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August 2025

The Arizona We Want
Local Leaders, Shared Priorities, and Momentum for a Stronger Arizona
 
 
 
2025 League of Arizona Cities and Towns Pre-Conference Session
 
At the 2025 League of Arizona Cities and Towns Pre-Conference Session, more than 100 leaders from across Arizona joined Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) to share how they are successfully engaging their communities and explore ways to scale these strategies statewide. From Casa Grande’s message that “civic engagement is the new infrastructure” to Tolleson’s inclusive planning, leaders showcased strategies to build trust and strengthen civic health. CFA connected these stories to statewide research and Arizona Civic Health Progress Meter data. By pairing community innovation and data-driven insights, attendees left ready to carry momentum forward for a stronger, more connected Arizona.
CFA Champions
Two Decades of Partnership: Arizona Community Foundation Advances The Arizona We Want
For more than two decades, the Arizona Community Foundation (ACF) has been a steadfast partner and true champion of The Arizona We Want. Their unwavering commitment and generous investments in CFA efforts like the Gallup Arizona Survey and Arizona Voters’ Agenda have helped surface what matters most to Arizonans — amplifying those voices and turning insights into action that creates real, lasting change.
 
Since joining ACF in 2023, President & CEO Anna María Chávez has brought visionary leadership and a deep commitment to equity, opportunity, and lasting change. Her guidance has strengthened our collaboration and inspired an expanded partnership to create even greater impact. Together, we are aligning CFA's insights with ACF’s priorities, sparking positive change through communications, and sharing expertise in shared areas of focus like quality education.
 
 
 
 
Students at Apollo Middle School in Tucson
 
“At ACF, we believe in the power of trusted partnerships to create lasting change. Our collaboration with CFA reflects our shared commitment to ensuring that every Arizonan has the opportunity to thrive. Together, we’re expanding access to education, elevating community voices, and building a stronger Arizona for all.”
— Anna María Chávez, President & CEO, Arizona Community Foundation
 
With deep insight into regional priorities and a strong presence across the state, ACF is an invaluable partner in shaping a stronger, more vibrant Arizona for generations to come.
Making an Impact
Make Career Exploration Part of the School Year Ahead
 
 
 
Students at Apollo Middle School in Tucson
Students at Apollo Middle School in Tucson explore coding skills and discover how they connect to careers in cybersecurity.
 
As schools and educators begin a new year, Possible Futures Career Exploration Curriculum offers a free, flexible way to bring real-world learning into classrooms and programs serving grades K–10. Designed to fit into existing instruction or stand alone, the curriculum includes hands-on lessons aligned with Arizona’s Career Literacy Standards — introducing students to high-wage, high-demand careers like those in the state’s growing semiconductor industry.
 
Possible Futures is just one of many expert-developed, research-backed tools you’ll find in our new Arizona Pathways to Prosperity Online Resource Hub, created to help educators, school leaders, industry partners, students, and families build strong, successful education and career pathways.
At the Halfway Mark: Workforce Leadership Academy Fellows Tackle System Barriers
 
 
 
Southern Arizona Workforce Leadership Academy
Fellows collaborate during a hands-on session to identify opportunities for strengthening Southern Arizona’s workforce ecosystem.
 
Since March, the Southern Arizona Workforce Leadership Academy (Academy) has united cross-sector leaders to reimagine a thriving, inclusive workforce ecosystem across Pima, Santa Cruz, Cochise, and Yuma counties. Through immersive learning, leadership development, and collaboration, Fellows are shaping bold visions for positive change.
 
Now, at the Academy's halfway point, Fellows are identifying opportunities in workforce development — from connecting systems and better aligning education with career pathways to expanding access to actionable data and evolving funding models to meet current needs. Ultimately, they are working to bring innovation to long-standing practices and perspectives. In the months ahead, they will transform their insights into solutions and actionable recommendations to help build a more connected, agile workforce system for Southern Arizona. Their recommendations will be shared with public leaders and stakeholders in November to inspire collaboration and lasting progress.
In The News
The Peirce Report, Revisited Launches; New Arizona Republic Op-Ed
Greater Phoenix Leadership (GPL) has officially released The Peirce Report, Revisited, a landmark reflection on how the Valley has evolved since Neal Peirce’s original 1987 report and a forward-looking roadmap for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
 
To mark the launch, The Arizona Republic published an op-ed by Neal Peirce Foundation board members William Fulton and Christopher Swope, along with CFA Chair, President & CEO Dr. Sybil Francis, highlighting how the region’s past can inform its future and why bold, collaborative leadership is needed now more than ever.
 
CFA is honored to support this important project with GPL and the Neal Peirce Foundation, advancing the dialogue on how we can shape a stronger, more resilient future for Greater Phoenix and beyond.
 
CFA's Tennille Penaloza-Hagen Joins Valley Leadership’s Catalyze
 
CFA Workforce Development Project Manager Tennille Penaloza-Hagen will join Arizonans committed to expanding their impact, deepening community connections, and shaping solutions for Arizona’s future.
 
From Valley Leadership
 
Tennille Penaloza-Hagen
 
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Finding Our Place in Democracy: How National Service Can Shape Future Generations
 
CFA Civic Health Project Manager & National Youth250 Bureau Member KaRa Lyn Thrasher shares experiences that have shaped her understanding of civic life, “It’s about listening, showing up, and building trust.”
 
From Made By Us
 
Made By Us
 
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Applications for the 2025 African American Leadership Institute Due 8/31
 
Applications are open through Aug. 31 for State of Black Arizona’s African American Leadership Institute 2025 Cohorts in Phoenix and Southern Arizona.
 
From The State of Black Arizona
 
2025 African American Leadership Institute
 
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Buena DECA Interns Make Impact in Nonprofit, Tech Sectors
 
Two Sierra Vista students share how they gained real-world experience through a virtual internship hosted by CFA in partnership with the Work-Based Learning Alliance.
 
From the Herald Review
 
Sierra Vista Students
 
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Flagstaff Senior Deputy City Manager Shannon Anderson Recognized for Public Service
 
Shannon Anderson, Flagstaff Deputy City Manager, is celebrated for receiving a Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Award.
 
From Flagstaff Business Review
 
Shannon Anderson
 
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Groups Honor Inchausti, Ruiz for Their Service
 
Rosa Inchausti, Tempe City Manager, is celebrated for receiving a Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Award.
 
From Tempe Tribune
 
Rosa Inchausti
 
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Arizona Groups Launch 5-Year Literacy Initiative
 
Informed by the Arizona Education Progress Meter, the Arizona Literacy Plan 2030 outlines key drivers, evidence-based strategies, and specific actions to reach that goal.
 
From Yahoo News
 
Student Reading
 
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The Price of Passion: Teaching in Arizona
 
“According to Center for the Future of Arizona’s Teacher Pay Progress Meter, the median pay for an Arizona elementary school teacher in 2024 was $50,474, and for a secondary school teacher, $59,290.”
 
From Daily Courier
 
Teacher
 
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