Leadership ~ Sandra Day O'Connor Institute For American Democracy
Sandra Day O'Connor, Founder
Sandra Day O'Connor made history in 1981 when she was sworn in by then Chief Justice Warren Burger as the first woman to the United States Supreme Court in its 191-year history. Appointed by President Ronald Reagan, it was O'Connor’s intelligence and grit that made her a transformational figure in the nation's highest court of law.
To read a detailed biography of Justice O'Connor, please click here.
Sarah E. Suggs, President & CEO
Sarah E. Suggs is a third-generation Arizonan whose extensive career has taken her to the east and west coasts before returning to her native state in 2001. She has served as an executive for Pivotal Group, a private equity and real estate investment firm, KSL, a KKR, Kohlberg, Kravis and Roberts company, and as Executive Director of The National Women’s Hall of Fame in New York, which recognizes and celebrates the achievements of extraordinary American women.
A community volunteer since the age of 12, Ms. Suggs has held several leadership positions including Phoenix Heart Ball Chairman, Arizona Science Center Gala Chairman, Women’s Board of the Barrow Neurological Foundation, a Founder of Phoenix Children’s Hospital Leadership Circle and Past President of Charter 100, whose purpose is to recognize outstanding women in the community and provide a forum for their interaction. Honorary members include former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and former Arizona Governors Rose Mofford, Jane Dee Hull and Janet Napolitano.
Board Officers
Philip L. Francis
Co-Chair of the Board
Past President and CEO of PetSmart Inc.
Phil Francis was President and CEO of PetSmart Inc. from 1998 to 2009, then was appointed executive chairman in June 2009 until his retirement in 2012. He began his career in 1971 rising to president and chief executive officer of Shaw’s Supermarkets (1991–98) before joining PetSmart, Inc. Francis is an active supporter of Arizona State University and a member of the board of trustees. In 2003 he received the Executive of the Year award from Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business Dean’s Council of 100. Francis serves on the Greater Phoenix Leadership Board of Directors and was Chairman 2009-2011.
Gay Firestone Wray
Co-Chair of the Board
Gay Firestone Wray is President of the Roger S. Firestone Foundation and was a leader in the establishment of O'Connor House, initially helping to relocate the original adobe home, and has supported its many projects and programs over the years. Wray is a philanthropist with a long history in leadership roles, including the Smithsonian National Board, an advisory trustee of the Phoenix Country Day School, a life member of the Barrow Neurological Institute, and a member of Hospice of the Valley. She is a former director of Bank of America, Arizona, and her past philanthropic associations have included the Phoenix Zoo Auxiliary, Charter 100, Senator's Cup, Valley Shakespeare Theatre, and Christ Church Memorial Garden.
Kelly Barr
Vice Chair
Chief Alliance Officer, Global Futures Laboratory Arizona State University
As a champion of environmental stewardship, Kelly Barr serves as a bridge between communities and experts within the Global Futures Laboratory to weave new economic, environmental and social solutions. Her career includes 30 years at Salt River Project (SRP) where she served as the Chief Strategy, Corporate Services and Sustainability Executive. At SRP, Ms. Barr also oversaw SRP’s Corporate Planning, Environmental Services, and Innovation.She is highly respected throughout the Southwest for her leadership in energy, environmental and business groups. Ms. Barr is a member of the International Women’s Forum that connects women of diverse achievement and Charter 100, which provides a forum for leading women in business. She has been named Woman of the Year from the Arizona Capitol Times and recognized by AZ Business Magazine as one of the Most Influential Women in Arizona.
Rufus Glasper
Secretary
President & CEO, League for Innovation in the Community College
Rufus Glasper is president and CEO of the League for Innovation in the Community College, an international nonprofit organization that cultivates innovation in the community college space. Dr. Glasper is the chancellor emeritus of the Maricopa Community Colleges, one of the nation’s largest multi-college community college systems.
He earned a B.A. from Luther College, master’s and advanced degrees in school business administration from Northern Illinois University. He received his doctorate in higher education finance from the University of Arizona. Dr. Glasper serves on the board of directors for the Education Design Lab and the Arizona Community Foundation.
Brian Scott
Treasurer
Executive Vice President, Nationwide Director of Private Banking, MidFirst Bank
Formerly the chief credit officer at MidFirst, Brian Scott has spent 30 years in the financial industry. A third generation native of Phoenix, he holds both a B.S. in finance and an MBA from Arizona State University. Scott began his career with Valley National Bank, now Chase Bank before becoming Bank of America Southern California Senior Vice President.
Scott returned to Arizona to serve as Compass Bank Executive Vice President before joining MidFirst Bank in 2006. He oversees four MidFirst Bank national divisions including its Private Banking Group with $2 billion in assets. He is also responsible for the Retail Mortgage Lending Group, MidFirst Business Credit and Community Reinvestment Lending. Scott serves on the Editorial Board for the Risk Management Association Journal and on Arizona Country Club Board of Directors as its Vice President.
Matthew P. Feeney
Immediate Past Chairman
Matt Feeney is the Chair of the Board of Snell & Wilmer, one of the largest law firms in the Western United States, with offices in Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Los Cabos, Mexico. His practice is concentrated in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, SEC reporting and compliance, and corporate governance matters, including advising corporate boards and board committees.
Matt is a member of the Board of Directors of the Musical Instrument Museum and Greater Phoenix Leadership. He is also a member of the Notre Dame Law School Advisory Council. He serves on the Board of Directors of Attorneys’ Liability Assurance Society, Inc., a mutual insurance company. Matt graduated from the University of Notre Dame, where he also received his Juris Doctorate.
Board of Directors
Shirley Baum
Shirley Baum is vice president, law for Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and its primary subsidiary, Arizona Public Service Company (APS), Arizona’s largest energy company.
Baum has oversight of various legal functions, including corporate/commercial, regulatory, litigation, environmental, nuclear, and labor and employment practice groups. As vice president of law, she is responsible for law department operations and oversight of the external firms that bring additional expertise to the department.
Baum is a Certified Public Accountant.
She graduated from the University of Notre Dame and earned a law degree from the Arizona State University College of Law. Baum also serves on the Board of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy.
Sandra Bierman
Sandra Bierman grew up in Paradise Valley, Arizona. She obtained her B.A. from Northwestern University in 1989 and her J.D. from the UCLA School of Law in 1993.
Sandra returned to Arizona in 1996 to become an Associate General Counsel by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) and was later promoted to her current position of Vice President, Legal Services. She has led many significant projects and implementation teams throughout her career and currently plays a key role in leading the BCBSAZ Legal and Privacy teams.
Sandra previously served on the boards of the Arizona Town Hall and Waste Not, an organization dedicated to assisting individuals with food insecurity. A patron of numerous animal charities, she enjoys traveling with husband Robert Bierman, M.D., and spending time with family and two Corgis, Barron and Chloe.
Wendy Breuder
Wendy Breuder was Arizona President and Head of Corporate Real Estate & Location Strategy for MUFG from 2017-2020. Managing over 12 million square-feet of real estate, she was responsible for transforming the firm’s corporate real estate footprint and executing the strategy for a newly created shared services initiative in the U.S.
Previously, she managed over 175 of the largest multinational Fortune 500 corporate relationships within the U.S. Corporate Banking Division at MUFG. Her team was responsible for client relationship management and facilitating new business opportunities in over 40 countries with an emphasis on Asia. She earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Business Administration from the University of Miami, a Juris Doctorate from Duquesne University, and is a graduate of the Kellogg School of Management, Women’s Director Development Program at Northwestern University. Wendy is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and holds Finra licenses series 24, 63, and 79.
John Bridger
John Bridger has a significant banking background. He spent 19 years as executive director of the Thunderbirds. John grew the organization’s annual charitable giving from $1 million when he started to $13 million when he retired in 2020.
Prior to coming to the Thunderbirds, Bridger served as executive vice president for Bank of America in Dallas, Texas, and was directly responsible for more than 425 bank centers.
He has been elected to the 2020 Arizona Sports Hall of Fame class by the Arizona Sports and Entertainment Commission and was formally inducted on Friday, April 23, 2021.
Christy Burton
Co-Founder, Burton Family Foundation
Christy is the co-founder of the Burton Family Foundation, and chairs the Foundation board. Their focus of support is centered on innovative programs that promote equity and opportunity for underserved students. In her role at the foundation, Ms. Burton works with district schools, charter schools, education foundations, universities, as well as non-profit organizations that foster equity and quality education in Arizona.
In addition to her work for the Burton Family Foundation, Christy also serves on the Arizona State Board of Education and on the boards of ARCS Foundation (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists), Teach for America (Arizona), Society for Science and the Public, STEP- Student Expedition College Prep Program, Support My Club and Social Venture Partners, Phoenix. She is a member of Arizona Grantmakers Forum, Aspen Institute Society of Fellows, Philanthropy Roundtable, Women in Philanthropy and Arizona State University President’s Club. Christy holds a B.S. in Economics and a Master of Public Administration from Arizona State University. She has been married to Daryl Burton for 30 years.
The Honorable Hugh Hallman
Former Mayor of Tempe Arizona, 2004- 2012
Attorney, Berry Riddell LLC
Hugh Hallman began his legal career practicing in the fields of domestic and international finance and taxation, intellectual property and anti-trust. He served two consecutive terms as mayor of Tempe, Arizona from 2004 to 2012 and was instrumental in helping to save the former adobe home of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2011, he received the Sandra Day O’Connor Award for Civic Service.
Hallman is a visiting professor and founder of the Kazakh-American Free University (KAFU) in Kazakhstan which serves thousands of students in the fields of business, law, and education. Hallman graduated with a B.A. summa cum laude in Economics and Political Science from Claremont Men’s College in California. He earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, graduating with Honors and Order of the Coif.
Chevy Humphrey
President & CEO at The Museum of Science and Industry
Chevy Humphrey, DBA, has served as President and CEO of the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago (MSI) since January 2021. She oversees all aspects of executing the strategic vision of MSI. Dr. Humphrey is an international leader in the field of informal science education. She previously served for 15 years as CEO of Arizona Science Center. Dr. Humphrey serves as the Past Chair of the Board of the American Alliance of Museums, the world's largest museum association and is Past Chair of the Board of the Association of Science and Technology Centers. She was named a Visionary Leader by the Women's National Basketball Association and is a recipient of the ATHENA award from the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Humphrey was named to Crain's Chicago Business's 2023 Notable Women in STEM list and its 2023 Who's Who list.
Howard C. Katz
Retired Executive
Mr. Katz spent 15 years as General Partner in Goldman, Sachs & Company, the New York investment bank. He is a former chairman of the Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange in New York. Mr. Katz serves on the Child Mind Institute Board of Directors and has served as chairman of the Arizona Science Center Board of Directors, chairman of the Honor Health Foundation Board of Trustees, co-chair of the Arizona State University Foundation President’s Club. Mr. Katz received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University. A native of Philadelphia, Mr. Katz is a veteran of the United States Army, where he served as a Second lieutenant. He and his wife Ellen divide their time between Carefree, Arizona and New York.
Jan Lewis
Co-Founder, T.W. Lewis Foundation
Jan Lewis is the co-founder and trustee of the T.W. Lewis Foundation which supports a wide range of programs for children and families in need, character education and other causes that help strengthen our community. She is a dedicated leader and volunteer who champions the mission of the Foundation with her involvement in many organizations throughout the Valley. Jan is currently the Vice President of the Board of Trustees at the Desert Botanical Garden, a member of the Women’s Board of the O’Connor Institute, and is a member of the Women’s Board of the Barrow Neurological Foundation. She is especially passionate about the Migraine Treatment Program at Barrow Neurological Institute, which she helped to create.
Jan’s background is in special education, early childhood education and school counseling. She also has a special interest in early childhood literature. Jan and her husband Tom have lived in Arizona for over 40 years and have three grown sons. She enjoys reading, cooking, gardening, traveling and exercising. However, her greatest joy is spending time with her three grandchildren.
Barbara Lockwood
Retired Senior Vice President, Public Policy, Arizona Public Service
Barbara Lockwood served most recently as senior vice president of public policy for Arizona Public Service (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona’s largest electric company and serves nearly 1.3 million customers across the state. Lockwood oversaw the company’s federal and state regulatory affairs, federal, state and local public affairs, community affairs, corporate giving and sustainability functions. Lockwood previously served as vice president of regulation, in which she managed federal and state regulatory affairs. Prior to moving into regulatory, she served as general manager of energy innovation, where she managed technology and renewable energy programs, including customer programs for distributed solar and electric vehicles as well as the operation and maintenance of the utility’s solar generation fleet. Lockwood joined APS in 1999.
Lockwood current serves as chair of the Edison Electric Institute’s State Regulatory Affairs Executive Advisory Committee and on the Advisory Committee for the Critical Consumer Issues Forum, a national energy policy group. She has also served on the Solar Technical Advisory Board for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Research Advisory Committee for the Electric Power Research Institute and the Board of Directors for the GridWise Alliance.
Tim Louis
Desert Capital Investments
Tim Louis serves as President and CEO of Desert Capital Investments (DCI), a private equity investment firm focused on early-stage businesses. He previously owned and operated a diagnostic audiology private practice in Houston, Texas. Mr. Louis graduated from Northwestern University with BA and MS degrees. Returning to Phoenix, he earned an MBA in Finance and Financial Markets from Arizona State University.
A member of the Phoenix Thunderbirds, Mr. Louis has served as the Waste Management Phoenix Open Tournament Chairman and President of the Thunderbirds. He has served on several nonprofit boards including The Phoenix Art Museum and currently serves as a trustee at Phoenix Country Day School, and is President of the Board for Desert Voices, a listening and spoken language curriculum private school for deaf children and the Arizona Cycling Association.
Vicki Mayo
CEO, Global Market Innovators
As CEO of Global Market Innovators (GMI), Ms. Mayo expands its global reach and cybersecurity services. A formidable force in business and philanthropy, she spearheads multiple successful ventures alongside her husband. Her diverse impact extends to sports ventures with Rajasthan Royals and The Mayo Family Foundation's humanitarian efforts, embodying resilience and compassion. Ms. Mayo is co-founder of Mayo Global, an international, minority-owned enterprise with a family of businesses that span multiple industries. She fervently supports causes that aid at-risk children, minorities, and the combat of food insecurity in the U.S. In 2022, she orchestrated the evacuation and relocation of 147 Afghan students in collaboration with Young Presidents Organization and U.S. Marines. Ms. Mayo is quadrilingual in English, Spanish, Sindhi, and conversational Hindi and was honored as Phoenix Business Journal’s Most Admired Leaders in 2017.
Karen McConnell
Partner, Ballard Spahr
Karen C. McConnell is a partner and the Co-Practice Leader of Ballard Spahr's Private Equity Group. She is known for her work in corporate and securities law, mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions. Karen attended University of Notre Dame Law School, J.D., magna cum laude, 1984, and BBA, Ohio University summa cum laude, 1981. Her Pro Bono Experience includes as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in foster care. She is a Board Member of the Barrow Neurological Foundation.
Jane Michaels
Senior Counsel, Holland & Hart
Jane Michaels is Senior Counsel with Holland & Hart in Denver, Colorado. She currently focuses her practice on alternative dispute resolution and serves as an arbitrator and mediator in commercial and intellectual property disputes. Jane is a Fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators and the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. As the former Chair of Holland & Hart’s Trial Practice and with more than 30 years of experience as a trial lawyer, Jane has successfully represented clients in hundreds of complex business and technology cases in courtrooms around the country.
Jane was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the International Society of Barristers. She was selected for inclusion in Lawdragon’s “Leading Lawyers in America” Hall of Fame. She was President of the Denver Bar Association during its centennial year. Jane holds a B.A. degree from Wellesley College, an M.A.T. degree from Harvard University, and a J.D. degree from Boston University. She served for many years on the Board of Directors of the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center.
Delia D. Patterson
Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs and Compliance Salt River Project
Delia Patterson oversees SRP’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Ms. Patterson previously served as Senior Vice President, Advocacy & Communications and General Counsel at the American Public Power Association (APPA) and was a senior associate at Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, a global law firm headquartered in New York City. Ms. Patterson held the rank of Lieutenant in the United States Navy, serving six years within the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program before being honorably discharged. She is a member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Electricity Advisory Committee and has served as Board President of the Energy Bar Association. Ms. Patterson holds a J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, a M.S. in Industrial & Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech, a B.S. from the United States Naval Academy.
Connie Robinson
Chief Operating Officer, The Gideon Group
Connie Robinson has over 30 years of operational and human resources experience in talent acquisition, recruitment, diversity and inclusion. Prior to overseeing the Gideon Group administration and philanthropy services, Ms. Robinson’s career accomplishments included Motorola, where she received the President’s Award, the highest award given to Motorola employees. Additionally, Ms. Robinson worked for the Arizona Supreme Court, Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and Dial Corporation. Ms. Robinson is a management graduate from Arizona State University.
She was selected by the W.K K. Kellogg Foundation to take part in their global Leadership Development and Philanthropy program and co-founded 48 Women, honoring Arizona’s most intriguing women. A native of Arizona, Ms. Robinson serves on several boards, including the FBI Citizens Academy, Arizona Center for African American Resources and the Arizona State University Center for the Study on Race and Democracy.
Jane Roig
Vice Chair, Helios Education Foundation
With more than 35 years of strategic and executive management in the public and not-for-profit sectors, Jane L. Roig has focused her professional life on activities related to improving educational opportunities for students and families. As Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Southwest Student Services Corporation, she was responsible for leading and managing a comprehensive array of student loan products and services, and helped lead the organization’s evolution to the subsequent founding of Helios Education Foundation.
Ms. Roig currently serves as a member of the Board of the Helios Education Foundation and the Arizona Science Center Board of Trustees. She is a past Vice Chair of the Grand Canyon Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Michael Rooney
Attorney, Sacks Tierney
Michael Rooney practices business and corporate law with Sack Tierney, where he has been a member of the firm for nearly 50 years. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Rooney has a long tradition of community service, including the Prescott College Board of Trustees, Rio Salado Foundation, Tempe Center for the Arts Foundation, and Arizona Family College Savings Plan Oversight Committee. Mike is a past President of the Grand Canyon Council of the Boy Scouts of America and was awarded the Distinguished Eagle award. Mike is past Board Chair of the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education, which regulates the private trade and technical school industry in Arizona, having been appointed by Governor Jane Hull and Governor Janet Napolitano.
Bryan Saba
Principal, Desert Cedar Holdings
Bryan Saba was with Accenture for 23 years, serving as a leadership Partner from 1995 thru 2006. After leaving Accenture, he formed a real estate investing and consulting company, focused on activities in the Phoenix market. He currently owns Desert Cedar Holdings and is on the Board of Directors for Communities Southwest, a land development company.
Bryan is a member of the Arizona Science Center Board of Trustees and is a past board chairman. He also serves on the Brophy College Preparatory Board of Regents. Bryan holds a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems and Accounting from the University of Arizona.
Mark Stebbings
CEO, National Bank of Arizona
Mark Stebbings is CEO of National Bank of Arizona. Prior to this new role, Mark served as the Executive Vice President and Director of Specialty Lending, focusing on investor real estate financing for multi-family, industrial, office, retail and residential projects. In that role was a member of the NBAZ senior executive team and was relied upon for making business decisions that directly impact the company.
In addition to being involved in various trade organizations, Mark is currently the Vice Chairman of Treasure House, a non-profit focused on the housing needs of young adults with intellectual disabilities. He is also Chairman of the Governance Committee and a member of the Finance Committee.
Ken Udenze
Arizona General Partner, Deloitte & Touche
Ken Udenze has over 30 years of experience in public accounting. He has worked with clients across a variety of industries, with a focus on energy, retail, transportation and real estate companies. Mr. Udenze has a strong background in leading the audits of multi-segment Securities and Exchange Commission registrants. Based in Phoenix as the Arizona practice managing partner, he spends a substantial amount of his time leading the audits of clients in and outside the Phoenix area. Mr. Udenze oversees Deloitte Arizona with overall administration, civic and marketplace responsibilities for the practice. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council and holds an MBA from Suffolk University in Boston.
