Board of Directors
Chair
Emilia Eldridge
HR Business Partner
Banner Health
Emilia Eldridge is a fourth-generation Tucsonan who grew up in the Sonoita and Patagonia communities of Santa Cruz County. She currently serves as a Human Resources Business Partner at Banner Health and brings more than 14 years of human resources experience.
She is a graduate of Greater Tucson Leadership's 2021 Civic and Political Leadership Academy and participated in the Lead Tucson Class of 2018.
Emilia holds two degrees from the University of Arizona. As an undergraduate she majored in Business Economics at the Eller College of Management and obtained a master’s degree in public administration.
In 2023, she received the Marlis J. Davis Leadership Award from Parking and Transportation Services at the University of Arizona in recognition of her outstanding leadership, positive influence, and commitment to leading by example. That same year, she was named one of Southern Arizona's 40 Under 40 by the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Arizona Daily Star, and Snell & Wilmer. In 2025, she was honored as a NextGen Leader by BizTucson Magazine.
Chair-Elect
Lynda Weigel-Firor
Consultant/Grant Writer
Lynda Weigel-Firor has been an independent consultant and grant writer in Tucson for over 25 years. Lynda has helped non-profit organizations raise millions of dollars through capital campaigns, grant funding, special events, sponsorships, and major gift acquisition to help them advance their missions and realize their philanthropic goals. Lynda facilitates workshops to teach development professionals the skill of effective grant writing.
Lynda is a co-founder of Promoting Independence, which is working to solve the affordable housing crisis for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder, is a member of the Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) Team, and is an Honorary Board Member of the Autism Society of Southern Arizona. Lynda founded and led for 10 years the first fully inclusive Girl Scout Troop in Southern Arizona. Lynda was recognized as a Tu Nidito Remarkable Mom in 2026 and a Woman of Honor by the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona in 2025.
Lynda earned a bachelor’s degree in Personnel Management from the University of Arizona, is an Education for Ministry graduate from the School of Theology, the University of the South, and is a proud graduate of the Greater Tucson Leadership class of 2022.
Secretary
Zoë Burcham
Marketing Director
Kinghorn Law | Financial
Zoë joined Kinghorn Law | Financial in 2020, bringing over ten years of experience in Marketing, Event Planning and Management, and Business Development to the firm. Zoë is passionate about sharing the importance of estate planning and managing investment risk with clients and the community. As a true people person, Zoë enjoys developing and growing relationships to connect people with one another. Zoë grew up in Illinois and studied Marketing and German at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Zoë enjoys spending time with her family, baking sweet treats to share, and volunteering when she is not out in the community.
Treasurer
Sumi Rowe
Tax Principal
BeachFleischman PLLC
Sumi is a Tax Principal at BeachFleischman where she leads the firm’s Technology & Manufacturing Practice and Large Taxpayer Client Service Team. Sumi has worked in public accounting since 2004 when she graduated from the Eller College of Management at the UofA with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and she is a Certified Public Accountant licensed to practice in Arizona. She provides accounting, tax, and financial statement services for a variety of privately held and publicly traded companies. She enjoys working with her clients and serving as a mentor for young professionals in accounting industry. She was a treasurer for Catalina Foothills School District Foundation from 2022 to 2025 and also a treasurer and board member for Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona from 2016 to 2022.
Immediate Past Chair
Alicia White
Chief Financial Officer
La Frontera Center, Inc.
Alicia White is a certified public accountant and currently serves as the CFO at La Frontera Center. Alicia holds a Master’s Degree in accounting from the University of Arizona, and has also earned a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Medaille College in Amherst, NY, as well as a marketing degree from Canisius College, the Richard J. Wehle School of Business in Buffalo, NY. Alicia is actively involved in the community, currently serving on the board of directors for Greater Tucson Leadership and United Way of Southern Arizona (“UWSA”). Alicia is a 2016 graduate of Greater Tucson Leadership.
Board Member
Amanda Abens
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning
Pima Community College
As the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning at Pima Community College (PCC), Amanda Abens administers career and technical education programs as well as continuing education and workforce training. Amanda actively works to develop systems and processes to increase responsiveness to business & industry; to pilot new CTE programs and initiatives in entrepreneurial and/or grant-funded settings, and to develop and deploy contract and customized training to meet the needs of business and industry. Amanda is an alumna of the University of Arizona and has her Masters in Counseling from the University of Phoenix. Before joining Pima Community College, she built multi-sector collaborations with the Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Arizona and has over 15 years of experience working with homeless and low income families. Amanda combines her experience in both social service and higher education to bring a unique perspective to workforce development.
Board Member
Greg Curtis Wakefield
Life Potential & Leadership Coach
GregCurtisWakefield.com
Greg is a native Tucsonan, husband and proud girl-Dad. For more than 20 years, he entertained and informed a large variety of audiences as a professional radio and podcast host. He’s also a certified life and leadership coach, musician, event emcee, and eternal optimist. Greg believes that serving others fills all cups and he channels that positivity into serving students and faculty at the University of Arizona’s Zuckerman College of Public Health. As director of development for the college, Greg connects alumni and donors to philanthropic support of higher education and solving some of society’s biggest challenges. As a longtime fan of GTL and a Lead Tucson alum, Greg is humbled to serve the Greater Tucson Leadership as a contributing member of the board.
Board Member
Alex Demeroutis
Senior Associate Industrial & Logistics
CBRE
Alex Demeroutis joined Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR’s industrial sales and leasing team in 2020. A native Tucsonan, she began her commercial real estate journey as a broker assistant to Blum before becoming an independent Industrial Specialist in 2022. Demeroutis focuses on the leasing, acquisition, and disposition of warehouse, distribution, logistics, manufacturing, and research and development properties in the greater Tucson region.
She excels in advising building owners on leasing and sales strategies while providing comprehensive tenant representation services. Her ability to understand and meet diverse client needs has established her as a key contributor within C&W | PICOR’s industrial team.
Prior to commercial real estate, Demeroutis spent eight years as Vice President/Events Director at the Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce, where she honed skills in marketing and corporate event planning. A graduate of the University of Arizona Eller College of Management, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Marketing. Outside the office, Demeroutis enjoys weightlifting, dancing, performing comedy at Tucson Improv Movement, and exploring Tucson’s coffee and culinary scene.
Board Member
Esperanza Freitchen
Project Manager, College & Career Pathways
Center for the Future of Arizona
Dr. Esperanza Freitchen (she/her) is a native of Tucson and a lifelong Arizona resident. As a first-generation student, she has dedicated her career to improving access to educational opportunities in historically marginalized populations. In her tenure, she has worked in K12 charter schools, nonprofits serving vulnerable populations, youth development, and postsecondary education. She has extensive experience as a fundraiser and is an accomplished grant writer. As a consultant, she helps individuals and organizations improve equity practices, workplace communication, and team dynamics. As an educator, she has had the privilege of teaching high school, undergraduate, and graduate students.
Esperanza currently serves as the Project Manager for College & Career Pathways at the Center for the Future of Arizona. She holds a BA in Spanish Literature from the University of Arizona, an MS in Management and Leadership and an MBA from Western Governors University, and an Ed.D. in Leadership and Innovation from Arizona State University. Her research has been centered on building cultural competence and equity in workplaces. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley’s Executive Leadership Academy, the Hispanic Leadership Institute-Tucson, Greater Tucson Leadership’s Lead Tucson, CSU Fullerton’s LIFT program, and is a member of the Sunnyside Foundation’s Hall of Fame.
Board Member
Gina Hansen
Director of Volunteer Resources
Habitat for Humanity Tucson
Gina is a proud Tucson native who has witnessed—and actively contributed to—the growth and vitality of her community. She currently serves as the Director of Volunteer Resources and AmeriCorps Host Site Manager at Habitat for Humanity Tucson, where she oversees volunteer engagement, outreach, AmeriCorps programs, internships, and all things FUN. Her passion for service and community building is at the heart of everything she does.
Gina is deeply involved in Southern Arizona’s nonprofit landscape. She serves on the Friends of PACC board as Secretary and serves on the Governance and Events committees, is a past president and current Membership Chair of the Southern Arizona Volunteer Managers Association (SAVMA), and actively participates in impactful organizations such as 100+ Women Who Care, NAWIC, and Greater Tucson Leadership. Lastly, she teaches compassion fatigue classes and mentors other volunteer engagement professionals in the community to help grow their programs and leadership skills.
In recognition of her leadership and dedication, Gina was honored as Volunteer Manager of the Year in 2020 by SAVMA and was nominated as Leader of the Month by Greater Tucson Leadership.
Her diverse career journey has spanned healthcare, landscape design, water conservation, animal welfare, and humane education—all of which have contributed to her holistic understanding of community needs. Ultimately, she found her true calling in volunteer management and hasn’t looked back since.
In her downtime, Gina pours her creativity and heart into her small businesses, Make a Difference Crafts & Co and Sundown West, which reflect her love of community, craftsmanship, and Arizona’s unique spirit. She also treasures time spent with her friends, family, and beloved pets
Board Member
Jamie Ibrahim
Deputy Director
Southern Arizona Legal Aid, Inc.
Jamie Ibrahim is an attorney with over 20 years of experience and a career-long dedication to championing access to justice for all. Those efforts led her to the role of Deputy Director for Southern Arizona Legal Aid, Inc. 2021 where she continues to secure the delivery of free legal services to underserved communities in Arizona. Jamie’s commitment to helping others began in Florida where she represented survivors of violence at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid. She was appointed as a General Magistrate in 2017 and earned recognition in 2020 as a “Leader in the Law” from the Florida Association of Women Lawyers.
Since relocating to Arizona, she has deepened her community roots as a participant in Social Venture Partner’s 2023 Fast Pitch program and as a graduate of the Lead Tucson class of 2024. Jamie serves on the board of Just Communities Arizona and is a member of 100+ Women Who Care Tucson. Outside of her professional life, Jamie is an avid traveler on a mission to visit all fifty states, an amateur baker, and Tetris master.
Board Member
Mike Letcher
President/CEO and Associate Professor of Practice
BridgeGroup LLC and University of Arizona
Mike Letcher is President and CEO of BridgeGroup LLC, a public and private sector consulting firm. He specializes in consulting with clients on strategic planning, governance, executive recruitment, financial and budget strategies and conducting Mayor and Council Board retreats.
He is also an Associate Professor of Practice in the Masters of Public Administration Program at the University of Arizona. He teaches courses in Strategic Planning, Leadership and manages the Capstone Program.
Board Member
Peter Loya
Self-Employed
Peter Loya is passionate about building meaningful connections that strengthen organizations, communities, and the people they serve. Throughout his career, he has focused on creating engagement opportunities, developing strategic partnerships, and fostering collaboration among employees, business leaders, educators, nonprofit organizations, and government stakeholders.
His experience spans community relations, employee engagement, workforce development, educational outreach, and fundraising. Peter excels at bringing people together, creating programs that foster a sense of belonging, and developing initiatives that support organizational growth and community impact.
He has served as a key point of contact for thousands of employees, leading networking and engagement initiatives that encourage collaboration and strengthen professional communities. Peter is also deeply committed to community service, having served on the Board of Directors for Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona, supporting efforts to provide nutritious meals and wellness checks to homebound seniors and individuals with disabilities.
Peter believes that strong relationships are the foundation of successful organizations and vibrant communities. Whether connecting stakeholders, creating strategic partnerships, or championing initiatives that make a difference, he is driven by opportunities to create lasting, positive impact.
He welcomes opportunities to collaborate with others who share his passion for community engagement, workforce development, partnership building, and creating meaningful change.
Board Member
Kadian McIntosh
Asst Dean Assessment Evaluation & Analytics/ Principal
University of Arizona
Dr. Kadian McIntosh is a strategic leader, organizational evaluator, and developmental coach dedicated to building inclusive, high-performing environments where individuals and institutions thrive. With deep expertise spanning higher education, health professions/STEMM education, and organizational/executive consulting, Kadian’s career is defined by her ability to bridge positive connections between organizational practices and community impact. She is a proud graduate of the Greater Tucson Leadership Lead Tucson program, Class of 2024.
She serves as the Assistant Dean of Assessment, Evaluation & Analytics for the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Arizona. Kadian excels at translating systemic data and insight into actionable interventions. Her extensive portfolio includes leading external evaluations for nationally competitive grants, program assessments, survey research, focus group interviewing, operational auditing, CQI projects, and design of data-driven strategic plans. Within and beyond her institutional roles, she leverages her deep knowledge base as an expert collaborator and consultant. In this capacity, she has worked directly with executive teams to optimize organizational culture, workplace well-being and productivity, curricular/program design, assessment plans, and institutional strategy. Her background also includes extensive experience as a team development facilitator, learning design/user experience evaluator, and project manager. She has been involved with and held leadership positions with many groups within the University of Arizona and national societies such as the American Educational Research Association and the American Evaluation Association.
Kadian's academic foundation includes a Ph.D. in Higher Education and a Graduate Certificate in Institutional Research from Pennsylvania State University which focused on using advanced quantitative and qualitative research methods for organizational improvement and increasing learning and developmental outcomes. This emphasis was built upon an M.S. in Educational Leadership and a B.S. in Psychology with Honors from Florida International University through the Honors College which concentrated on development, teams, and industrial/organizational factors. Though her motivation is institutional research and advancing practices, her published, peer-reviewed research spans critical topics from learner engagement/performance and conducive environments to assessment metrics—proving her lifelong commitment to understanding how people learn, grow, and succeed together. She is dedicated to driving sustainable changes in how organizations make decisions, develop people, and design impactful learning and workplace experiences.
Board Member
Lance Meeks
Vice President of Community Engagement
Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona
Lance Meeks currently serves as the Vice President of Community Engagement for Goodwill of Southern Arizona. His responsibilities include overseeing four Goodwill Youth Reengagement Centers and Reentry programs, the management of programs that connect Opportunity Youth to educational programs, job training, needs assistance (bus passes, clothing, food, school supplies,) and community service-learning projects.
With a bachelor’s and master’s degree in criminal justice, Lance has over 15 years of experience working with at-risk and Opportunity Youth and youth in the juvenile justice system. He also has more than 5 years of experience working in adult corrections. Lance is active in the community and serves on various committees, Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness-Homeless Youth Coalition; and the Pima County Juvenile Justice Steering Committee. Lance is also an active member of the NAACP Tucson Branch.
Lance is a 2021 Greater Tucson Leadership Board of Director, Boys to Men Tucson Board of Director, Juneteenth Festival Committee Board of Director, Dunbar Pavilion Board Member, Pio Decimo Center Advisory Board, 2020 Greater Tucson Leadership graduate, Society for Human Resource Management 2022 Community Impact Award, 2018 Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 40 Under 40 Award recipient, 2019 Child & Family Resources Gabe Zimmerman Emerging Champion Nominee, 2019 Women’s Progressive Civic Club recipient of the Men of Honor Award and 2019 Goodwill Ambassador of the Year Award. He also received the 2014 Child Abuse Prevention Award. Lance has served as a national expert at the Coalition for Juvenile Justice Conference, contributing on a panel, leading a workshop about community relationships, and reducing arrests for youth of color.
Board Member
Joe Rottman
Senior Account Manager
Caterpillar Inc
Joe works in business development at Caterpillar Inc, leading a team which works on some of the largest surface and underground mining projects across the Americas. Coming from a mining family in the Midwest, Joe has over twenty years of mining industry experience. During his time at Caterpillar, Joe has worked in various roles in engineering, product development, strategy, marketing, and sales of large mining equipment, with a specialization in Latin American copper mining. Joe has an B.S. of Computer Engineering and an M.S. of Engineering Management from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, IN, and an Executive Certificate in Mining Operations and Economics from the University of Arizona. Joe is a Board member of the Downtown Tucson Partnership and chairs the Caterpillar Tucson area CSR Board.
Board Member
Heath Vescovi-Chiordi
Director, Economic Development
Pima County
Heath S. Vescovi-Chiordi, MPA, AZED Pro, is the Director of Economic Development for Pima County, AZ. Heath is charged with the creation, implementation and periodic updating of the County’s regional Economic Development Strategic Plan. This plan includes business attraction, retention and expansion, workforce development, and infrastructure development initiatives, focusing on small medium and large businesses, supporting the innovation ecosystem and economy, and generally improving the local and regional economy. During his time at Pima County, Heath has overseen the creation of a new Economic Development Strategic Plan for the County as well as several new partnerships and programs focused on workforce development and training, regional local business support, Foreign Direct Investment, and more. He has also overseen the retention and expansion of companies like World View, Inc. and EliteTech Group, and led point on the attraction of American Battery Factory, a proposed $1.2B, 1,000 job battery manufacturing investment announced in Pima County-Tucson. Heath also led the attraction of an additional $3.6B investment to Pima County. Heath graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Spanish and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with an emphasis on local government.
Youth Director
Iker Losada Samano
Aerospace Engineering Student
University of Arizona
Iker Losada Samano is an Aerospace Engineering student at the University of Arizona. He currently serves as the Mechanical Team Lead for UA's Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, and is an engineering intern at FreeFall Aerospace in Tucson. Born into a military family and raised in Washington State, Iker's background has instilled values of hard work, effort, and grit to ensure that any goal is within reach. He has worked on projects such as UA Scan Lab's VRMONA (Virtual Reality Military Operational Neuropsychological Assessment), NASA's Habitation and Logistics Outpost, and designed numerous low-altitude payloads for the University's SEDS Team.
Iker is a graduate of the Flowing Wells High School TYLA program in 2023, and has been involved in a number of events with GTL and the AZ Tech Council.
Youth Director
Zoey Puente
Undergraduate Student
University of Arizona
Zoey Puente is an Under Graduate student at the University of Arizona and a Tucson Native. During her time within the University of Arizona summer program, New Start, Zoey received an award for Excellence in Innovation. She plans on earning a bachelor's degree in Accounting. Zoey is also a Flowing Wells High school Alumna who participated in the TYLA program in 2023.
In her free time Zoey enjoys thrifting, spending time with loved ones, and viewing many forms of creative media.
