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Barry Aarons: Legendary lobbyist tells all
With 55 years of experience lobbying at the state Capitol, Barry Aarons, with his signature bow tie, is one of the most recognizable lobbyists in Arizona. From starting as a […]
Kathryn Ptak: Mission-driven director of the Department of Child Safety
Kathryn Ptak spent most of her career working in child welfare before becoming director of the Department of Child Safety earlier this year. She says her personal connection to the […]
Sandy Bahr: Environmental activism in the second Trump era
Sandy Bahr is a well-known figure at the state Capitol, where she can frequently be found testifying at the Legislature and the Arizona Corporation Commission in her role as executive […]
Joe DeMenna: Keep lobbying in the family
The DeMenna family has helped shape Arizona law for generations as one of the Arizona Capitol’s most recognizable and respected public affairs firms. Nearly two decades after Kevin DeMenna founded […]
Reyna Montoya: An advocate for equal opportunity
Reyna Montoya has lived many lives. As a high school teacher, she learned how educational policies could intimately impact the lives of students. As a DACA recipient, she advocated for […]
Karla Phillips-Krivickas: Arizona’s champion of education
Karla Phillips-Krivickas has seen it all. And from all her roles — from legislative to executive policy staff, to the Department of Education, to national education nonprofits, to the State […]
Gaelle Esposito: Passion and policy
Gaelle Esposito was first attracted to Arizona politics as a high school student. Esposito started working on campaigns at the local, state and national levels, including a couple of state […]
Sambo ‘Bo’ Dul: From state government to private law
After weathering storm after storm as a state elections director, chief legal adviser to both the secretary of state and the governor, Sambo “Bo” Dul, exited state government. Her work […]
Gretchen Jacobs – Lobbying for a greater cause
It’s a rare instance when a lobbyist’s advocacy for a bill becomes personal, but that’s what the recently signed “Ava’s Law” became for Gretchen Jacobs. Jacobs, a lobbyist with Arizona […]
Megan Gilbertson: The transition from storyteller to advocate
Megan Gilbertson has held a number of journalism, communications and advocacy roles throughout her nearly 20-year career. Gilbertson started as an education reporter with The Arizona Republic. She then served […]
Lea Márquez Peterson: Bringing southern Arizona to the Capitol
Lea Márquez Peterson is the longest serving member of the Arizona Corporation Commission, having been appointed in 2019 and elected in 2020 and reelected in 2024. As the only statewide […]
David Duncan: Behind the red tape of state-sanctioned death
Before his report was cut short by Gov. Katie Hobbs, David Duncan, a retired federal magistrate judge, poured over banker boxes of records, interviewed dozens of people at the many […]
