PHOENIX (January 29, 2026) –On Thursday, March 12, 2026, Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) presents the return of Women Powered. The beloved program, which offers guests the opportunity to network amongst peers and hear from dynamic women leaders, brings global fashion designer, entrepreneur, and women’s empowerment advocate Rebecca Minkoff, live to the Museum. To celebrate the 60^th anniversary of PhxArt’s fashion program, the Museum will host a special edition of Women Powered, featuring an inspiring conversation with the nationally renowned New York-based designer led by Valley entrepreneur and fashion icon Chrissy Sayare. Minkoff will share stories of her own success, building bold ideas, navigating business, and living at the intersection of entrepreneurship and creativity. This event is welcome to all ages and industries.

At 5 pm, the Museum will host a cocktail reception with a cash bar in the Dorrance Sculpture Garden. Then at 6:30 pm, attendees will enjoy a fireside chat with Minkoff and Sayare in Whiteman Hall.

Make the evening even more memorable by adding a signed copy of Minkoff’s newest book Fearless: The New Rules of Unlocking Creativity, Courage, and Success to your reservation. The personally autographed special edition is available in limited quantities and is a meaningful takeaway from an inspiring night.

Elevate your evening with an exclusive, intimate dinner honoring the nationally renowned designer directly following the program. Enjoy a luxury dining experience with a hosted bar and receive a signed copy of Minkoff’s recent book Fearless: The New Rules of Unlocking Creativity, Courage, and Success. This special experience offers a rare opportunity to engage more personally with our guest of honor and deepen your connection to the ideas shared on stage while making a meaningful impact. Dinner tickets are $500 each. Seating is limited. Advance purchase required for dinner by March 4.

Tickets to Women Powered are $45 for the general public, $25 for PhxArt Members, $15 for college students with an active ID. Optional ticket to include a singed copy of Fearless: The New Rules for Unlocking Creativity, Courage, and Success also available at $45 for Members, $65 for non-Members. Dinner tickets are $500 each. Seating is limited. Advance purchase required for dinner by March 4. Tickets are available here.

Rebecca Minkoff’s journey began with a fearless leap—moving to New York City at just 18 to chase a dream in fashion. With no roadmap and few resources, she turned a love for design into a global brand synonymous with accessible luxury. But what truly sets Rebecca apart isn’t just her success as a designer. It’s her unwavering commitment to lifting others as she climbs. In 2018, she launched the Female Founder Collective, a powerful network of women-led businesses committed to advancing financial equity and opportunity for women at every level. Through her Superwomen podcast and candid speaking engagements, she shares the unfiltered side of entrepreneurship and life like navigating setbacks, battling fear, and balancing life with ambition. Her talks leave audiences energized and inspired, reminding them that fear is not a weakness but a compass to guide them through the impossible.

For more information about this event, contact the Communications Office of Phoenix Art Museum at press@phxart.org.

About the Fashion Collection at Phoenix Art Museum

The Fashion Collection at Phoenix Art Museum strives to tell an accurate history of fashion and is actively pursuing works that represent a broader and more inclusive glossary of designers. Comprising nearly half of the Museum’s permanent holdings, the collection houses nearly 9,000 examples of fashionable dress and accessories from five centuries of style. With everything from a pair of 17th-century sueded-leather gloves to 21st-century couture runway looks, the collection explores the art of dressing and seeks out the rarest examples of these dress traditions. Celebrated for its quality and comprehensiveness, the collection boasts strengths in 19th-century womenswear as well as works by 20th-century designers, with significant examples from major representatives of European and North American fashion history. Special archives within the collection include the Ann Bonfoey Taylor wardrobe of more than 200 examples by mid-century couture designers, The Emphatics Archive of more than 400 works from avant-garde designers, and the Geoffrey Beene Archive, with more than 300 evening gowns and custom designs.

About Arizona Costume Institute

Arizona Costume Institute was founded in 1966 to support the fashion-design department of Phoenix Art Museum through the acquisition and preservation of garments and accessories of historical and aesthetic significance and through events and fundraising efforts that support and deepen awareness of the Museum’s fashion exhibitions and education programs. ACI’s support of this collection area depends on the enthusiasm of dedicated volunteers. The ACI Board of Managers 2023-2025 president is Joy Sprink. To learn more about Arizona Costume Institute, visit arizonacostumeinstitute.org.

About Phoenix Art Museum

Since 1959, Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) has engaged millions of visitors with the art of our region and world. Located in Phoenix’s Central Corridor, PhxArt creates spaces of exchange and belonging for all audiences through dynamic exhibitions, collections, and experiences with art. Each year, 300,000 guests on average engage with critically acclaimed national and international exhibitions and the Museum’s collection of more than 21,000 works of American and Western American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern, and contemporary art and fashion design, along with vibrant photography exhibitions made possible through the Museum’s landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona in Tucson. PhxArt also presents live performances, outstanding examples of global cinema, arts-education programs and workshops, a monthly live-music series, and more for the community. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call 602.257.1880.

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PHOENIX (February 26, 2024) –On Thursday, March 27, 2025, Phoenix Art Museum presents the return of Women Powered: Stories that Define Leadership, a two-part event offering guests the opportunity to network amongst peers and hear from dynamic women leaders as they share stories of their leadership journey. At 5 pm, the Museum will host a Sip+Share networking hour, when participants can connect one on one with local entrepreneurs and executives. The hour will include a ‘question and answer’ session for those seeking more individual guidance, all offered in a museum setting that encourages creativity, connection, and community.

At 6:30 pm, the Museum will then present a panel discussion of women serving in leadership roles from a wide variety of industries. Panelists include Jessica Mefford-Miller, Chief Executive Officer of Valley Metro, and Christina Spicer, Co-CEO of Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, among many others.

Tickets to Women Powered are $28 for the general public, $20 for PhxArt Members, $23 for college students with an active ID, and $18 for youth 17 and under. Admission includes a complimentary non-alcoholic beverage during the Sip+Share portion of the evening, along with general admission to all Museum galleries.

Tickets for Women Powered: Stories that Define Leaders are available here.

WOMEN POWERED: STORIES THAT DEFINE LEADERSHIP
Sip+Share | 5 pm, Dorrance Sculpture Garden  
Panel | 6:30 pm, Whiteman Hall 
General Admission: $28 | Museum Members: $20 | College Student with student ID: $23 | Youth (17 and under): $18
Ticket includes a complimentary non-alcoholic beverage and general admission to all Museum galleries. The event will conclude when the Museum closes, so we encourage guests to arrive early and explore the Museum galleries before the event starts. This event is available to all ages and industries. For tickets and more information, click here.

Sip+Share Participants

Lisbeth Arescurenaga, Director of Community & Public Relations | Novle
Alex Bradberry, Founder | The Sparkle Bar
Hilary Clark, Regional Controls and Community Relations Manager | Austin Commercial
Julie Fink, Vice President, Talent Management | University of Phoenix
Stefanie Gorres, Executive Director, Market Manager | Morgan Stanley
Kate Mellow, Creative Director & Founder | Bloom + Blueprint
Desirae Outcalt, Co-Chair of Community Development Committee | Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central AZ
Elizabeth Shabaker, Co-Chief Executive Officer | Versant Capital Management, Inc.
Nikki Shaffer, Director of Events | Artisan by Santa Barbara Catering & The Farm at South Mountain
Abby Zufelt, Clinical Assistant Professor, Journalism & Mass Comm | ASU + Host of Working Girl Talk Podcast

Panelists

Moderator: Ashley Kelly, Vice President and Senior Business Consultant | JPMorgan Chase & Co.
A seasoned Senior Business Consultant at JPMorgan Chase, Ashley Kelly brings more than 20 years of expertise in business and commercial banking, with a focus on empowering small businesses to thrive. Her current work centers on supporting minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses by addressing critical challenges such as access to capital, procurement opportunities, and information. Through tailored mentoring and strategic guidance, Kelly fosters growth and resilience within these communities while advancing the bank’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Recognized as a leader in her field, Kelly has been honored with Phoenix Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award and named a nominee for Greater Phoenix Chamber’s 2024 Athena Award. She is Co-Chair of the BOLD Arizona Business Resource Group and serves on the boards of the Black Chamber of Arizona and the Young & Empowered Women.

Laura Franco French, Director of State Government Relations | TSMC 
Laura Franco French serves as Director, State Government Relations, for TSMC AZ Corp. She is the liaison between the leading semiconductor foundry and state and local government, as TSMC continues toward the opening of their new Arizona fab. French brings more than two decades of experience in community relations, government affairs, international relations, and communications in both public and nonprofit sectors. Most recently, she served as Senior Policy Advisor to Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, providing strategic counsel and building community partnerships on issues such as economic development; international affairs; Latino community affairs; water, refugee, and asylee issues, in addition to arts and culture. French also previously served as legislative liaison at the Arizona Office of Tourism. She has held a variety of positions spanning Greater Phoenix Leadership, Unidos US, and the International Republican Institute. Early in her career, French worked at CNN at both their Atlanta and New York bureaus. She serves on the boards of the Arizona-Mexico Commission and the Phoenix Symphony, is an Honorary Commander of Luke Air Force Base, and is a member of Charter 100, as well as a graduate of Valley Leadership Class 29. French was also an honoree for the 2012 Phoenix Business Journal’s 40 under 40 and the 2008 Hispanic 40 under 40.

Angela Lowery, AVP, Sr. Sales Manager in the Western States | PURE Insurance
Angela Lowery is the AVP, Sr. Sales Manager in the Western States for PURE Insurance. She has been in the insurance industry for 29 years in different capacities, with a focus on business strategy and market development. She is certified as a High-Net-Worth Insurance Specialty Advisor, a P&C and CFP CE Instructor, and a Trauma-Informed Insurance Specialist. Her passion and insurance knowledge has continued to elevate her reputation across Arizona and other business markets. Lowery loves spending time with her son, who recently graduated from Brophy College Preparatory. She also loves to golf, has a passion for giving back to the community, and is actively involved in several nonprofits across the Valley.

Jessica Mefford-Miller, Chief Executive Officer | Valley Metro 
As Chief Executive Officer of Valley Metro, Jessica Mefford-Miller is committed to connecting communities and enhancing lives through mobility. She leads a growing and evolving team that delivers bus, paratransit, light rail, streetcar and microtransit service across 19 communities in across Maricopa County. As a CEO who leads from the front, her tenacious leadership style is resulting in a system-wide evolution to realize greater efficiencies in service delivery, address the evolving needs of customers and community, and embrace emerging technologies. Mefford-Miller is on a mission to create excellent customer experiences through safe, reliable, and accessible public transportation that serves current and future generations in the Valley of the Sun.

Reyna Montoya, Founder & CEO | Aliento
Reyna Montoya is the Founder and CEO of Aliento. A social entrepreneur, educator, and dancer, Montoya is a DACA recipient and alumna of Arizona State University, Grand Canyon University, and Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Born in Tijuana, Mexico, 15 minutes from the U.S. and Mexico border, she migrated to Arizona in 2003 fleeing violence. Despite the fear, anxiety, and stress of growing up undocumented in Arizona, along with witnessing her dad go through deportation proceedings, Montoya did not lose hope. That is why she took a leap of faith in 2016, creating Aliento after years of organizing and educating at both local and national levels. Through youth-led arts + healing workshops, leadership development, and community organizing, Aliento transforms trauma into hope and action for those most impacted by the harms associated with lacking an immigration status. In less than four years, Aliento has touched the lives of more than 50,000 people, of which 25,000 are youth, and educated close to 100,000 voters in Arizona 2020 and 2022 elections. Under Montoya’s leadership, 3,000 undocumented, DACA, and mixed-status youth have stepped into leadership roles.

Christian Ramírez, Cohn Assistant Curator of Contemporary and Community Art Initiatives | Phoenix Art Museum
Christian Ramírez is the Cohn Assistant Curator of Contemporary and Community Art Initiatives at Phoenix Art Museum. Her portfolio of responsibility includes managing the institution’s Arizona Artist Awards programs and curating exhibitions of work by annual recipients, curating exhibitions of contemporary art drawn from the Museum’s contemporary art collection, and fostering relationships with regional and Arizona-based artists to curate exhibitions that elevate their work among statewide and national audiences. Ramírez also serves as the liaison for artists presented through the Museum’s semiannual Lenhardt Lectures. Her recent projects include The Collection: 1960 – Now, Guarding the Art: A Frontline Perspective, and The Collection: Keith Haring, along with serving as coordinating curator for the PhxArt presentation of Amalia Mesa-Bains: Archaeology of Memory. Ramírez has more than a decade of experience in the arts, working previously at MOCA Tucson (2011-2016) and Artpace San Antonio (2021-2022). In 2016, she co-founded Everybody, a curatorial project currently based in Tucson, Arizona, that organized the exhibition Henry Codax (2017), participated in NADA New York showing Elliott Jamal Robbins and Casey Jargo (2018), and received the 2021 Night Bloom Grant. Ramírez has sat on jury panels for the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona, Arizona Commission on the Arts, Grand Canyon Conservancy, and CALA Alliance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked with Museum Workers Speak to raise more than $100,000 in eight months as part of a mutual-aid effort to provide cash relief to 200 museum workers who were adversely affected by COVID-19.

Christina Spicer, Co-CEO | Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council
Christina Spicer has been Co-CEO of Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council since 2022. She has held numerous positions at the organization and was integral in growing its annual fund from $600,000 to $4 million across seven years. Additionally, she has served on several successful campaigns, including Day of the Girl, which raised $1 million for the organization in one day. Spicer is a leader who has devoted nearly two decades of her career to directing critical youth initiatives throughout the Phoenix community. After graduating from Arizona State University with a degree in communications, she joined local nonprofit organization notMYkid as Director of the Clear Choices program, where she helped engage teens in discussions about issues including drug and alcohol use, body image disorders, and depression. Shortly after earning her master’s degree from Arizona State University, Spicer joined Teach for America Phoenix, where she managed the advisory board, was an active member of the leadership team, and led the development team responsible for annual fundraising that totaled more than $7 million each year. Spicer is also founder of CAMEO, a women’s mentorship organization. She serves on local boards and has received several local awards, including Phoenix Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award, Phoenix Mercury’s Believe in Women Award, and NCAA Men’s Basketball Community Legends and Legacy Award in 2024. She was also named a Diverse Business Leader to Watch and was an ATHENA Finalist in 2024.

Hillary Walsh, Founder & Lawyer | New Frontier Immigration Law
Hillary Walsh is a nationally recognized immigration attorney, entrepreneur, and advocate dedicated to empowering immigrant families. As the Founder and CEO of New Frontier Immigration Law, she has revolutionized legal services with a client-centered, trauma-informed approach, ensuring that immigrants receive compassionate, high-quality representation. Under her leadership, New Frontier has been named “Arizona’s fastest-growing law firm” for four consecutive years (Inc. 5000, 2020-2023). A former law professor and TEDx speaker, Walsh’s legal career spans over a decade, including representation before the U.S. Supreme Court, multiple Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the Board of Immigration Appeals. Her firm specializes in securing legal status for undocumented immigrants facing deportation, providing them with the opportunity to live freely in the United States. Beyond her legal work, Walsh founded New Frontier Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence. She actively mentors law firm owners and advocates for systemic change in immigration law.

Women Powered: Stories that Define Leaders is made possible through the generosity of Austin Commercial, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Versant Capital Management, and ASU Thunderbird School of Global Management.

For more information about this event, contact the Communications Office of Phoenix Art Museum at samantha.santos@phxart.org.

About Phoenix Art Museum
Since 1959, Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) has engaged millions of visitors with the art of our region and world. Located in Phoenix’s Central Corridor, PhxArt creates spaces of exchange and belonging for all audiences through dynamic exhibitions, collections, and experiences with art. Each year, 300,000 guests on average engage with critically acclaimed national and international exhibitions and the Museum’s collection of more than 21,000 works of American and Western American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern, and contemporary art and fashion design, along with vibrant photography exhibitions made possible through the Museum’s landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona in Tucson. PhxArt also presents live performances, outstanding examples of global cinema, arts-education programs and workshops, an art+music festival, and more for the community. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call 602.257.1880.

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PHOENIX (March 13, 2024) – On Thursday, April 4, 2024, Phoenix Art Museum presents Women Powered: The Choices That Define Leaders, a two-part professional-development workshop that connects community members with dynamic women leaders based in Arizona. At 5 pm, the Museum will host a Sip+Share ‘speed-dating’ style networking opportunity, during which individuals who seek to blaze a path in their own careers can meet with and ask advice from women entrepreneurs and business executives from across a range of industries. A digital resource packet will be shared with attendees following the event. Admission to the Sip+Share portion of the evening workshop is FREE with an RSVP.

At 6 pm, the Museum will then present a women’s leadership panel, featuring top Valley entrepreneurs and business executives who will provide deep insight into the choices they made throughout their career journeys that propelled them forward. Panelists include Sheryl Palmer, CEO of Taylor Morrison, and Beth McMullen, Senior Vice President for Global Operations at Avnet, among many others. Tickets to the women’s leadership panel are $15 for the general public, $10 for PhxArt Members and college students with an active ID, and $5 for youth 17 and under. Paid admission to the panel also includes access to special-engagement exhibitions Barbie®: A Cultural Icon; The Power of Pink; Expanding Darshan: Manjari Sharma, To See and Be Seen; and Laura Aguilar: Nudes in Nature.

Tickets for Women Powered: The Choices That Define Leaders are available here.

WOMEN POWERED: THE CHOICES THAT DEFINE LEADERS

Sip+Share
April 4 // 5 – 6 pm
Tickets: FREE with RSVP // Cash bar available

Network with dynamic women entrepreneurs and executives during this ‘speed-dating’ style professional-development opportunity. A digital packet with professional-development resources, including recommended books, podcasts, trainings, seminars, workshops and more, will be shared with participants following the event.

Sip+Share made possible through the generosity of My Sister’s Closet, Bell Bank, and Austin Commercial, L.P. 

Participants
Laura Franco French // Director, State Government Relations, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
Mara Gerst // Principal, Gerst Grants & Nonprofit Consulting
Cathy Graham // Executive Vice President, Desert Financial Credit Union
Ann Ocaña // Chief Marketing Officer, Shamrock Foods
Desirae Outcalt // Vice President Commercial Banker, Bell Bank
Christian Ramírez – Cohn Assistant Curator of Contemporary and Community Art Initiatives, Phoenix Art Museum
Nadia Rivera // Chief Impact Officer, Arizona Coyotes
Liz Shabaker // Co-Chief Executive Officer, Versant Capital Management
Jennifer Villalobos // Associate, Cushman & Wakefield
Laura Wenzel // Senior Director of Collections and Exhibitions, Phoenix Art Museum
Ritta Yee-Fagain // Chair, St. Joseph the Worker

Women’s Leadership Panel
April 4 // 6 – 7:30 pm
Tickets: $15 for the general public // $10 for PhxArt Members and college students with an active ID // $5 for youth 17 and under
Includes access to special-engagement exhibitions Barbie®: A Cultural Icon; The Power of Pink; Expanding Darshan: Manjari Sharma, To See and Be Seen; and Laura Aguilar: Nudes in Nature

Join PhxArt for a riveting discussion with a panel of dynamic women leaders based in Arizona, who will give deeper insights into their own journeys through their careers and the choices they made along the way that propelled them forward, or, at times, caused them to stumble.

Panel made possible through the generosity of Desert Financial Credit Union

Moderator: Vanessa Ruiz // Vice President, Arizona State University
Vanessa Ruiz is Deputy Vice President, Educational Outreach, within Educational Outreach & Student Services at Arizona State University. In her current role, Ruiz leads several teams creating a vision to develop and implement strategic engagement and partnerships with students and families, K-12 schools, foundations, non-profits, corporate partners, and other community stakeholders to increase the educational attainment and economic opportunity for diverse communities across Arizona, impacting more than 100,000 students every year. Previously, as Director for Diversity Initiatives and Community Engagement, Ruiz led ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s strategy and tactical planning for recruiting and retaining diverse faculty, staff, and students, as well as first-generation college students. She also served as the lead instructor for all ethics and diversity courses while designing ongoing professional development and leadership pathways for faculty and faculty associates in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. As a three-time Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist, Vanessa also currently serves as an anchor for PBS NewsHour West, the Western U.S. broadcast of the PBS NewsHour, focusing on stories and issues with an origin and special interest in the western region of the United States. Prior to joining the Cronkite School in 2017, Ruiz was the main evening news anchor at KPNX, the NBC affiliate in Phoenix. Her dedication to her community and the arts has led Vanessa to currently serve as board member for Phoenix Art Museum and CALA Alliance, a Latinx arts organization based in Phoenix that collaborates with artists and arts organizations to nurture artistic talent, focusing on artists from the Latin American diaspora. Ruiz studied part of her elementary and high-school education in Mallorca, Spain. She graduated from Florida International University with a B.S. in Communications and a minor in International Relations and holds a Master’s in Liberal Studies, with distinction, from Arizona State University.

Dr. Damita Kaloostian // Interim Vice President of Student Affairs at Scottsdale Community College
Damita Kaloostian is a collaborative leader committed to student success and the mission of community colleges. Kaloostian serves as Interim Vice President of Student Affairs at Scottsdale Community College and has worked for the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) for over 20 years in various positions at both the system and college levels. As a champion for higher education, she has strategically supported system-wide initiatives such as the Seamless Student Experience, Program Integrity (Gainful Employment), Strategic Planning, Emergency Preparedness, Strategic Enrollment Management, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. At the college level, she has a comprehensive leadership background anchored in Student Affairs and Institutional Research. Her professional experiences also include leading grants, alumni, development, and marketing. Her platform as a leader encourages care for students and staff, institutional optimization, and innovative systems-thinking. Her leadership has contributed to the development of one-stop enrollment models, reimagining core student enrollment processes, division stabilization, dedicated practices to address food and related insecurities, institutional brand redesigns, and successful accreditations. Kaloostian is committed to leading diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. She has extensive experience working at Hispanic and Minority-Serving Institutions. Her role at Scottsdale Community College represents one of the only public community colleges in the country to be situated on tribal land. She has an unyielding commitment to transformative work that develops future leaders, builds sustainable systems, and expands student success opportunities. She recently completed a Ph.D. in the Innovation in Global Development program at Arizona State University.

Beth McMullen // Senior Vice President, Global Operations, Avnet, Inc.
Beth McMullen is Senior Vice President of Global Operations at Avnet, Inc. In this position, McMullen is responsible for driving consistent and efficient execution of global strategy, including leadership of Global Logistics, Global Programming, Global Quality, Environmental, Health, and Safety organizations, the Salesforce Global Center of Excellence, Global Data Analytics, and the Global Program Management Office. McMullen joined Avnet in 2010 as part of the Global Information Systems (GIS) team, where she was responsible for leading a technology program for the legacy Electronic Marketing team and related technical teams and building the GIS Project Management Office. In the time since, she has continued to play a critical role in the Avnet global initiatives and transformations, holding leadership positions in Global Logistics & Operations, the Transformation office, and Global Operations for Core. Prior to joining Avnet, McMullen held senior leadership positions at DP DHL and Arthur Andersen, LLP. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a Master’s in International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Bettina Nava // Co-Founder And Owner, Nexus Strategy Group
Bettina Nava is a co-founder and owner of Nexus Strategy Group, working with blue-chip and emerging clients to achieve their communications goals in diverse markets. Prior to co-founding Nexus Strategy Group (formerly OH Strategic Communications), Nava was a partner at FirstStrategic Communications and Public Affairs, leading the firm’s community and business relations, strategic relationships, and marketing efforts. She also worked in various capacities for the office and presidential campaign of Arizona Senator John McCain. As the Southwest campaign manager for the McCain 2008 presidential team, she was in charge of hiring, managing, and implementation of campaign tactics, strategies, and communications, and prior to that, she was director of fundraising for the McCain 2008 Presidential Committee in Arizona. During McCain’s tenure as Arizona Senator, Nava served as state director, leading three state offices and driving community outreach efforts. Nava also previously worked for Governor Fife Symington as director of community relations and boards and commissions. In addition to her volunteer service on the PhxArt Board of Trustees, Nava serves as a member of Greater Phoenix Leadership, Board chair for the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association Government Relations Committee and on the Multi-Cultural Board of ONE Community. Previously, she has served on the boards of the Valley of the Sun United Way, Child’s Play AZ, MISS Foundation, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and Southwest Human Development. She also has received numerous awards, including the community service award from Valle Del Sol in 2014.

Sheryl Palmer // Chairman and CEO, Taylor Morrison
Sheryl Palmer is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Taylor Morrison, a leading national homebuilder and developer based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Since 2006, Palmer has overseen a highly experienced leadership team in several key national homebuilding markets and has led Taylor Morrison into the top ranks as America’s fifth largest public home builder. Additionally, in 2024 the company was named America’s Most Trusted Home Builder for the ninth consecutive year by Lifestory Research. Palmer was winner of the 2021 Hearthstone Builder Humanitarian of the Year, and the company was recognized as BUILDER Magazine’s 2020 Builder of the Year, named one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by Fortune Magazine in 2019 and 2020, and recognized as a repeat member of Bloomberg’s Gender Equality Index (GEI) for transparency in gender reporting and advancing women’s equality in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Her passions extend beyond homebuilding and enter the many realms of leadership and diversity; supporting veterans; solving for homelessness; and health and wellness. She currently serves as Chairman of the Building Talent Foundation, an organization that partners with homebuilders to address the vast trade labor shortage. She also served as the Chairman of the National Board of Directors of HomeAid America from 2019 to 2021, is on the Board of Directors of Offerpad., and is an Executive Committee Member of the Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) Policy Advisory Board at Harvard University.

Kimberley Rimsza // President of S&K Rimsza Family Office
Kimberley Rimsza is a multifaceted leader known for her exceptional business acumen, unwavering commitment to empowering women in the business world, and her inspiring journey as both a dedicated mother and the former First Lady of Phoenix during her husband’s, Skip’s, mayoral tenure ending in 2004. With a rich background in business, Rimsza’s most recent experience includes serving as the Executive Vice President of the West Region at TriMark. In this role, she led initiatives to enhance organizational efficiencies, set divisional goals, and drive profitable growth. Her strategic vision and innovative approach have made a lasting impact on the food-service equipment and supplies industry, both within her own business and across the sector. Prior to TriMark, Rimsza served as the CEO of her business for over 15 years, overseeing its growth and success before its acquisition by TriMark in 2007 as part of a private equity roll-up strategy. Beyond her professional achievements, Rimsza embraces her role as a mother of triplets, as well as stepmother to her husband’s two children. Her ability to balance career and family commitments showcases her resilience and time management skills. Rimsza strongly believes in leading by example and demonstrating to her children, both boys and girls, that women can succeed as successful businesswomen, wives, mothers, and friends. A lifelong learner, Rimsza values personal growth and finds enrichment through travel and exploration. She approaches each new experience as an opportunity for growth and understanding, embodying a philosophy of continuous learning and self-improvement. Through her leadership and mentorship efforts, Rimsza is dedicated to creating opportunities for women to thrive in the business world. She believes that women can achieve anything they set their minds to and is passionate about empowering women to reach their full potential.

Jordan Rose // Founder and President, Rose Law Group pc
Jordan Rose started Rose Law Group pc leasing space for just herself in another lawyer’s storage room and has, in 24 years, grown the firm to the largest woman-owned law firm in Arizona history. Rose Law Group is also the first full-service law firm on the metaverse for metaverse-based businesses and the first law firm in the world to employ blockchain developers, coders, and 3D architects working with lawyers to take a Web3 project from legal due diligence, through to design and construction. Rose practices in the areas of business consulting, government relations, municipal issues, land use, zoning, sports law, Web3, administrative law and lobbying. Jordan was named amongst the “20 names to know in real estate” by The Phoenix Business Journal and listed in The Business Journals as one of the top 100 national “Influencers in law” – amongst just three from Arizona. She also has been named among the “Top 100 party hosts in America” by The Salonniere. Rose serves as President of Pinal Partnership, a member of Barrow’s Neurological Institute Board; a member of American Cancer Society’s CEOs Against Cancer board, a board member at the Phoenix Art Museum; a member of YPO Scottsdale Integrated and YPO Arizona Gold; Executive Board and Facilities Committee Chair for Phoenix Country Day School; an 8-year mentor for the Urban Land Institute’s Partnership Forum; and Co-Chair City County Committee for Greater Phoenix Leadership. Rose is the proud mother of two teenage boys.

Olga Viso // Selig Family Chief Curator, Phoenix Art Museum
Olga Viso is the Selig Family Chief Curator at Phoenix Art Museum, where she leads the Museum’s curatorial division, overseeing curatorial staff across all collecting areas, the collections and exhibitions management teams, and the departments of education and engagement. A specialist in modern and contemporary art and a seasoned arts leader, curator, and scholar with a focus on Latin American/Latinx contemporary art, Viso has more than 30 years of experience working both as a curator and a museum administrator. In addition to her work at PhxArt, Viso acts as senior advisor at ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, where she develops academic partnerships for the university with art museums. She also supports the ASU-LACMA master’s fellowship program in art history, a collaboration between the university and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art that invests in the advancement of museum professionals of color already working in museums. Before joining the Museum, Viso served as executive director of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and director and curator at the Smithsonian Institution’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, DC. She has organized and curated numerous landmark solo and group exhibitions, with major monographic artist surveys including Juan Francisco Elso: Por América (2022); Everything, a 30-year retrospective of work by Guillermo Kutica (2010); Ana Mendieta: Earth Body, Sculpture and Performance 1972–1985 (2004); and Jim Hodges: Give Me More Than You Take (2013). Viso has also held positions at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach and the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. In 2013, she was appointed by President Obama to the National Council on the Arts. Viso is an emeritus member of the Association of Art Museum Directors and was an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s Fellow in Residence 2019–2020. She served on the Board of the Andy Warhol Foundation from 2008-2016.

For more information about this event, contact the Communications Office of Phoenix Art Museum at samantha.andreacchi@phxart.org.

About Phoenix Art Museum
Since 1959, Phoenix Art Museum has provided millions of guests with access to world-class art and experiences in an effort to ignite imaginations, create meaningful connections, and serve as a brave space for all people who wish to experience the transformative power of art. Located in Phoenix’s Central Corridor, the Museum is a vibrant destination for the visual arts and the largest art museum in the southwestern United States. Each year, more than 300,000 guests engage with critically acclaimed national and international exhibitions and the Museum’s collection of more than 20,000 works of American and Western American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern and contemporary art, and fashion design. The Museum also presents a comprehensive film program, live performances, and educational programs designed for visitors of all ages, along with vibrant photography exhibitions made possible through the Museum’s landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call 602.257.1880.

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