June 26, 1990 was the hottest day in Phoenix history with the temperature reaching 122 degrees Fahrenheit. I was a college student at the time, pursuing my undergraduate degree in marketing. I was paying for my education with a full-time job, working as a delivery driver for a Phoenix advertising agency.  This was before the emergence of the Internet and the ability to transmit documents and other communications electronically, as opposed to hard copies.  So my job meant driving all over Phoenix delivering layouts, artwork, and other documents for my employer.  And on June 26, 1990, I was doing this in my old Toyota Corolla without air conditioning.  It was so hot that day that the airport grounded all airplanes because they were unsure what could happen flying airplanes in weather so hot.  Asphalt on the roads warped, hospital emergency rooms filled, and I remember my shirt being drenched with sweat, and I was using a towel to grasp the steering wheel because it was too hot to touch.  It was on this day that my career objectives changed.  Up until that day, I aspired to be an advertising agency executive. But something happened that afternoon which made me realize that a business career was not for me. Driving around in those ridiculous conditions for minimum wage so that businesses, that I felt no connection to, could make a profit changed my priorities. For me, that no longer seemed fulfilling. I realized what excited me was the opportunity to improve people’s lives on a more meaningful scale.  I decided I wanted to do things that I felt were impactful. So it was on that day that I started to seriously think about law school and a career in public service.

Ever since, that approach has always seemed to guide my professional career. I have always sought to pursue opportunities where I felt I could have the greatest, most meaningful impact.  It was the approach I took in early 2023 when Governor Hobbs asked me to be the Director of the Arizona Department of Child Safety.  I had a great job as the CEO of Children’s Action Alliance, one of Arizona’s most respected nonprofit advocacy organizations. I planned to be in that role until I retired. Many warned me that being the DCS Director is probably the worst, most challenging jobs in state government.  And nationally, the average tenure for child welfare leaders is only 18 months. Still, if someone really wants to be impactful, bringing about real, positive systemic change to the child welfare system can not only uplift families, but it can also change communities, it can lead to reduced prison populations, more college graduates, and stronger economies. So, despite the known challenges, I chose the path where I thought I could be most impactful.  And I am proud of the many accomplishments we achieved in my almost two years leading the agency. We reduced Arizona’s foster care population to below 8,000 children, from a high of close to 18,000 just a few years earlier. We eliminated wait lists for critical services needed  for families to succeed, and we prioritized prevention and reducing disparities in the child welfare system.  But the Arizona legislature decided to put political battles with Governor Hobbs over results, and refused to confirm many of her Cabinet appointees, including me.

So, I was once again at a career crossroads.  I was confident when I was leaving Children’s Action Alliance that if things didn’t work out at DCS, that I would still have plenty of good job opportunities to consider.  And that was indeed the case.  When I was leaving DCS, I was considering a few different jobs, all of which would have provided the opportunity to make the impact I was seeking, but most would have entailed working closely with the state legislature and/or Congress. Yuck! Sure, most of my career has been spent working in political spaces, but unfortunately, I have come to realize that especially these days, if you want to get big impactful things done, those political spaces are not where it is going to happen. So, it is time to find a new arena to have the impact I am seeking.  And that is why I am so excited to be the new executive director for Arizona School for the Arts.

Arizona School for the Arts is a public charter school located in central Phoenix and its mission is to provide rigorous academics combined with strong performing arts programs.  In its 30 years of existence, the school has never received anything less than an A-rating from the state of Arizona.  Consistent with what research shows, strong performing arts curriculum promotes academic success. It develops creative thinkers, problem solvers, leaders.  And that is certainly what Arizona School for the Arts has a history of producing.  Last year’s graduates are heading to schools like Yale, NYU, Oberlin, Johns Hopkins, Loyola Chicago, and ASU Barrett Honors. They are seeking majors in things like biology, engineering, neuroscience, economics, business administration, computer science, and culinary arts.

Arizona School for the Arts, like all schools, are impact factories.  I realize now that having a big impact is not tied to the size of the organization you are affiliated with, or how much authority you have.  Each year, ASA educates about 800 students. If we are doing things right, we are going to prepare those students to do amazing things.  We are going to prepare them to do all of the things I have spent my career doing and so much more, and better and more effectively than I could ever do!  They are going to be our future advertising executives, our future nonprofit leaders, our future government leaders, community leaders, and elected officials.  They are going to be doctors, scientists, engineers, business owners, artists, teachers. They are going to change the world.

My job is to give them the tools and  create the culture and environment for them to succeed.  I want to help all of our students achieve their dreams.  I want to inspire them to reach for the stars. I want to provide our teachers and staff with the conditions and resources so that they feel valued and supported and the freedom to use their talent and experience to thrive.  I want to give our parents the peace of mind that their children are safe and being prepared to succeed in both career and life.  If I can do that, then I will have more impact than I ever dreamed of.