Honorees

Hollace (Holly) Lyon calls herself a “Westerner” having spent most of her childhood in the western U.S. In her 26 year Air Force career, she traveled the world, working at NATO and retiring out of the Pentagon as a Colonel.  She helped build the infrastructure for the redistricted Legislative District 11, assisting with the new by laws and charter, and concentrating on growth and collaboration amongst the many Democratic clubs. 

Elvira Suarez Din was born and raised in El Centro California.  Elvira started community organizing in Tucson through civic engagement work with students, political education, and lobbying elected officials with LUCHA.  In 2019, Elvira was the field director for Regina Romero’s historic campaign for Tucson Mayor and helped elect the city’s first Latina and woman mayor. 

Charlene Mendoza is a native Tucsonan passionate about education, equity, representation, voice and choice. She is committed to helping to create real and meaningful representation in government and a democracy that is truly reflective of our population. She serves on the boards of Las Adelitas AZ, Arizona List, Tucson Values Teachers, and the Arizona Charter Schools Association.

Representative Raquel Terán is a mother, wife, community organizer and lifelong Arizonan.  In November, Raquel, along with other state legislators from other states, traveled to El Salvador to see the impact of their abortion ban and to talk to women who are now incarcerated because of this abortion ban. She has gone above and beyond in championing reproductive health.

In 2004, Jen Longdon was paralyzed in a random drive-by shooting, changing the trajectory of her life overnight.  For 14 years Jen has worked tirelessly to raise awareness and improve the lives of people with disabilities. As a Commissioner on the Phoenix Mayor’s Commission on Disability Issues, Jen helped create an amendment to the City’s non-discrimination ordinance which added protections for people with disabilities. As LD 24’s representative in the State House, Jen has fought back against extremist policies and fought for our community through investment in education, attracting quality jobs and promoting the health and safety of all Arizonans. 

Charlotte is a retired journalist and political activist in Scottsdale, where she got her start working on President Obama’s re-election campaign in 2012. She has since volunteered on campaigns in Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. She is an active volunteer with the Democratic party, serving as a precinct committeeperson and a member of the State Committee. She was part of the State Party’s grassroots leadership team in 2018, training volunteers to canvass for Kyrsten Sinema.

Kate Gallego has spent her career working to find solutions to complex problems. As a Phoenix City Councilmember, Kate’s record of results includes leading the campaign to pass Phoenix’s citywide transportation plan through 2050 and working to ensure equal pay for equal work.

Liz Luna’s passion is political engagement. She is the proud daughter of immigrant parents with Southern México Indigenous roots. She was the first in her family to attend and graduate from a university. To this day, Liz is the only member of her family who can vote. She understands that every vote matters and that when we vote, we vote on the issues that impact us, our values and for our families.

Katie Hobbs has led a life of service. Beginning as a volunteer at her church and continuing with her job as a social worker and chief compliance officer at one of the largest domestic violence centers in the U.S., the focus of her life has been to help others to gain safety and security, to be heard, and to create a better life for themselves.

Dr. Hiral Tipirneni has dedicated her life to serving her community, solving problems, and improving lives. She’s served the Phoenix area for more than 20 years as an emergency room physician, cancer research advocate and, most recently, on the Board of Directors of the Maricopa Health Foundation, which supports the county’s public health care delivery system.

Olivia Cajero Bedford served in the Arizona Legislature from 2003 – 2018. Before having the opportunity to serve Tucsonans at the state level, Senator Cajero Bedford was a business owner and a director of sales and marketing for the tourism/hotel industry.

Pam Simon served as the community outreach coordinator for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords following a career of two decades teaching middle and high school.

Kathy Hoffman was elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction in November 2018, and assumed office in January 2019. Superintendent Hoffman has spent her entire career working in public education, first as a pre-school teacher and then as a speech-language pathologist.

January Contreras is the co-founder of ALWAYS and an attorney committed to advancing the interests of women, children, and families in Arizona.

Jennifer Allen is a Senior Vice President at the League of Conservation Voters where she leads LCV’s Community and Civic Engagement department. She joined LCV in 2013 to develop Chispa (“spark” in Spanish).

Michelle Crow serves as Southern Arizona Director of Children’s Action Alliance, where her primary role is in building coalitions to advocate for better policies around children’s health, education and security here in Arizona including supporting Save Our Schools and the Arizona Grandparent Ambassadors.

Dana Walton was born and raised in Casper, WY.  A product of Wyoming public schools, she recognized early on the importance of electing Democrats and progressives to public office. While she was studying at the University of Wyoming, she became an active member of the UW Young Democrats.

Maritza Miranda Saenz is the proud daughter of farmworkers who knew the importance of education as a strong foundation. Both her parents instilled in her a sense of responsibility to care for community and be an advocate for others. Growing up in South Phoenix, political engagement and activism were a part of her everyday life.

Connie DeLarge was born in Nashville, Tennessee, attended Tennessee State University and in 1978 moved to Los Angeles, California. Connie was raised in a political activist home; her parents participated in the Nashville sit ins in 1960.

Dr. Janie Hydrick grew up and attended public elementary and high schools in Arizona. She holds multiple degrees, including a doctorate, from the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

Susan Bickel has been a co-chair of the Pima County Democratic PC Development Committee for the past 3 years. She previously served as the 2nd Vice-Chair of the Pima County Democratic Party (PCDP) and represented the Democrats of Oro Valley on the PCDP Executive Council.

Cara Coleman has supported progressive campaigns in Arizona since her early teenage years when she first developed a desire to meet people in their communities to work on issues affecting them directly. She honed this passion while volunteering in communities in Tanzania, Mexico, post-Katrina Louisiana, on tribal land, and for populations with developmental disabilities.

Donna Gratehouse is a ten-year Navy veteran, worked for high-tech in the East Valley, then in financial planning and now currently works as a paralegal. Beginning with the John Kerry campaign, she fell in love with political activism and in 2006, she ran for Arizona State Senate.

Barbara Tellman is known far and wide as one of the best volunteers the Pima County Democrats have ever known. Barbara was born into a family of left-wing do-gooders and tree-huggers and has followed that heritage.  Having a short attention span (her words not ours!), after being a stay-at-home Mom, she went from working for a local environmental group, to a public interest law firm, then Planned Parenthood, while volunteering on numerous campaigns.

Laura Dent is a two-time graduate of the University of Arizona; she holds a B.A. in Political Science, with minors in Latin American Studies and Spanish and Master’s degree in Public Administration. Laura began her professional career as Field Director for the Pima Area Labor Federation, the Southern Arizona subsidiary of the AFL-CIO.

All of her professional life, Heather Alberts has been devoted to helping women develop their leadership, educational and political capabilities. Heather received her undergraduate degree in political science from Connecticut College in New London, and her Master’s degree in career counseling from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. She began her professional life as an American history teacher for middle school children.

Lisa Fernandez is a fifth generation Arizonan, born and raised in Yuma with nearly ten years of experience in fundraising, strategic communications and managing electoral campaigns. Lisa attended Arizona State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science.

A first generation college graduate, Felecia graduated with honors from Notre Dame Law School in 1986, before moving to Phoenix, Arizona.  For over 28 years, Felecia has made Arizona her home and has been practicing law in both the public and private sectors. She spent 13 years as a consumer protection and financial fraud prosecutor in the Civil and Criminal Divisions of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

Joseline Mata is a freshman at the University of Arizona studying political science and public administration. She began working in politics as a field intern in Congressman Barber’s 2012 election.

A native of Ajo, Emily studied political science at ASU and public administration at NAU. She is the former Outreach Director for the Pima County Democratic Party and kept 2014 a solid year for Tucson Democrats.

Shasta has been with the Pima County Democratic Party (PCDP) for over 4 years. From her years as successful Finance Director to becoming the Executive Director in June of 2013, Shasta has been a hardworking presence for Pima County Democrats.

Janet served as YWCA Tucson’s Executive Director for over​ twenty-five years advocating for women and girls.  She created a nationally recognized model for YWCA’s across the country with mission-focused programs in women’s leadership, employment education, workforce development and racial justice.

Ellen Malcolm founded EMILY’s List in 1985 to help level the political playing field for women interested in running for office.  She has given women donors unprecedented influence in electoral politics; brought millions of women voters to the polls; and created a powerful movement dedicated to restoring progressive values to American government

Laura Hogan is one of the rare creatures who is a second generation native of Arizona. She has been involved with Arizona List since its founding as a donor and a volunteer until she accepted the position of Political Director.

Mary Rose Wilcox is a name well-known across Maricopa County. Born in Superior, deep in the mining country of Arizona and a fourth generation native from a pioneer Mexican-American family, Mary Rose has achieved many “firsts.”

Campaign Manager Kirkpatrick for Arizona Nettie Silleck is the Campaign Manager for Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick’s 2014 re-election campaign. Nettie got her undergraduate degree from Ohio University in Psychology, Criminology, and Women’s Studies in 2005.

Patricia Wiedhopf is known and loved by many. As the talented aide to City Councilwoman Janet Marcus, as the mother of three daughters, as the person responsible for the Sahuaro Girl Scout cookie drive in Southern Arizona, Pat continues to inspire us as an example of a true renaissance woman.

Sonia Economou is a University of Arizona administrator who is involved with the Project Management Section of the Financial Services Division. As an avid people person, Sonia has been instrumental in guiding the “Learn or Lose” series that Arizona List offered in 2012.

Carolyn Warner is an incredible presence in the community of Democrats in Arizona. Born in Oklahoma to a political family, after moving to Arizona Carolyn became active in its Democratic Party.

As a Partner at Quarles & Brady LLP and adjunct faculty member at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, Nicole Stanton is a familiar face to many in Maricopa County.

Ann Wallack and her husband, Rob Wallack, are owners of Runner’s Den, an athletic shoe store serving the Valley for over 30 years, and founders of Raceplace Events, an event management company that produces national and local events, including 11 Komen Phoenix Race for the Cure events.

Catherine Nichols was raised in Tucson in a political family with divided allegiance at football games. (Her mother, Dr. Ann Nichols, taught for almost 40 years at the ASU School of Social Work and her father, the late Senator Andy Nichols, was the director of the Rural Health Office for the U of A.)

Jacqueline Adams was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Throughout her life, Jacqueline has continually been placed into leadership positions – standing up for working families and working to ensure that family dreams are possible.

Emily Herrell was born and raised in Tucson, and has a deep love for Southern Arizona. Her roots and connection to this vibrant community have driven her to devote her time and energy in her career to two non-profits close to her heart: Planned Parenthood and Habitat for Humanity.

Beginning her career as an office secretary, Governor Mofford worked her way up through the ranks to become the state’s first female Secretary of State and first female Governor of Arizona.

Katherine Jacobson started her political life participating in peace vigils and teach-ins during the Vietnam War. That activism proved to her that every person’s actions matter and that collective work can indeed change the world.

Scarlett Spring is President of VisionGate, a biomedical company pioneering early cancer detection technology. As President, her first priority included the relocation of the company from Seattle to the Phoenix Biomedical Campus located in downtown Phoenix.

Deya Nevarez grew up in San Luis, AZ. She attended a mostly-Mexican high school in the largely-segregated Yuma, Arizona school system.  Her parents were both immigrant farm workers, and themselves the children of Mexican farm workers.