Public Allies Arizona closes out program year, recognizing latest cohort of nonprofit leaders

By Lillian Finley

This July, Public Allies Arizona participants gathered in Phoenix and Tucson to bring a close to the 2024–25 program year. This year’s graduations recognized 21 participants completing internships and a year of leadership development in partnership with more than 15 organizations including Arizona State Parks & Trails, Arizona Commission on the Arts, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Valley, the Western National Parks Association and others.

Funded in part by AmeriCorps, Public Allies aims to develop future leaders in the nonprofit sector through hands-on work experience. In the program’s Arizona sites, run by the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation, allies are paired with Partner Organizations in Tucson and Phoenix for a 10-month paid internship, giving participants the opportunity to practice real-world leadership skills through public service. 

“It’s about learning not just from the computer modules … but from the people we’ve served alongside, the organizations that took us in, and the challenges we’ve faced and overcome,” participantZach Owens said at the Tucson cohort’s graduation event. Owens was placed at the city of Tucson's parks and recreation department.

The program has had marked success in producing leaders with a dedication to service. According to the Public Allies national office, 80% of alumni pursue a career in the social sector, continuing their legacy of community service and public advocacy. In Arizona, Public Allies alumni have gone on to hold positions of leadership in nonprofit organizations across the state and country.

“We have now completed our 19th year as operating partner of Public Allies Arizona and there is ample evidence that our proven leadership development model works,” said Robert Ashcraft, executive director of the Lodestar Center and ASU’s Saguaro Professor of Civic Enterprise. “Our allies learn that leadership is not about a title or position, but rather an action everyone can take in working together for the common good.” 

Equally as important to the allies themselves are the partner organizations, which take the allies on as interns to support their missions while teaching them valuable skills. These nonprofits range from nationwide names to local organizations, each providing unique services to support communities in need. The selection process for Public Allies is far from random, with each organization and individual pairing off according to their unique skillset and interests.

For example, Tina Gounder, who returned to Public Allies Arizona as a second-year ally this year, brought an extensive background in cybersecurity and technology from her studies at Grand Canyon University. Gounder was paired with Dress for Success Phoenix, a local organization that supplies professional attire and career services to empower women to achieve economic independence. Although she had little knowledge of retail, Gounder’s technical knowledge was a perfect fit for the organization’s goal: developing a system to catalogue Dress for Success’s vast collection of clothing donations.

“That’s really something we were looking for,” said Jessi Leonardo, phoenix business manager for Dress for Success Phoenix who acted as Gounder’s supervisor for the Public Allies program.

Gounder’s skillset was instrumental in allowing Dress for Success Phoenix to launch its new system, cataloguing more than 3,700 articles of clothing across the organization’s two locations.

“Now, when our clients are at satellite locations, we can serve them better because we know what we have on hand and can prepare it for them,” Leonardo said.

However, the skills allies bring to their partner organizations are greater than just their technical background. They also leverage the allies’ natural strengths and characteristics to better support the nonprofit’s mission.

Donna Martin, volunteer services manager with Boys and Girls Clubs of the Valley, Greater Phoenix, emphasized this about ally Renee Moody, who she says brought a unique ability to connect with others. This natural inclination allowed Moody to meet Boys and Girls Clubs' need for volunteer engagement.

“I thought, if anybody can talk to strangers, (Renee) can do it, and do it well,” Martin said in a joint interview.

“I could talk to a rock if I needed to,” Moody said.

“Yes, you can,” Martin replied. “And it would probably answer and volunteer!”

Through their collaboration, both Moody and Martin learned essential skills to improve both themselves and Boys and Girls Clubs of the Valley as an organization, enabling them to better serve the community.

At the same time, Public Allies participants are able to discover more about themselves in the process of the program, developing a deeper connection with and dedication to public service that they can take into their future careers.

“When you find out your ‘why,’ it speaks to your ‘what,’ it speaks to your ‘where,’ (and) it speaks to your ‘when,’” said Trehon A. Cockrell-Coleman, servant-leader of A Better Community who supports the program with training and mentorship. He received the Honorary Ally Award at the Tucson graduation ceremony.

According to Cockrell-Coleman, it is this “why” that motivates the advocacy work of those engaged in public service. During her time with Dress for Success Phoenix, Gounder says she discovered a personal connection with the organization's work that motivated her throughout the Public Allies program.

“When (clients) leave, you can see how happy they are,” Gounder said. “They’re touching folks from different backgrounds, and it’s amazing what they do.”

Similarly, Moody says her work with Boys and Girls Clubs of the Valley motivated her to continue to pursue community engagement in her future career alongside her interests in education and technology.

Both Gounder and Moody, alongside their fellow graduates, will go on to carry the experience and passion they fostered as Public Allies into the world at large, providing the essential public service that is needed to create a better world.

“We’re no longer seedlings tucked away in a safe greenhouse,” Owens said. “We’re ready to root ourselves in the communities that need us.”

WATCH: Public Allies Arizona members present their 2025 Presentations of Impact

Jada Banks, program developer with Hustle PHX, Phoenix

Zair Torres Casanova, systems coordinator with Circle the City, Phoenix

Isyss Coley, impact specialist with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley, Phoenix

Yaritza Durazo, after-school specialist with SARSEF, Tucson

Sofia Fencken, outreach advocate with Bloom 365, Phoenix

Brian Forkum, public archaeology intern with the State Historic Preservation Office, Phoenix

Noah Garcia, leading authentically coordinator with Public Allies Arizona, Phoenix

Tina Gounder, system integration coordinator with Dress for Success, Phoenix

Monsserrath Hernandez, systems coordinator with Circle the City, Phoenix

Nicole Lerma, training and technical assistance coordinator with Bloom 365, Phoenix

Kayla Miranda, Racing the Sun program specialist with SARSEF, Tucson

Reneé Moody, engagement specialist with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley, Phoenix

Emma Niemann, volunteer and special projects ally with Nourish Phoenix, Phoenix

Zach Owens, park programmer with city of Tucson parks and recreation, Tucson

Jade Pablo, collective impact specialist with United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, Tucson

Chloe Potter, program developer with Hustle PHX, Phoenix

Cassandra Quijada, engagement support intern with city of Tucson housing and community development, Tucson

Marcella Swift, marketing and communications intern with The Square, Phoenix

Victor Tlapanco-Cuevas, internship and transition coordinator with Ridgeline Academy, Phoenix

Joanna Valenzuela, special projects coordinator with Arizona Commission on the Arts, Phoenix

Brandon Vega, program and community engagement assistant with Western National Parks Association, Tucson