2027 Southern Arizona Workforce Leadership Academy
Build the partnerships and leadership Southern Arizona’s workforce future needs
The Southern Arizona Workforce Leadership Academy brings together up to 24 workforce leaders for a yearlong experience in leadership development, cross-sector collaboration and systems change.
Workforce challenges span employers, education and training, government, nonprofits and communities. Progress depends on leaders being able to understand how these systems work together — and where stronger coordination can open pathways to quality jobs and economic mobility.
Through facilitated learning, workshops, peer networking, and collaborative projects, Fellows build relationships across the region, strengthen their systems leadership skills, and develop recommendations to address shared workforce challenges. The Academy is offered by Center for the Future of Arizona and Pima Community College in partnership with the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program.
The 2027 cohort is the third Southern Arizona Workforce Leadership Academy. It will bring together leaders serving Cochise, Greenlee, Graham, Pima, Santa Cruz, and Yuma counties.
Applications are due Sunday, December 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Selected applicants will be notified by January 4, 2027.
- Attend an Information Session (Optional)
Register for an upcoming information session to learn more.
Register for an information session
- Prepare to Apply
Review the application overview and gather all required supporting documents before beginning. Please note that you cannot save your application and return to complete it later.
View the application overview
- Submit Your Application
Once you have everything ready, begin and submit your application.
Apply now
What Academy Alumni Say About the Professional Development Experience
“ The relationships and conversations I had through the program continue to shape my growth and development as a workforce professional and have opened doors to meaningful collaboration and opportunities across the state. ”– Adam Begody, Director of Corporate Engagement & Development, Earn to Learn, 2025 Fellow
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“ It is an excellent opportunity to learn about workforce programs and strategies across southern Arizona and develop a lifelong network of resources that you can depend on for the future.”– Greg Lucero, CEO, Santa Cruz County Provisional Community College, 2025 Fellow
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“ The Academy was an amazing experience for me. The facilitators were fantastic and very knowledgeable. ”– Vickie Simmons, CPA, Southeastern Arizona, Deputy Director, ARIZONA@WORK, 2025 Fellow
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“ The Academy illuminates the fact that you are not alone in your workforce challenges. It equips you with additional knowledge and resources, while fostering productive conversations, relationships, and partnerships that will continue to move Arizona’s workforce development efforts forward.”– Selena McDonald, MPA, PMP, CWDP, Director of Workforce Development, Medicaid Operations, Banner Plans & Networks, 2023 Fellow
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Who Should Apply
Each cohort brings together a diverse group of leaders. Ideal candidates are senior-level leaders with the authority and opportunity to shape workforce efforts in Southern Arizona. A maximum of 24 Fellows will be selected. Applicants should:
- Live or work in Cochise, Greenlee, Graham, Pima, Santa Cruz or Yuma County.
- Work in an organization involved in workforce services, education and training, policy, funding, research, partnerships or economic development.
- Be able to help shape and advance workforce strategies on behalf of their organization.
- Be ready to learn with peers, share perspectives and collaborate across sectors.
- Be involved in efforts that connect people to quality jobs, career pathways and economic opportunity.
- Be prepared to contribute to a team project focused on strengthening the regional workforce ecosystem.
- Be committed to advancing equitable solutions for Arizona communities, including across race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
Applicants may come from community-based and nonprofit organizations, schools and colleges, government, business and industry, chambers, workforce providers, economic development organizations, labor-management partnerships, philanthropy and related fields.
The Academy values inclusion and diversity. Fellows will be selected to reflect the range of organizations, communities, geographies, and perspectives across the region.
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What Fellows Will Gain – Academy Goals
Fellows will learn with leaders from across Southern Arizona and develop skills and relationships they can bring back to their organizations and communities. The Academy is designed to help Fellows:
- Build lasting relationships and partnerships across the workforce ecosystem.
- Strengthen leadership practices that support organizational and systems change.
- Use systems-change and racial-equity frameworks to understand workforce challenges.
- Learn from effective strategies and practitioners.
- Work in teams to develop recommendations for regional workforce challenges.
Academy Alums also join the Aspen Institute’s Economic Opportunity Fellows Network, connecting them with other alums from 27 Academies in 21 cities across the U.S. and Canada.
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2027 Academy Schedule Overview
The Academy is a hybrid program. It includes in-person convenings in Tucson, and most sessions and collaborative labs, or CoLabs, take place online. Additional in-person gatherings during the year give Fellows time to build relationships and advance their team projects.
The Academy year begins January 2027. Fellows are expected to participate in all Academy activities.
| Dates & Times |
Activities |
Location |
| January 21 (8:30-10:00 a.m.) |
Orientation |
Zoom |
| February 11-12 |
Opening Retreat (2 days with 1 overnight stay) |
In-person (Pima county) |
| March 2 (8:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.) |
Session 1 |
Zoom |
| March 10 (1:15-4:30 p.m.) |
CoLab 1 |
Zoom |
| April 6 (8:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.) |
Session 2 |
Zoom |
| April 14 (1:15-4:30 p.m.) |
CoLab 2 |
Zoom |
| May 4 (9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.) |
Session 3 + CoLab 3 |
In-person (Pima county) |
| May 18 (1:00-2:00 p.m.) |
*PreScheduled CoLab Team Meeting 1 |
Zoom |
| June 15 (8:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.) |
Session 4 |
Zoom |
| June 24 (3:00-4:00 p.m.) |
*PreScheduled CoLab Team Meeting 2 |
Zoom |
| July 14 (3:00-4:30 p.m.) |
LPI 360 Reflection |
Zoom |
| August 4 (12:00-6:00 p.m.) |
CoLab 4 (12:00- 4:00 p.m.) |
In-person (Pima county) |
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Mid-Academy Networking Event (4:30-6:00 p.m.) |
In-person (Pima county) |
| August 19 (2:00-3:00 p.m.) |
*PreScheduled CoLab Team Meeting 3 |
Zoom |
| September 9 (8:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.) |
Session 5 |
Zoom |
| September 22 (1:15-4:30 p.m.) |
CoLab 5 |
Zoom |
| October 14-15 |
Closing Retreat (2 days with 1 overnight stay) |
In-person (Pima county) |
| November 4 (12:00-7:30 p.m.) |
CoLab Stakeholder Event (12:00- 4:30 p.m.)
Fellow Celebration Dinner (5:30 p.m.) |
In-person (Pima county) |
| December 2 (9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.) |
Closing Session |
Zoom |
| January 9, 2027 (10:00–11:00 a.m.) |
CFA WLA Network Assembly |
Zoom |
Ongoing during Academy
Continued learning, application, and collaboration between workshop sessions (self-directed time of up to 2 hours between sessions as well as 9 to 12 hours of collaborative project work across a small team of Fellows over the entirety of the academy) |
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Cost to Participate
The participation fee is $650 per Fellow, paid by the Fellow’s organization. It helps cover meeting costs and program materials.
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Application Process and Deadline
Applications are due Sunday, December 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
Prepare before you apply
Review the 2027 Application Overview PDF carefully, including all application questions and required forms. Gather your materials before starting the online application.
In addition to answering the questions on the application, you will need to provide or upload:
Plan to complete the application in one sitting. It takes about 15 minutes if you have your materials ready. You cannot save the form and return to it later. If you are inactive for more than 30 minutes, the site may refresh and you will need to begin again
Start the Application
Applications will be reviewed by the Southern Arizona Workforce Leadership Academy Advisory Council. All applicants will be notified of their application status by January 4, 2027.
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Attend an Information Session
Learn about the Academy, the Fellow experience, and the application process. There will be two informational webinars. Please RSVP via Zoom to attend:
2027 Southern Arizona Advisory Council
- Maria Ahumada, Deputy Administrator, Workforce Development Administration, Division of Employment and Rehabilitation Services, Department of Economic Security
- Dr. Aaron Ball, Vice President to Advance Education Policy, Southern Leadership Council
- Skylie Estep, Human Resources Director of America/North America, South32
- Michael Guymon, Chief Advocacy Officer, The Chamber of Southern Arizona
- Melissa Hernandez, Associate Vice President, Cradle to Career Partnership, United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona
- Mignonne Hollis, Executive Director, Arizona Regional Economic Development Foundation
- Krista McGarvey, Business Operations Manager, Southern Region, Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity
- Kathy Prather, Superintendent, Pima JTED
- Dr. Ian Roark, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Workforce Development, Pima Community College
Academy Contacts
Holly Kurtz
Director, Workforce Development
Center for the Future of Arizona
[email protected]
Amanda Abens, MC
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development, Workforce Development and Innovation
Pima Community College
[email protected]
Tennille Penaloza-Hagen
Project Manager, Workforce Development
Center for the Future of Arizona
[email protected]
Partners:
Pima Community College
The Aspen Institute
The Southern Arizona Workforce Leadership Academy is made possible in part by:
