Valley Leadership has announced the cohort of 11 leaders for Explore Class 5. This is the fifth year of its immersive statewide leadership program designed to connect Arizonans to the people, places, and issues shaping the state’s future.
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Explore brings together a small cohort of leaders who travel across Arizona to learn directly from communities representing the state’s tribal, rural, border, suburban, and urban landscapes. Over the course of the program, Explore Class 5 participants will travel more than 1,800 miles, visiting seven communities across the state: Navajo Nation, Nogales, Yuma, Mesa, South Phoenix, Buckeye, and the Gila River Indian Community.
“Explore has evolved into something truly special over the past five years,” said Jennifer Gastelum, Explore Program Manager. “What began as an idea has grown into a statewide journey rooted in strong partnerships and mutual trust with communities across Arizona. As we launch Class 5, we’re excited to welcome a new group of leaders who are curious, open, and committed to learning directly from the people and places that make this state so unique.”
Throughout the program, participants will engage with more than 100 community partners, gaining firsthand insight into local assets, opportunities, and challenges. Each visit is intentionally designed to deepen understanding of how issues such as economic development, education, housing, water, and health manifest differently across Arizona communities.
“I was born and raised in Arizona, so I thought I understood these communities, but Explore gave me a much deeper experience than I ever expected,” said Kristie Jackson, an Explore Class 4 alum and 2012 Arizona Teacher of the Year. “What Valley Leadership has created is truly powerful. By centering community voices and creating space for people to share what matters most to them, Explore fosters connection, understanding, and trust in a way that completely floored me.”
The Explore program runs from March through June, with travel ranging from single-day immersions to multi-day experiences. Participants must be a graduate of a foundational Valley Leadership program to participate. They leave the program with a broader perspective on Arizona and a stronger sense of responsibility to lead with empathy, curiosity, and collaboration.
The Explore program is made possible through the continued support of OneAZ Credit Union, which is in the second phase of its three-year Legacy Grant investment, alongside returning support from Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation and Central Arizona Project. To learn more about Valley Leadership’s Explore program, visit www.valleyleadership.org/explore.
Meet Explore Class 5
| Dave | Barnes | VP of Engineering | PTSL |
| Fabiola | Bedoya | Arizona Field Organizer | Moms Clean Air Force |
| Tyler | Butler | Founder, Chief Social Impact Officer | Collaboration for Good |
| Constance | Capiotis | Senior Program Manager | ASU |
| Toni | Elwell | Aesthetician & Licensed Massage Therapist | Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch Resort |
| Julio | Espinoza | Graduate Student | Northern Arizona University |
| Katie | Kiefer | Founder & CEO | Keen Strategies |
| Kate | Mayeski | Storyteller | Maverick May Solutions |
| Shaunna | O’Dowd | Teacher | Phoenix Union High School District, PXU City |
| David | Perez | Advisor | Cresa |
| Maria | Valenzuela | Executive Director | Spaces of Opportunity |
About Valley Leadership
Valley Leadership gives Arizonans the tools to solve challenges together. We do that by empowering Arizonans to lead through our learning opportunities and mobilizing them to make a difference on our state’s most pressing issues through our Impact Maker. With a track record of over 40 years of strengthening Arizona leaders, we are working to provide more opportunities than ever before to engage and empower Arizonans to lead. The Impact Maker gives us a unique opportunity to partner with the community on our greatest challenges and find solutions together. Learn more at valleyleadership.org.
