Executive Committee
Dr. Tamika Sanders
Chair
Phoenix
Business & Educational Consultant, Savvy Pen
Dr. Tamika Sanders has over 10 years of experience working with schools and businesses in the areas of teaching, training, curriculum design, public programming, strategic planning, and professional development. Her work entails bringing diverse, real-world perspectives to programming, and creating strategic community partnerships that generate revenue and provide access to resources and opportunities for marginalized groups. Her company, Savvy Pen, provides interactive arts and multicultural training to bridge cultural and socioeconomic divides between educators and their students. Dr. Sanders is a co-producer/partner of the Bi-National Arts Residency (BNAR), which connects cultural communities in the Sonoran Desert with issues of social justice and identity through art. Her professional distinctions include TEDx Phoenix Salon on community sustainability, Community Luminary Award, and nomination for the 2015 Humanities Rising Star Award for individuals using creative approaches to engage the public in humanities. Dr. Sanders believes that the arts can break barriers, inspire youth, and create social change. PhD in Higher Education, M.A. Business Administration, B.A. Communication.
Dr. Almira Poudrier
Vice Chair
Mesa
Principal Lecturer, Arizona State University
Dr. Almira Poudrier is principal lecturer in the School of International Letters and Cultures at Arizona State University. Her research includes Greek history and religion, particularly the material culture of religious space and cult described in Herodotus. A specialist in teaching first-year Latin, Dr. Poudrier teaches several lower division Latin courses, courses in ancient Greek and Roman language, myth, culture, the classical tradition, and comparative literature. Dr. Poudrier is faculty sponsor of the Classics Club, directs the annual Fall Forum in Classics, and international poster contest at the SILC Language Fair. She is Vice-President of the Central Arizona Society of the Archaeological Institute of America, which brings national and international scholars to the Valley for lectures on archaeology and material culture. She organizes the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (ACMRS) Medieval Latin Research Group and leads weekly reading sessions in translating medieval and Renaissance Latin authors. In her free time, she enjoys reading and watching futuristic science fiction and space opera, and hiking in the desert with her dog.
Edgar Rafael Olivo
Immediate Past Chair
Scottsdale
CEO, American Red Cross of Arizona & New Mexico; CEO/Business Leadership Educator and Economic Development Advisory, Compass Computer and Business School, LLC
Edgar Rafael Olivo is an award-winning bilingual business communication expert, international corporate trainer, author, and speaker featured on Univision, Telemundo, CNN Latino, NPR, Phoenix Business Journal. He founded Compass CBS, a computer and business school that delivers innovative leadership and training solutions to top businesses in North and Latin America to develop strong, harmonious, productive, and inclusive work communities. Olivo is a passionate advocate for economic development, community, culture, and education. He is certified in business, finance, data analytics, corporate training, and executive coaching. Olivo is the son of Mexican immigrants and the eldest of eleven siblings. He enjoys spending time on his ranch in Northern Arizona searching for fossils and assisting his husband build his natural history museum. B.A. degree in Business Communication. Applied Business Data Analytics Certificate, W.P Carey School of Business, Arizona State University.
Christine Coe
Treasurer
Phoenix
Operational Change / Effectiveness Manager, Wipfli
Christine Coe, is currently an Operational Change/Effectiveness Manager at Wipfli, a company that delivers integrated tax, assurance, risk, digital, outsourcing and people solutions that help businesses thrive in the modern marketplace. Previously, Christine held various positions during her 22 year career with Intel including Marketing/Event Management, Communications, Project/Program Management, Operations, and Leadership. She is a passionate problem-solver and champion for accessibility and equality. Originally from Kansas, Christine relocated to Arizona from Oregon. She resides in Phoenix with her husband and two dogs. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading, baseball, travel, and exploring her new home state of Arizona. Christine holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from the University of Kansas. She also has her Project Management Professional Certificate from the Program Management Institute (PMI) and is currently working on her International Coaching Certification.
Caryn Bird
Secretary
Phoenix
Residential Faculty, Glendale Community College, English Professor
As Residential Faculty at Glendale Community College (GCC), Caryn Bird teaches rhetoric and composition to undergraduate students. She is also a college-wide Assessment Developer working with faculty, staff, and students from all disciplines to creatively assess student learning. Prior to joining GCC, Caryn was a high school English teacher and department chair at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona where she taught both composition and literature through a humanities lens. Caryn won the Charros Teacher of the Year award in 2017 for her work in the high school classroom. Before joining the Arizona Humanities Board of Directors, Caryn Served as Co-Chair of the GLSEN Phoenix board where she worked to make K-12 schools safer for LGBTQ+ students and their peers. In addition to her work with GLSEN, Caryn volunteers as Workshop Coordinator for one∙n∙ten’s Camp Outdoors. She presents a variety of camp workshops including LGBTQ+ Young Audiences Literature, Queer Story Telling, and Public Speaking. Born and raised in Arizona. Caryn lives in Phoenix with her spouse Laura and their family of foster pets.
Dr. Chris Boyer
Flagstaff
Dean, College of Arts and Letter, Northern Arizona University
Chris Boyer is Dean of Arts and Letters and Professor of History at Northern Arizona University. A specialist on the social and environmental history of Modern Mexico and Latin America, he has published and taught widely in English, Spanish and Portuguese. His most recent book, Political Landscapes, investigates social history of forest management in Mexico between 1880 and 2000, with special emphasis on the experiences of Chihuahua and Michoacán. He has published a volume of environmental histories of modern Mexico titled A Land Between Waters that represents the first binational reflection on Mexican environmental history. He co-edits a University of Arizona Press book series on Latin American environmental history. He was a visiting scholar at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in 2017, where he taught and continued work on his current research project that traces the how green revolution technologies pioneered in Mexico such as the improvement of cultivars and the application of agrochemicals, are linked with the industrialization of foodways in Mexico and beyond.
Heather Mattisson
Phoenix
Owner of Sienna Bloom Consulting
Heather Mattisson has over 20 years of experience in diversity and inclusion, program, and product management. Mattisson is a graduate of the Kellogg School of Management, M.A. in Marketing. She has been PMP certified for over 15 years and has won numerous awards for her roles in software product launches and program management for startups and Fortune 500 firms. Most recently Mattisson was a Senior Program Manager at Gusto, a startup, where she launched change management and strategic programs. Previously at Intel Corporation Mattisson managed strategy and university partnerships in global diversity pursuant to Intel’s long-term diversity and inclusion goals, which included higher education partners such as Georgia Tech and historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Mattisson believes that how we work is just as important as what we accomplish. She is a Certified Integral Coach® and VitalSmarts® Crucial Conversations Client Trainer. She volunteers her time with communities she is passionate about. She serves on the boards of the Inclusive Engineering Foundation and Take the Lead Women. She is an advisor for SheLEADS, a leadership development and skills training workshop series for women, and enthusiastic member of her favorite book club for over 10 years.
Dr. Tanae Morrison
Laveen
CEO of Morrison Education Group, Inc. / Sun Valley Charter School
Dr. Tanae Morrison is an educational change agent. An Arizona native hailing from Tucson, she is the CEO of Morrison Education Group, Inc. dba Sun Valley Charter School founded in 2009. Dr. Morrison saw that students at Sun Valley Charter School in the Laveen/South Mountain community were being underserved. She believed that students in a high-need area could learn when given the right tools, love, and support. Dr. Morrison employs a diverse group of passionate educators. The Morrison Education Group is now extending its reach through a new campus project to improve academic outcomes for more than 750 young scholars, and employ over 50 faculty and staff, to positively impact the local community. Dr. Morrison is a respected member of the Phoenix business community, and active member of Delta Sigma Theta Incorporated, an international service organization, involved in community outreach through Pilgrim Rest Foundation. B.A. degree in Sociology, M.A. degree in Educational Psychology, M.A. degree in Educational Leadership, and PhD in Educational Leadership.
Joe Ray
Scottsdale
Creative Director/President, Maximo Branding
Joe Ray is Creative Director/President of Maximo Branding in Scottsdale, a creative collective and consultancy specializing in branding and strategic design with expertise in engaging multicultural audiences. Ray has integrated marketing campaigns for U.S. Latino and mainstream audiences. Ray is a visual artist and has been actively involved in the Phoenix arts scene for over 30 years, including as an artist member of Xico: arte y cultura, an arts organization focused on nourishing a greater appreciation of the cultural and spiritual heritage of Latinx and Indigenous people of the Americas through the arts. His artwork has been featured in exhibitions and publications throughout the U.S. and Mexico. He serves on the board of Phoenix One Foundation, dedicated to supporting the needs of the students and families in Phoenix Elementary School District #1 beyond the classroom. Ray is a proud alum of ASU. B.A. of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, Arizona State University.
Alex Soto
Phoenix
Director of the Labriola National American Indian Data Center at ASU Library
Alexander Soto (Tohono O’odham) is director of the Labriola National American Indian Data Center at Arizona State University Library. Under his leadership, the Labriola Center has developed and implemented culturally informed library services. Alex is the recipient of the Society of American Archivists 2022 Archival Innovator Award and was awarded a $1 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for “Firekeepers: Building Archival Data Sovereignty through Indigenous Memory Keeping,”. Alex’s journey to librarianship comes after years of success as a touring hip-hop musician and activist. B.S. American Indian Studies, Arizona State University. M.A., Library and Information Science, University of Arizona.
Crys Waddell
Phoenix
Chief Operating Officer/Creative Strategist, Hustle PHX
Crys Waddell is the Creative Strategist/ Chief Operating Officer at Hustle PHX. Hustle PHX is a non-profit that serves under-resourced areas in Arizona by providing intellectual, social, and financial capital to entrepreneurs. She is Vice Chairperson of the Arts and Culture Commission for the City of Phoenix. The Commission promotes the importance and value of arts and culture experiences for Phoenix residents. Crys Waddell is a servant leader and creative change agent. She has used this talent in community-building projects that have transformed marginalized communities. She is a member of the African American Women’s Empowerment Giving Circle, of the Black Philanthropy Initiative (BPI) of the Arizona Community Foundation. The BPI advances equity, health, education, leadership, and social justice for African Americans in Arizona. She is a mixed media artist who shares her artistic talents volunteering across Arizona and throughout the U.S. B.A. degree in Theater Arts and Dance, California State University of Los Angeles.
Shaina A. Nez
Navajo Nation
Ph.D. Candidate, Justice Studies, Arizona State University
Shaina A. Nez is a dedicated educator and Ph.D. candidate in Justice Studies at Arizona State University. With over eight years of experience in early childhood education and higher education, she currently serves as a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing and English at Diné College. Shaina is committed to advancing social change through her research in Creative Nonfiction and Indigenous methodologies. She founded the Diné Artisans & Authors Capacity Building Institute (DAACBI) 2024 Fellowship Program, which supports emerging Indigenous artists. Her work has been published in several notable anthologies and journals, reflecting her commitment to amplifying Indigenous voices and promoting equity and inclusivity.