News & Events Newsletter Archive Newsletter February 2025

February 2025

Northern Arizona Teens Champion Mental Health Through Virtual Internship

Students, Bobbi Seaton and Tyra Dixon, pose with UWNA President and CEO Liz Archuleta after receiving awards from UWNA for their outstanding contributions.

High school students Bobbi Seaton and Tyra Dixon of Navajo County helped advance The Arizona We Want by envisioning a data-driven solution to improve teen mental health. Through a paid virtual internship with CFA’s Arizona Pathways to Prosperity and the Work-Based Learning Alliance, they worked alongside a mentor from United Way of Northern Arizona (UWNA), gaining hands-on experience that resulted in much more than resume-building.

Their internship work sparked positive change: UWNA and Grow Arizona are building a youth center to support local teens with academic, career, and mental health resources.

Through meaningful work-based learning, Tyra and Bobbi had the tools and community support to turn ideas into action, develop critical skills, and create lasting impact in their communities.

Visionary Leaders Invest in Arizona’s Bright Future

As we celebrated Arizona Statehood Day, we reflected on the legacy of those who have shaped our state and the leaders who are investing in its future. Building a prosperous and thriving Arizona takes all of us, and it starts with individuals stepping up to take action.

That’s why we are honored to recognize Gary & Diane Tooker, Phil & Nita Francis, Chuck & Chris Michaels, Mike & Cindy Watts, John & Kathleen Graham, and Sharon Dupont McCord — community champions supporting CFA’s Building Arizona’s Bright Future Together campaign. These dedicated Arizonans care deeply about their communities and our state. They are committed to providing opportunities for families and neighbors to thrive and know that we must all work together to chart a bright future for Arizona.

First row from left to right: Phil & Nita Francis, John & Kathleen Graham, and Chuck & Chris Michaels. Second row from left to right: Gary & Diane Tooker, Sharon Dupont McCord & Dr. Sybil Francis, and Mike & Cindy Watts.

Just over one year into the campaign, their generosity is already having an impact, fueling CFA’s ability to elevate the voices of Arizonans, equip leaders with trusted data, and drive meaningful action. Their insights, expertise, and commitment to Arizona and CFA’s mission are a powerful force for positive change.

“Arizona’s future is not something we wait for; it’s something we build together. The individuals and families supporting CFA exemplify the power of each of us to move Arizona forward, and we are deeply grateful for their partnership in advancing The Arizona We Want.” — Dr. Sybil Francis, Chair, President & CEO, Center for the Future of Arizona

The Building Arizona’s Bright Future Together campaign is a three-year initiative to raise $7 million to advance bold ideas and actions that meet the needs of Arizona’s future.

Learn more about the campaign

State of Black Arizona Unveils Powerful New Dashboard at the Capitol with Support from CFA Data

CFA’s Ian Dowdy and Dr. Sybil Francis join State of Black Arizona CEO Teniqua Broughton at the Arizona State Capitol.

State of Black Arizona (SBAZ) unveiled the Volume V Progress Metrics Dashboard at Governor Katie Hobbs’ February convening with state agencies, a gathering focused on advancing opportunities for Black Arizonans. Built in partnership with Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA), the dashboard provides real-time data on education, economic opportunity, healthcare, infrastructure, and civic engagement, empowering leaders, policymakers, and community members to assess progress and make informed decisions.

Since the release of SBAZ’s Volume V: Driving Local Investment in Black Arizonans report in 2021, data has been a key tool in guiding efforts to increase opportunities for Black communities. The new dashboard expands on this work, ensuring that progress can be measured, challenges addressed, and accountability strengthened.

At the event, SBAZ CEO Teniqua Broughton and CFA Director of Strategic Data Initiatives Ian Dowdy presented key findings from the dashboard, highlighting areas of stagnation across critical indicators and reinforcing the need for data-driven action. Their discussion underscored the dashboard’s power as a resource for community leaders and policymakers to track progress and drive meaningful change. CFA Chair, President & CEO Dr. Sybil Francis joined the event in support of this ongoing collaboration.

Explore the dashboard and learn more

Record Number of Students Participate in Yuma Career & Technical Education Day

High school and middle school students participated in over 17 immersive employer demonstrations.

CFA and Yuma County Public Works hosted their third annual Career & Technical Education (CTE) Career Day, welcoming nearly 240 students from Yuma Union High School District, Antelope High School, Centennial Middle School, and Crane Middle School to explore career pathways with over 20 employers, including APS and the Yuma County Emergency Response Unit.

CFA’s Arizona Pathways to Prosperity initiative leverages high-quality career exploration — along with early college opportunities like dual enrollment and work-based learning — to help students connect education with real-world opportunities. By engaging with industry leaders, students gain insight into high-demand careers while employers invest in their future workforce. With record participation, CTE Career Day continues to build stronger bridges between education and industry, empowering students to see themselves in Arizona’s future.

CFA Brings Data-Driven Insights to Arizona Town Hall Voting & Elections Discussion

From left to right: Evelyn Casuga, David Martinez III, Kristi Tate, and Tara Jackson discussed key issues and opportunities for improving elections in Arizona.

Throughout 2024, Arizona’s 116th Town Hall examined how Arizona’s voting and election systems influence the state’s future. More than 1,200 Arizonans participated in 35 discussions statewide.

As a culmination of these efforts, Arizona Town Hall convened public policy and civic leaders for a robust exchange on the 2024 elections, key challenges, and opportunities for strengthening Arizona’s electoral system. Experts provided analysis, explored solutions, and facilitated discussions among participants to drive meaningful action.

CFA’s Director of Community and Economic Prosperity Evelyn Casuga and Director of Civic Health Initiatives Kristi Tate brought essential data to the discussion, sharing insights from CFA’s Arizona Civic Health Progress Meters and survey research. Their contributions highlighted where Arizonans find common ground and how Arizona is doing — key insights to inform efforts to strengthen civic participation, ensure responsive systems, and foster collaboration that benefits all Arizonans.

Watch the event recording

CFA and NRF Foundation Upskill Arizonans for Retail Industry

CFA’s workforce initiatives meet Arizonans where they’re at with tools to utilize talents and build futures that help our state thrive. Last month, CFA and the National Retail Federation Foundation (NRF Foundation) convened our quarterly learning circle with educators to discuss the RISE Up retail credential curriculum and the state of retail in Arizona. Local leaders of Dick's Sporting Goods shared their retail journeys to inform educators who are shaping curriculum.

"We want teachers to hear directly from people who have built fulfilling careers in the retail industry so they can share these examples and opportunities with their students," added Marisa Mitchell, NRF Foundation’s Senior Manager, Partnerships & Outreach.

Thanks to CFA and the NRF Foundation’s partnership, RISE UP is in CTE programs at more than 50 Arizona school districts and 25 organizations providing adult education. The industry-recognized curriculum builds retail workers’ skills so they can excel and grow their careers in retail and beyond, meeting the growing demands of the retail sector along the way.

Arizona Media Institute: CFA Launches New Initiative to Support Local Media

CFA recently announced the Arizona Media Institute powered by a visionary investment from Don Budinger. The new initiative is designed to collaborate with and support Arizona’s state and local media by providing data-driven tools and resources to enhance their capacity and impact.

Learn more

Watch: CFA Joins Flinn Foundation’s CivEx Webinar

CFA’s Director of Civic Health Initiatives, Kristi Tate, discussed with partners the findings of the Civic Language Perceptions Project and how they can inform civic engagement efforts in Arizona.

From The Flinn Foundation

Community Leaders Discuss Ways to Improve Arizona Elections

Arizonans gathered with civic leaders to reflect on the 2024 elections and discuss the future of voting at Arizona Town Hall’s event on Feb. 13 in Phoenix.

From AZ Family

Listen: CFA Discusses Civic Health on the ONE Community Podcast

CFA’s Executive Vice President Dr. Amanda Burke joined ONE Community’s Better Together Arizona podcast to discuss Arizona’s future and the role of civic health.

From ONE Community

Dr. Francis and Fellow Female Leaders Join Phoenix Business Journal’s Mentoring Monday

CFA’s Chair, President & CEO Dr. Sybil Francis participated in the Phoenix Business Journal’s 12th Annual Mentoring Monday to support and inspire Arizona’s future leaders.

From Phoenix Business Journal

ALL In Education Releases 2024-2025 MAPA Report

ALL in Education released its annual report, MAPA: The State of Arizona Latino Education, Power and Influence.

From All in Education

Yuma Proving Ground Hits the Road for Student Outreach

Parachute testers from U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, a military test center for cutting-edge defense technologies, shared their experience at the Yuma County Public Works CTE Career Day, co-hosted by CFA, to inspire the next generation with real-world career opportunities that drive innovation and economic mobility.

From Defense Visual Information Distribution Service

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