Valley Leadership has named Leslie Motter and Terry Goddard as the 76th Arizona Leaders of the Year, formerly known as Man & Woman of the Year. Honored for their dedication to tackling Arizona’s most pressing challenges, deep record of community engagement, and embodiment of Valley Leadership’s Principles of Doing, Motter and Goddard exemplify the spirit of servant leadership driving positive change across the state.
“Leslie and Terry represent the very best of what it means to lead in Arizona,” said Dave Brown, CEO of Valley Leadership. “Their unwavering commitment to helping others and tackling our state’s most complex challenges has left a lasting impact. In honoring them as Arizona Leaders of the Year, we celebrate their vision, courage, and the meaningful change they continue to drive for Arizona’s future.”
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Leslie Motter is Chief Executive Officer of Make-A-Wish America, a $500M+ nonprofit recognized by Morning Consult as one of the most trusted in the U.S. She brings more than 30 years of leadership experience in strategy, finance, operations, and human resources, spanning Fortune 100 companies and mission-driven organizations. Since joining Make-A-Wish, she has led digital modernization, strengthened governance and culture, and driven brand growth, building on her prior role as COO overseeing finance, technology, legal, and HR. Previously, she held senior leadership positions at American Express, Aetna, Prudential, and Vanguard. Forbes named her to its “50 Over 50” list in 2022, and she has also received the Heart for the Homeless Award and was an Athena Finalist.
Terry Goddard has dedicated his life to strengthening Arizona’s civic fabric through leadership that empowers communities. As a private citizen, he led the petition drive and election to amend the Phoenix charter and establish district representation, dramatically diversifying the city council. The following year, he was elected the city’s first mayor under the new system, where he also launched the Phoenix Futures Forum, engaging more than 10,000 residents in shaping Phoenix’s long-term vision. He co-founded Central Arizona Shelter Services, founded the Housing Opportunity Center, and has championed historic preservation through the restoration of the Monroe Street Abbey. Goddard also led the successful “Stop Dark Money” campaign for campaign finance transparency and now serves as President of the Central Arizona Project Board, guiding efforts to secure Arizona’s water future.
Motter and Goddard will be recognized at an Awards Reception hosted by John and Kathleen Graham on November 13, 2025 at the Paradise Valley Country Club.
We are grateful to this year’s Presenting Sponsor, Sprout’s Healthy Community Foundation, for their support of the event and Valley Leadership’s work overall in the community.
About the Honorees
Leslie Motter serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Make-A-Wish America. Leslie is an agile, results-driven C-suite executive with over 30 years of experience in strategy, finance, operations, and human resources. She has led transformations spanning Fortune 100 companies and mission-based organizations.
As CEO of Make-A-Wish America, a $500M+ national philanthropic organization, Leslie drives growth, increases brand strength, and ensures the organization has the best people, capabilities, governance, and culture. Under her leadership, Make-A-Wish was recognized by Morning Consult as the #1 most trusted nonprofit operating locally in all 50 states throughout the U.S.
Previously, as Make-A-Wish America’s COO, Leslie led finance, technology, legal, and HR, modernizing the organization with digital transformations and for-profit practices. She works closely with the Board of Directors and serves as executive manager on committees including Audit & Finance, Revenue, Governance, Culture and Compensation and Executive committee.
Leslie’s prior roles include Senior VP at American Express, where she drove revenue growth and operational excellence, and leadership positions at Aetna, Prudential, and Vanguard.
Forbes named Leslie to its ’50 Over 50’ list in 2022, and she has received the Heart for the Homeless Award and was an Athena Finalist. She holds a BA in Communications from the University of Connecticut and an MS in Organizational Behavior from the University of Hartford.
Leslie lives in Arizona and California and enjoys hiking, reading, and traveling with family and friends.
Terry Goddard has devoted his life to strengthening Arizona’s civic fabric through leadership, reform, and public service. Over four terms as Mayor of Phoenix (1984–1990) and two terms as Arizona Attorney General (2003–2011), he built a reputation for integrity and innovation, but his greatest impact has been as a civic leader whose work continues to shape Arizona’s future.
Before becoming mayor, Goddard led the successful petition drive and election to amend the Phoenix charter, establishing district representation and dramatically diversifying the city council. The following year, he became the city’s first mayor elected under the new system. As mayor, he also launched the Phoenix Futures Forum, which engaged more than 10,000 residents in envisioning the city’s long-term cultural and economic growth. His leadership extended nationally as President of the National League of Cities in 1989.
His civic commitments span many of Arizona’s most pressing challenges. In housing, he co-founded Central Arizona Shelter Services, founded the Housing Opportunity Center, and served as Arizona’s HUD Director. In historic preservation, he established the Phoenix Historic Preservation Commission, served as a trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, led the preservation and restoration of the Monroe Street Abbey and served as chair of the National Trust Community Investment Corporation. He also spearheaded statewide campaign finance reform, leading the successful “Stop Dark Money” initiative requiring disclosure of large political contributions.
Today, as President of the Central Arizona Project Board, Goddard is helping secure Arizona’s water future, navigating the complexities of protecting Arizona’s share of Colorado River water with a steady focus on sustainability, collaboration, and long-term resilience. Through each effort, Terry has advanced one consistent theme: opening government to the public and ensuring a sustainable future for Arizona.
