2023 Leaders of the Year

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Event: September 26, 2023

Each year, the Arizona Capitol Times recognizes leaders that have contributed to the growth of our state. These are the people and groups that hunker down each day to find ways to improve the quality of life of Arizona’s citizens. The awardees will be recognized at an awards luncheon in September. They will also be profiled in a special edition of the Arizona Capitol Times.

Associations  

David Martin 

President, Arizona Chapter – Associated General Contractors of America 
 

Darcy Olsen 

Founder & CEO, Center for the Rights of Abused Children 
 

Steve Zylstra 

President & CEO, Arizona Technology Council 

Arts & Culture 

Rosemarie Dombrowski 

Inaugural Poet Laureate, City of Phoenix 

Economy 

Enrique Davis Mazlum 

Arizona State Director, American Business Immigration Coalition  
 

Michael Guymon 

President & CEO, Tucson Metro Chamber    
 

Mike Huckins 

Vice President of Public Affairs, Greater Phoenix Chamber 
 

John Lewis 

President & CEO, East Valley Partnership 
 

Danny Seiden 

President & CEO, Arizona, Chamber of Commerce & Industry 

Education 

Beth Lewis 

Executive Director, Save Our Schools Arizona 
 

Paul Luna 

President & CEO, Helios Education Foundation 
 

Scott Spurgeon, Ph.D 

Superintendent, West-MEC 

Environment 

Tom Buschatzke 

Director, Arizona Department of Water Resources 
 

Ron Doba  

Program Manager, Northern Arizona Municipal Water Users Association 
 

Leslie Meyers    

Associate General Manager & Chief Water Executive, Salt River Project 

Government 

Jason Beck 

Mayor of Peoria, City of Peoria    
 

Patty Hansen  

County Recorder, Coconino County 
 

Steve Kaiser    

Former State Senator, Arizona State Senate 
 

Stephen Richer  

County Recorder, Maricopa County 

Healthcare 

David Berg  

Co-founder & CEO, Redirect Health 
 

Karen Hoffman Tepper  

President & CEO, Terros Health  
 

Steve Purves  

President & CEO, Valleywise Health 

Public Safety 

Darrell Kriplean  

President, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association 
 

David Rhodes 

Yavapai County Sheriff, Yavapai County 

Public Service 

Chuck Coughlin  

President & CEO, HighGound  
 

Sybil Francis, Ph.D 

President, Chair & CEO, Center for the Future of Arizona  
 

Andy Gaona  

Partner, Coppersmith Brockelman 
 

Rita Maguire  

Attorney, Rita P. Maguire, Attorney at Law, PLLC 

Social Services 

Candy Espino  

CEO, Arizona Council of Human Service Providers 
 

Tommy Espinoza 

Past President & CEO, Raza Development Fund 
 

Sintra Hoffman 

President & CEO, WESTMARC  
 

Pam Koester 

CEO, Arizona LeadingAge 

Lifetime Achievement 

Michael Crow 

President, Arizona State University