Public Allies Arizona closes out 2024-2025 program year, recognizing latest cohort of nonprofit leaders

“We’re ready to root ourselves in the communities that need us," one graduate says

Lillian Finley

August 5, 2025

This July, Public Allies Arizona participants gathered in Phoenix and Tucson to bring a close to the 2024-2025 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 & 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,” said Public Ally Zach Owens at the Tucson cohort’s graduation event. Owens was placed at City of Tucson Parks and Recreation.

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 Dr. 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,” Ashcraft added.

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 Dress for Success Phoenix Business Manager Jessi Leonardo, 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 says.

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.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley Volunteer Services Manager Donna Martin emphasized this about Ally Renee Moody, who she says brought a unique ability to connect with others. This natural inclination allowed Moody to meet the organization's 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 & 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 & 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,” said Owens. “We’re ready to root ourselves in the communities that need us.”

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

2024-25 Public Allies Arizona graduates:

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 & 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 & Special Projects Ally with Nourish Phoenix, Phoenix
Zach Owens, Park Programmer with City of Tucson Parks & Recreation, Tucson
Jade Pablo, Collective Impact Specialist with United Way of Tucson & Southern Arizona, Tucson
Chloe Potter, Program Developer with Hustle PHX, Phoenix
Cassandra Quijada, Engagement Support Intern with City of Tucson Housing & Community Development, Tucson
Marcella Swift, Marketing & Communications Intern with The Square, Phoenix
Victor Tlapanco-Cuevas, Internship & Transition Coordinator with Ridgeline Academy, Phoenix
Joanna Valenzuela, Special Projects Coordinator with Arizona Commission on the Arts, Phoenix
Brandon Vega, Program & Community Engagement Assistant with Western National Parks Association, Tucson

Images, from top:

Public Allies Arizona members Chloe Potter (left) and Emma Niemann help pack food for community members in need during one of the program's service days.

Phoenix and Tucson members of Public Allies Arizona celebrate their 10 months of AmeriCorps service during the graduation ceremonies in July 2025.

Become a Partner Organization with Public Allies Arizona

Do you have a project that you would love to implement, but lack the staff capacity or other resources? We help our partners increase their capacity to achieve their mission by matching them with talented individuals from the community.

Public Allies Arizona places these emerging leaders in full-time or part-time service to nonprofits in Phoenix and Tucson communities. These nonprofits, called Partner Organizations, are chosen based on their ability to provide the Ally with significant work experience, as well as their need for an innovative leader who can help them take on a project they otherwise could not afford or infuse energy into an existing project.

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