Our Mission

To advocate for a quality and affordable education from preschool to post-secondary for all residents of the City of Tucson and Pima County.

Our Goals

We pursue our vision and mission by focusing on the following goals:

Our Voice

To equip students, families, educators, business and community leaderswith information that will empower them to advocate for the educational welfare of the citizens of the City of Tucson and Pima County.

Our Community

To form strategic collaborationswith individuals and organizationsto advocate for all levels of education – pre-kindergarten to post-secondary. To engage youth and familiesin advocating for education. To recognize individuals and groupswithin the communitywho demonstrate exemplary service to students and to education

Our Future

To promote graduation from high school as a firststep toward an enriched future forstudents and a realisticsense of their placewithin the community. To guide studentsthrough various pathwaysto higher education and prepare them to contribute to a dynamic, highly skilledworkforce.

Our Programs

To offer programs that prepare studentsfor their future:

• Youth Advisory Council / Tucson Teen Congress- Youth Leadership&Civic Engagement
• Key to Employment – Industry&Academic Symposium &High School Internship Information Service for High School Students
• Regional College Access Center -Higher Education Pathways Advising and Planning

Executive Board

Chair: Paul Lovelis
Vice Chair: Daisy Rodriguez Pitel, Ph.D.
Secretary: Monica Brinkerhoff
Treasurer: Vacant
Appointments: Rex Scott
Past Chair: George Favela

Appointed by the chair of Pima County Board of Supervisors

George Favela, Parent
Paul Lovelis, Social Service Agencies Serving Children/Youth
Nicole Pargas, Health Care Community
Betty Villegas, Pima County Board of Supervisors
James Wiltbank, Religious Community

Appointed by the Mayor and Tucson City Council

Monica Brinkerhoff, Parent & Early Childhood Education
Daniela Figueroa, Social Service Agencies Serving Children/Youth
Vacant, Libraries/Museums/Arts
Vacant, Parks/Recreation/Housing
Vacant, Tucson City Council

Appointed by Community Representatives

Arlene Benavidez, Executive Director, Metropolitan Education Commission
Buck Crouch, School Governing Board Member, AZ School Boards Association
Kendra Davey, At-Large Appointee, Pima County Library
David Doré, Pima Community College
Leslie Ferre, Teacher, Grades 5-9, AZ Education Association
Steven Freeman, Disabled Community, MEC Appointee
Daniela Gallagher, Business Community, Sun Corridor
Javier Herrera, Hispanic Community Forum
Steve Holmes, School Superintendents Collaborative
Teri Laguna Teacher, Grades K-6, AZ Education Association
Jon Lansa, Educational Foundations
Alexander Lewis, Native American Community, Tucson Indian Center
Milana Marshall, Youth Advisory Council
Rafael Meza, At-Large Appointee, Accredited Private Institutions Representative
Kathy Prather, Career & Technical Education, Business Community, Sun Corridor
Daisy Rodriguez Pitel, Ph.D. (Vice-Chair) Pan-Asian Community
Devon Scheitrum, Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
Rex Scott, At-Large Appointee
Jennifer Sprung Teacher, Grades 9-12, AZ Education Association
Kasey Urquidez, Ed.D. Representative, University of Arizona
Dustin Williams, Pima County Superintendent of Schools
Vacant, African American Community, Tucson Urban League
Vacant, Youth Advisory Council