ASU staff receive honors as young Valley leaders


Phoenix Business Journal has selected three staff members from ASU for its prestigious 2010 Forty Under 40 list that honors young leaders in the Valley.

The list includes Leticia de la Vara, community initiatives officer for the Center for Community Development and Civil Rights; Jill Faver Watts, director of capacity building initiatives for the Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation; and Kenja Hassan, assistant director of ASU for Arizona: Building Great Communities.

All three individuals have strong ties to the community.

Through her work at the Center for Community Development & Civil Rights, De la Vara has contributed to a variety of programs that have engaged the nonprofit community with the university. Through her role at the ASU Lodestar Center, Watts regularly works directly with nonprofits to help build their capacity. Hassan has been involved in strengthening ties between communities around Arizona and ASU, most recently by generating dialogue among African-American communities to determine their successes and needs.

Five people from ASU were named to the Forty Under 40 list last year.

Phoenix Business Journal created the list in 2001 to pay homage to business, community, government and nonprofit leaders who have achieved impressive milestones in their careers and make significant contributions to the Valley’s overall quality of life. The publication will feature all 40 class members in its April 9 edition, including photos and detailed profiles.