizona nonprofits play in our communities and inspires people to give generously creating a thriving and stronger Arizona for all.
Thanks to a generous donor, we have a donor match of $5000!
“As someone who was born in Flagstaff and who absolutely loves everything about what the city has to offer, it is with an abundance of gratitude, humility, and excitement that I look forward to serving as Police Chief,” said Sean. “The diversity of our community, combined with the skillsets and work ethics of all members of the Flagstaff Police Department and Team Flagstaff, will be the cornerstones of our success.”
We have lots going on (as usual) on campus these days. For those of you who haven’t been here in a while, we moved our offices from the Art Barn to new digs in the Gallery Building in January.
Our featured artists for March/April are Nancy Foo, Lili Anne Laurin and Amy Light. Come check out their work in our Uptown Gallery Shop!
WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest will soon be offering fuelwood permits for the 2024 season. On the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts, the Forest Service will begin issuing permits April 15, 2024 and permit holders will be able to collect firewood April 13, 2025. On the North Kaibab Ranger District only, permit sales and firewood collection will run from May 1 through December 31, 2024.
Theatrikos is proud to bring Ken Ludwig’s divine farce, The Gods of Comedy, to the Flagstaff stage. The play is a comedic whirlwind of divine intervention and scholarly chaos, centered around a young woman who invokes the gods of Ancient Greece to save her love life. As the gods step in, hilarity ensues in the form of screwball deities, a lost manuscript of a Greek tragedy, and uproarious predicaments.
Coconino County Public Works will reopen the Willard Springs Green Waste Site on Friday, April 5, 2024 for free green waste-only disposal all season long to support residents’ efforts to clean up their properties for wildfire season.
Residents will be allowed to dump acceptable green waste such as pine needles, branches, leaves, and brush free of charge with no load limits on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. through the end of the season on Saturday, October 26, 2024.
We are all aware of the crucial role the bioscience sector plays in driving innovation, economic growth, and improving healthcare outcomes in Arizona. We hope you will join us next month for a virtual update on Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap.
The Flinn Foundation, which originally commissioned this long-term strategic plan more than two decades ago, will host the free Zoom session from 12 – 1:30 p.m. on Monday, April 22. You can register to attend HERE.
• Easter Champagne Brunch, Little America Hotel
• Easter Champagne Brunch, Doubletree by Hilton Woodlands Restaurant
• Easter Egg Hunt, Flagstaff Elk’s Lodge
• More events
For César Chavez Day on March 31, professor Monica Brown shares the impact of the labor leader’s work and his groundbreaking partnership with fellow organizer Dolores Huerta.
Read the blog
FLAGSTAFF — The Flagstaff City Council recently approved $3.33M in Rental Incentive Bond Program awards, which will be leveraged by other funding sources and result in 139 affordable rental units being constructed in downtown Flagstaff by the Foundation for Senior Living. The San Francisco Square Apartments will serve seniors earning up to 80% of the area median income and the Aspen Lofts Apartments will serve individuals and families earning up to 60% of the area median income. This funding was created by the passage of Proposition 442 by Flagstaff voters in 2022, which authorized the use of general obligation bonds for the creation of rental and ownership opportunities for residents of Flagstaff.
FLAGSTAFF — Mountain Line is launching a comprehensive community outreach initiative aimed at planning the future of transit in Flagstaff.
As the community’s 10-year transit tax approved in 2016 that funds the city’s bus system approaches expiration, Mountain Line wants to engage the community in dialogue and decision-making about a potential extension and increase of this funding source in the November 2024 election.
“After receiving valuable community feedback regarding the 2022 ordinance, we brought together our public safety partners and the Coconino County Attorney’s Office to take a critical look at ways to improve the ordinance. Together, we proposed changes that place emphasis on preparedness, such as creating defensible space, while maintaining the requirements needed to help reduce the likelihood of wildfires,” said Tim Carter, Deputy Director of Coconino County Emergency Management.
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff and their contractor, Eagle Mountain Construction, along with the Arizona Department of Transportation, are working to finish Phase 1 of the Beulah/University Realignment Project. The final portion of Phase 1 includes crossing Milton Road with new water and sewer utility infrastructure, which is scheduled to begin in early April 2024. In order to safely install new utilities across Milton Road, lane closures will be required.
Countries throughout the world have committed to conserving 30% of the Earth’s land and sea by 2030, but questions remain about how such conservation efforts will be implemented and monitored without causing harm to Indigenous peoples and local communities. In a recent publication, researchers at NAU proposed a win-win solution: offer direct payments to those in target areas in the Global South in exchange for their help monitoring and validating conservation data via mobile apps. This mechanism could improve both the quality of the data collected and the economic conditions of local communities.
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff and their contractor, Banicki Construction, will start construction on the Schultz Creek Drainage Improvements at US Hwy 180 in April. The project will include the installation of a new concrete box culvert under US Hwy 180 and is scheduled to be substantially complete by July 1 to help mitigate flooding before the 2024 monsoon season. Final project activities such as repaving of the highway and re-establishing nearby landscaping will be completed by Aug. 1.
Introduction to Encaustic Painting
with Helene Farrar
April 4 – 5 : Thursday: 10am – 4pm, Friday: 9am – 4pm
Drip, pour, drag, layer, heat, and incise! Investigate the ancient medium of encaustic painting in this very hands-on workshop using pigmented wax, and a heated palette! Explore a rich variety of marks and surfaces while doing image transfer, etching, and collaging in this seductive medium.
Flagstaff College/Communiversity has partnered with seven local organizations to begin a community-wide conversation on food security in Flagstaff.
TerraBirds
Flagstaff Foodlink
Just Cultivation Coalition
Northern Arizona Rural Foods Pathways Project
Northern Arizona Climate Change Alliance
Friends of Flagstaff’s Future
The City of Flagstaff’s Office of Sustainability
A local group, Flagstaff First (FF), has petitioned Council to amend the Flagstaff’s Carbon Neutrality Plan (CNP) to prioritize fire, flood and drought. Many community members told the Council in December and January to not amend the Plan. We need to speak again this Tuesday because FF’s petition is scheduled to be formally considered by City Council this Tuesday, March 26. Council will be deciding whether to or not to amend the CNP.
The community needs to respond to this threat by sending emails to City Council and/or speaking at the Council meeting this Tuesday and asking council members to reject the action requested in the FF petition.
Five of the most epic climbing films from around the world showing in the Downtown Crag as part of Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival 22nd Anniversary! 7 p.m.
“The safety of everyone who uses Lake Mary Road remains a top priority for County leadership and for our community,” said Jeronimo Vasquez, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “We would like to thank all of the stakeholders who participated in the process that helped make this resolution a reality.”
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff is set to begin work on the Cinder Lake Landfill Access Road Improvement Project. The project will reconstruct Landfill Road to improve safety, optimize travel conditions and provide stormwater enhancements and is scheduled to be complete by September 2024.
We’ll be making not one, but two major announcements at next week’s Annual Campaign & Community Impact luncheon, and we hope you will be with us when we share the exciting news about how we will expand efforts to Step Up for Our Youth.
But time is running out to register for this event and be among the first to find out about these ground-breaking developments.
Our Annual Campaign & Community Impact Luncheon will start at 11:30 am on Wednesday, March 27 at Little America Hotel. Tickets are $50 / $375 for a table of 8.
The deadline to register is end of business today, March 21.
COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County Deputy Manager and Flood Control District Administrator Lucinda Andreani testified to the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs on the federal response to the threat of wildfire and post-wildfire flooding. …
“I can tell you firsthand: The scale of these crises rapidly overwhelms the capacity of local governments,” Andreani said during her opening remarks. “While there are opportunities for federal support, much must be done to improve the accessibility, immediacy, and effectiveness of the federal response to the wildfire crisis.”
“Since 2022, post-wildfire flooding impacts from the Pipeline Fire have severely impacted the interstate travel corridor of Highway 89, the Navajo Nation road system, and surrounding communities. It is imperative that we continue to construct flood mitigation infrastructure in this area to reduce the threats to our community and regional economy” said Jeronimo Vasquez, Chair of the Coconino County Board and Supervisor for District 2. “Thanks to the Congressionally Directed Spending funds recently secured by Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, we now have more resources to make this much needed infrastructure a reality.”
It is hard to overstate the importance of apprenticeship programs in today’s economy, where numerous industries have identified a persistent “skills gap” in the workforce.
The State of Arizona’s Office of Economic Opportunity recently announced it is working to expand registered construction and trade apprenticeship programs with grants from its BuildItAZ initiative, but time is running out to apply for these funds.
IN THIS ISSUE
• HELLO FROM SUPERVISOR HORSTMAN
• WILDFIRE CRISIS REPORT: PRIORITIZING THE
UPPER RIO
• BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RESOLUTION
REAFFIRMS OPPOSITION TO URANIUM MINING
NEAR THE GRAND CANYON
• PARKWAY SEDIMENT BASIN/MUSEUM FIRE
• FLOOD MITIGATION COMPLETED!
• PRIMARY DATE MOVES TO JULY 30th
• ELECTIONS WAREHOUSE RIBBON-CUTTING
• URGING VOTER APPROVAL OF THE
EXPENDITURE LIMIT INCREASE FOR
COCONINO COUNTY
• SUPERVISORS ATTEND NACo LEGISLATIVE
CONFERENCE IN D.C. AND ADVOCATE FOR
COCONINO COUNTY FEDERAL PRIORITIES
• SUPERVISOR HORSTMAN ATTENDS FIRST
MEETING OF 2024 BLM/RAC
• GRAND CANYON FOOD PANTRY: HELPING
COMMUNITY, WITH ONE BAG OF GROCERIES
AT A TIME
• COCONINO COUNTY BEGINS CONSTRUCTION
ON YOUTH BEHAVIORAL RESOURCE CENTER
• PUBLIC MEMORIALS IN COUNTY PARKS
• TUSAYAN AWARDED SMART GRANT FROM
ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
FLAGSTAFF — As part of the Spruce Wash Improvements Projects, a full road closure will be required on E Linda Vista Drive between N Paradise Road and N Adrianne Way for the Linda Vista Crossing Project. Access will be maintained through the closure for emergency vehicles, bikes, pedestrians. This closure will be in effect from March 2024 into spring 2025 and will allow for crews to remove and replace the existing culverts that cross E Linda Vista Drive. The City will also be removing and replacing sections of water and sewer mains and installing new storm drains within the roadway.
“We are dedicated to enhancing the travel experience for all visitors to FLG. This project has been carefully planned to minimize inconvenience to travelers. By scheduling the bulk of the work at night, we aim to ensure smooth operations without impacting departures or arrivals. Moreover, the terminal sprinkler project underscores our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all passengers for years to come. Additionally, travelers can anticipate a refreshed terminal interior with newly painted walls, updated wayfinding signage, new lighting and more,” stated Airport Director Brian Gall.
COCONINO COUNTY — The Coconino County Public Works Department, in conjunction with Yavapai County, closed Stoneman Lake Road between I-17 and Lake Mary Road on noon, March 14 due to a multi-day winter storm that is forecast to impact the region starting tonight.
This closure is necessary for public safety due to the possibility of whiteout conditions from drifting heavy snow. When drifting occurs, visibility becomes limited and there is an increased difficulty for County snowplow operators to keep the road clear of snow. Stoneman Lake Road will remain closed until weather conditions allow for the County to safely reopen it.
Latest ‘Behind the Scenery’ Podcast available
On Sunday, the latest episode of the Behind the Scenery podcast aired on Apple podcasts and the park’s website.
In this episode, Canyon Interpretation staff interview Gerald Lomaventema, an award-winning silversmith, a mentor to young Hopi artists, and a runner. He’s also the great grandson of Olympic medalist Louis Tewanima. Louis won silver in the 10,000 meters in the 1912 Olympics and set an American record that stood for decades. He was also a spiritual leader in his community.
In this episode of the Behind the Scenery podcast, Gerald talks about his art, his cultural connections to Grand Canyon, and running and Louis’s legacy in the Hopi community. This episode is available on Apple podcasts and the park website.
This year Women’s History Month has particular resonance for United Way of Northern Arizona both because of the makeup of our small and mighty staff and because of this year’s theme: Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Worldwide, three out of four United Ways are led by women, but UWNA’s staff is entirely female.
I am honored to lead a team that includes Christine Pierce, our Campaign and Operations Manager; Elaine Hebestreit, our Administrative Assistant; and Tempy Wessel, who recently joined us as our Northeast Representative.
Additionally Carol Dykes and Sybil Smith continue to assist us with community engagement, managing volunteer efforts and crisis response.
Shamrock Shuffle, Downtown Flagstaff, Saturday, March 16
Get ready to Shake your Shamrock in Downtown Flagstaff! We are celebrating St. Paddy’s Day at some of our favorite bars and restaurants with this St. Patrick’s Day themed bar crawl! 2 p.m.
Learn More
FLAGSTAFF — Altice USA and Networx Cabling Systems will be working in the Southside neighborhood and West Flagstaff to install new fiber-optic line. The work is scheduled to begin on Monday, March 18 and is expected to be completed by Sunday, March 31.
NOW FEATURING:
Nancy Foo,
Lili Anne Laurin,
and Amy Light
Our Gallery showcases the largest selection in Sedona of artwork by local artists. If you are seeking a rare piece of fine art, a gift of exquisite jewelry, appreciate stunning photography, or looking for a lovely keepsake from your visit to Sedona, the Arts Center has it all and more. The Arts Center is a 501(c)3 organization that offers all purchases without sales tax – almost a 10% savings.
Editor’s note: Part of a continuing series of profiles of board members and staff of the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth.
By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
COCONINO COUNTY — As per Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth’s Mission statement, “We ignite collective action that creates better lives for children and families.”
For CCC&Y, it takes a variety of individuals to build that inclusive movement of people dedicated to transforming and healing our communities — volunteer board members, organizational and individual members, supporters and partners, and staff members.
To promote the work of CCC&Y, the Coalition has been assisted for nearly a decade by Outreach Coordinator Frank X. Moraga. Frank has worked at the Coalition since December 2014, staffing a variety of outreach events and community resource meetings from Flagstaff to Leupp, Williams, Tusayan, the Grand Canyon, Tuba City, Page and Fredonia. He currently facilitates the monthly Tuba City Community Resource meeting. He also produces the Coalition’s weekly e-newsletter.
Community members are invited to celebrate 20 years of the Sustainable Building Program. The community inspired program, which began in 2003, came out of a desire from county residents for an easier path to building sustainably.
They also saw a need for more community education and awareness about sustainable building practices, methods, technology, and innovations. The program evolved into a free certification program allowing homeowners and builders to participate in a third-party certification based on points achieved for building sustainably. The benefits of participating include:
Distilling the Landscape in Sedona
with Ben Hamburger
March 16 : Saturday, 9am – 3pm
Simplifying what you see is a necessary component of observational painting. But it can also be used as a liberating constraint to explore design, composition, and color. During this class, you will focus on distilling your surroundings into compositions that convey both the essence of the landscape around us and our individual artistic voices. We will begin by focusing on selection and composition exercises before moving on to full color paintings. Discussions on theory and demonstrations will be followed by painting time with guidance by the instructor and group critique. Beginner and experienced plein air painters are welcome, however, this class is a class for people with some substantial painting experience. While demos will be provided in oil paint, both oils and acrylic painters are welcome.
On Friday, March 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidelines for respiratory illness, to include Covid-19. The CDC is updating its recommendations for Covid-19 to bring them in line with its advice for other kinds of respiratory infections, including influenza and RSV.
People who test positive for Covid-19 no longer need to routinely stay away from others for at least five days. The CDC now says people who have Covid-19 should stay home until they’ve been fever-free without medication for at least 24 hours and their symptoms have been improving for 24 hours.
However, the CDC still does recommend that people take additional precautions for an additional five days to lower the risk of spreading the virus. These precautions include improving ventilation indoors, masking, and limiting close contact with others.
Don’t miss the chance to celebrate the vibrant creativity of our community’s young artists. 11 a.m.
Learn More
COCONINO COUNTY — The National District Attorney’s Association (NDAA) recently recognized Coconino County Attorney Bill Ring as the recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Prosecutor of the Year Award.
The Distinguished Prosecutor of the Year Award is presented annually by the NDAA, which is the oldest and largest professional organization representing criminal prosecutors across the country. Ring was selected from 22 other nominees from prosecution agencies nationwide. This honor is bestowed upon an individual who has demonstrated exceptional dedication, integrity, and excellence in the field of prosecution.
FLAGSTAFF — The community is invited to participate in the selection of the Flagstaff Police Department’s next police chief at an upcoming meet and greet. The public meet and greet is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20 at 5 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers at 211 West Aspen Avenue or via Microsoft Teams.
The meet and greet will begin with each of the five candidates for Police Chief providing an introduction about themselves, including their previous education and experience, and how it relates to the police chief position. After all introductions have been completed, there will be a few questions answered by each candidate prior to an opportunity for participants to mingle with the candidates. Information about each candidate is listed below.
Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) is excited to announce that Dr. Michael Madsen has accepted the role of Chief Medical Examiner following the retirement of Dr. Lawrence Czarnecki.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors appointed Dr. Michael Madsen as the Chief Medical Examiner pursuant to A.R.S. 11-592 beginning March 2, 2024, for Coconino County during the March 5, 2024, Board meeting.
In this edition…
• Supervisors Oppose the Pinon Plain Uranium Mine
• County Awarded $7.7 million NRCS Grant to Protect Residents from Flood Damage
• Supervisor Vasquez Testifies on Transportation at Arizona Capitol Board Members Travel to Washington, DC to Advocate for Coconino County
• District 2 Events and Activities
Upcoming Events And More!
FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Flood Control District (The District) and the Coconino National Forest have announced a new Upper Rio De Flag Watershed restoration plan to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and post-fire flooding.
“It’s been proven that forest restoration — including mechanical thinning and prescribed fire — is an effective tool to reduce wildfire spread and severity,” said Coconino County Forest Restoration Director Jay Smith. “The completion of forest restoration in Upper Rio De Flag Watershed will provide a multi-generational benefit to our region.”
COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County’s contractor is preparing to break ground on the second phase of a project to improve travel lanes and shoulders along Lake Mary Road.
The $1.7 million Lake Mary Road Mill & Fill Project: Phase 2 includes the milling of existing pavement and the subsequent installation of 1.5” Polymer Modified Asphalt Concrete along the travel lanes and road shoulders of two sections of Lake Mary Road totaling approximately 3.6 miles.
Distilling the Landscape in Sedona
with Ben Hamburger
March 16 : Saturday, 9am – 3pm
Simplifying what you see is a necessary component of observational painting. But it can also be used as a liberating constraint to explore design, composition, and color. During this class, you will focus on distilling your surroundings into compositions that convey both the essence of the landscape around us and our individual artistic voices. We will begin by focusing on selection and composition exercises before moving on to full color paintings. Discussions on theory and demonstrations will be followed by painting time with guidance by the instructor and group critique. Beginner and experienced plein air painters are welcome, however, this class is a class for people with some substantial painting experience. While demos will be provided in oil paint, both oils and acrylic painters are welcome.
The City of Flagstaff’s Regional Plan is a vision for the future of our community. It is a policy guide and serves as the general plan for the city as mandated by state law. The Regional Plan addresses a range of topics and outlines current conditions, the community’s vision for the future, and a series of goals and policies that will bring us to realization of this future vision.
2023 Park Profile and statistics now available
Last week the NPS released its 2023 visitation statistics. Service-wide, the NPS welcomed 325.5 million visitors in 2023, an increase of 13 million or 4% over 2022.
Grand Canyon National Park experienced its eighth busiest year ever in 2023 with 4,733,705 visits. Last year’s visitation was only 1,600 more than the previous year with a less than 1% increase from 2022. Grand Canyon once again ranked as the second most visited National Park in the National Park Service system behind Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Visitation to Grand Canyon reached its highest level in 2018 with approximately 6.4 million visitors.
Plan on joining us as we celebrate our collective community impact and share some exciting news that will further our efforts to step up for our youth in Coconino, Navajo, and Apache counties.
Our Annual Campaign & Community Impact Luncheon will start at 11:30 am on Wednesday, March 27 at Little America Hotel.
Tickets are $50 / $375 for a table of 8.
Stroll throughout Downtown Flagstaff to see and purchase paintings, jewelry, woodwork, ceramics, and more! 5 p.m.
View this email in your browser Art Workshops and Classes in March 2024! CERAMICS CLASSES: Ceramics: Pottery Wheel for Beginners with Neil Kennedy March 2 – April 6 Saturdays, 9am to 12pm CERAMICS – POTTERY WHEEL FOR BEGINNERS : SIGN…
FLAGSTAFF — Members of the public are invited to submit applications for community garden plots starting on Friday, March 1. Returning gardeners will have priority until April 1 to secure their plots from the previous season. The remaining available plots will be offered to new gardeners on a first-come, first-served basis. New gardeners who do not have access to growing space at home or those who qualify for SNAP benefits will be given priority for remaining available plots through the application process.
The Board of ECoNA had a robust, wide-ranging conversation with Senator Mark Kelly recently that covered infrastructure improvements in northern Arizona, possible strategies for addressing our chronic housing shortage here, and the senator’s profound disappointment that the border security bill that was negotiated in Congress did not garner enough support to pass.
Earlier in the day, Senator Kelly had presided over a field hearing of the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee at City Hall, which focused on a progress report from local officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Rio de Flag Flood Control project.
FLAGSTAFF — Two Coconino Community College students, Grace McCullough and Carly Miller, have been nominated for the All-Arizona Academic Team as part of the All-USA Scholarship competition sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa.
Each year, the Arizona Board of Regents provides tuition scholarships to exceptional Arizona resident community college transfer students, based on outstanding academic performance and community service.
Students are nominated by their community college and submit their applications directly to the Phi Theta Kappa International Honorary organization. Scholarships cover resident tuition at any Arizona state university.
The Train Depot Bridge project is nearing completion and will officially reopen to the public on Friday, February 23. This project was a collaborative effort between the Grand Canyon National Park Special Projects Crew and the Trail Crew. Both crews worked together as a team, successfully rehabilitating this old bridge in the historic district of the South Rim Village. This bridge will serve visitors in accessing greenways, bus stops, and the train depot for many years to come.
Celebrate craft beer at any of Flagstaff’s 8 breweries, with discounts, events, and more! Various times.
“The creation of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument forever protects almost a million acres of land around Grand Canyon from future uranium mining. However, existing mining permits remain in effect,” District 1 Supervisor Patrice Horstman said. “The Pinyon Plain mine is extracting ore and threatens the very existence of the Havasupai people and their homeland.”
COCONINO COUNTY — The 2023 Controller of the Year Awards recently recognized Coconino County Treasurer Sarah Benatar as the winner of Controller of the Year for the Government Category.
Benatar has served as Treasurer of Coconino County since being appointed in 2014, winning reelection in 2016 and 2020, and was the youngest County Treasurer in Arizona. She serves the County as an officer of the Arizona County Treasurer’s Association and as past President of the Arizona Association of Counties (AACo). She is a voice for rural communities, advocating for her constituents by serving on the board and as Treasurer of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), and as president of the National Association of Hispanic County Elected Officials (NAHCO).
