Valley Leadership has selected 12 Arizonans to be part of the fourth class who will travel over 1,850 miles together. Participants will get to know the great diversity of Arizona and how our most pressing issues show up in rural, urban, suburban, border and Native communities, and also visit a new community as part of this year’s program. OneAZ Credit Union has also awarded a three-year grant to support the Explore program. 

MORE NEWS: Phoenix bucket list: 25 things you must do

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS: Want more news like this? Get our free newsletter here

“OneAZ is proud to support Valley Leadership with a $90,000 Legacy Grant for its Explore Program,” said Brandon Michaels, President & CEO of OneAZ Credit Union and President of the OneAZ Community Foundation. “Valley Leadership is a trailblazing Arizona institution that catalyzes positive change by empowering every Arizonan to lead. By supporting Valley Leadership, we’re investing in the future leaders who will drive prosperity and make a meaningful impact on the issues that matter most in our state.” 

Participants will visit seven different communities in Arizona and hear from over 100 partners that represent the broad diversity of our state. The destinations will include Navajo Nation, Nogales, Yuma, Mesa, South Phoenix, Buckeye and the newest addition, the Gila River Indian Community.

“Overall, the Explore journey has been a catalyst for personal growth, introspection, and a renewed sense of purpose,” said Adolfo Maldonado, an Explore Class 3 Alumni and Engineer at APS. “I look forward to applying these insights in both my personal and professional life, as I continue to evolve and contribute to the communities I hold dear.”

The Explore program runs from March to June and travel ranges from single to multi-day trips. Each visit will focus on learning about each community’s various assets, opportunities and challenges. Participants will gain a better understanding and perspective of how lived- experiences in our state vary based on different communities. To learn more about the Explore program, visit www.valleyleadership.org/explore.

Here is the Explore Program’s fourth class

  • Chrissy Biebel, Director of Human Resources, Scottsdale Community College
  • Jenny Dwyer, Licensed Professional Counselor, Self Employed
  • Julio Espinoza, International Business Analyst, Molera-Alvarez
  • Chelsey Falk, Community Activation Manager, Salt River Project
  • Jacki Grainger, Chief of Marketing & Strategic Initiatives, First Things First
  • Kristie Jackson, Senior Learning Strategist, BloomBoard
  • Linda Jensen, SNAP Outreach Director, Wildfire
  • Rezarta Mataj, Attorney, Arizona Corporation Commission, Securities Division
  • Laura Pearl, Executive Director, Flip the Vote
  • Amanda Straight, Manager Strategic Doing, Valley Leadership
  • Grecia Wharton, Operations Manager, Instituto
  • Cara Wright, Program Mangers, Phoenix Union High School District