State of Our State 2019

Rural Arizona Now

Revisit the event: morrisoninstitute.asu.edu/

Rural Arizona leaders share what makes their communities thrive, the solutions that will make them even better and why it matters to you. Speakers will address state and local governance, resource allocation, our changing electorate and the intersection of rural and urban economies.

Remarks presented by Michael M. Crow, president, Arizona State University, Andrea Whitsett, director, ASU Morrison Institute for Public Policy and Jonathan Koppell, dean, Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions. Melissa Kovacs, associate director for research, Morrison Institute for Public Policy presents current research highlights including the new 2019 poll findings.

Panel: Who Gets It and How Much? Power, Government and Fiscal Resources

Moderator:
Lisa Urias, managing partner, CoNecs North America, and executive board member at ASU Morrison Institute
Panelists:
Amanda Aguirre, president & CEO of the Regional Center for Border Health, Inc., Kimber Lanning, founder and executive director of Local First Arizona Foundation, Traci Morris, director of the American Indian Policy Institute (AIPI) at ASU, Steve Seleznow, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Arizona Community Foundation, and Keith Watkins, senior vice president of Rural and Economic Development for the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA)

Morrison Institute honors the new Distinguished Fellows presented by Mary Pahissa Upchurch, Morrison Institute board chair.

Honorees:
Diana “Dede” Yazzie Devine, CEO, Native American Connections
Grady Gammage Jr., founder, Gammage & Burnham

Panel: How Can We Build Healthy Rural Economies?

Moderator:
Sarah Porter, director, Kyl Center for Water Policy at Morrison Institute
Panelists:
Liz Archuleta, Coconino County supervisor, Mila Besich, mayor, Town of Superior, Bruce Bracker, Supervisor – 3rd District, Santa Cruz County, Jason Whiting, Navajo County supervisor, Jane Russell Winiecki, chair, Yavapai-Apache Nation