Key Points: 

• Arizona Capitol Times honors 33 women leaders in various fields

• Monica Garnes named Woman of the Year, leading 130 Fry’s Food Stores

• Winners spanned ten categories across various fields in state leadership

Monica Garnes, Division President of Fry’s Food Stores, was named Woman of the Year on Oct. 22 at the Arizona Capitol Times 2025 Arizona Women Achievers award ceremony. 

Garnes is the first Black division president in the company’s history, leading 130 Fry’s Food Stores across the state. In her role, she has championed initiatives to improve food access, strengthened diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and mentored future leaders. 

“In this room are so many talented and remarkable women who are really leading in the state of Arizona, and to be recognized among this group is just really a source of pride and honor,” Garnes said. 

Now in its sixth year, Arizona Women Achievers, hosted by the Arizona Capitol Times and its parent company, State Affairs, continues to recognize the women paving the way for Arizona, with 32 honorees across 10 categories and one Woman of the Year. 

“It’s a gathering of voices, stories and leadership that inspire us to reach higher and push harder,” Alison Bethel, chief content officer and editor in chief of State Affairs, said. “Today we shine a spotlight on women who don’t just break ceilings, they build new ones.”

In her acceptance speech, Garnes recognized the women she works with as a source of inspiration. 

“It’s so important to me because I think about the brilliance that women bring into the workforce each and every day,” Garnes said. “We aren’t the company we are at Fry’s without the amazing women leaders who help support our mission each and every day.”

Award winners spanned ten categories: health care, legal, government and public service, policy and advocacy, technology and innovation, environmental impact, corporate leadership, nonprofits, education and unsung heroes. 

Award recipients included Terri Waibel, founder and clinical director of the Center for Compassion, a group providing support to those experiencing grief, trauma and loss; Brittney Kaufmann, chief executive officer of the Health System Alliance of Arizona, encompassing about 80% of hospital-related care in the state; Kim Ho, vice president of sales at evolvedMD, a company working to integrate behavioral health into primary care, and Dr. Erica Grabinski, a primary care physician. 

As for the state’s legal community, attorneys identified cutting edge advocacy in emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, data security and privacy, as well as mainstay representation on issues like labor and employment law, personal injury and wrongful death, as criteria for an award. 

Honorees included Melissa Soliz, a partner at Coppersmith Brockelman; Cristina Perez Hesano, founding partner at Perez Law; Jacqueline Mendez Soto, partner at Barton Mendez Soto; and Lauren Bianchi, with Bianchi Brandt. 

Government and public service award winners encompassed public servants at every level of government, with accolades to Leah Landrum-Taylor, assistant director for the Arizona Department of Economic Security; Jen Pokorski, county manager for Maricopa County; Jessica Mefford-Miller, CEO of Valley Metro; Christine Ellis, vice mayor of Chandler; and Ann O’Brien, vice mayor of Phoenix. 

O’Brien brought her mother, daughter and granddaughter to the event. 

“I come from a family of strong women. My mom worked in the business world. She was a working mom because we were a poor family,” O’Brien said. “It’s incredible to be able to build on what the women who came before me (built), and to raise strong women.” 

On policy and advocacy, Andrea Whitsett, executive director of the Morrison Institute for Public Policy at ASU; Amanda Sheinson, vice president of governmental affairs for the Arizona Medical Association, and Megan Casey, board relations program manager for the Central Arizona Project, rose to the top. 

Technology and innovation honorees were Skye Lucking, director of ASU’s Mesh Lab, a research studio focused on extended reality, and Rebecca Clyde, co-founder and CEO of Botco.ai, a company focused on utilizing AI chatbots to improve access to health care. 

Elvy Barton, senior manager for water and forest sustainability at the Salt River Project, and Karen Peters, director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, were recognized for their leadership in water and environmental stewardship. 

Top corporate leadership included Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority; Corporation Commissioner Lea Márquez Peterson; Taylor Perkins, director of business development for CHASSE Building Team, and Linda Welter, principal and CEO of Caliber Group. 

Shelley Jackson, executive director of Instituto; Reyna Montoya, founder and CEO of Aliento; Amanda Burke, executive vice president of the Center for the Future of Arizona, and Velma Trayham, president and CEO of the Black Chamber of Arizona, made up the nonprofit category. 

Those recognized for their work in education covered K-12, universities and the state’s community colleges, with recognition of Desiree Reed-Francois, the University of Arizona’s first female athletic director; Alissa Trollinger, state director of special education at the Arizona Department of Education, and Kristin Gubser, associate vice president, workforce strategies and external affairs for Gateway Community College. 

And finally, the unsung hero award went to Donna Leone-Hamm, executive director of Middle Ground Prison Reform, for her work flagging instances of violence in the state’s carceral and legal system.

In closing, Bethel said: “This afternoon, we’ve presented 33 awards — 33 stories of persistence, leadership, creativity and courage. Each one a reminder that progress doesn’t happen in headlines alone; it happens in classrooms, boardrooms, communities and quiet acts of resolve. To our honorees: may your example continue to open paths and possibilities for others.” 

In addition to honorees, notable attendees included former Gov. Jan Brewer, Rep. Julie Willoughby and Sybil Francis, 2024 Woman of the Year and chair, president and CEO of Center for the Future of Arizona. 

“We are all working hard in our own lanes. And it’s so wonderful to be able to get together and celebrate each other and really see that each individual person’s work is really adding up to the greater good,” Francis said.