Our annual Families First Forum was started with intent to become an annual gathering where community leaders advocates, and policymakers can come together to connect over current policy issues and share resources with one another to strengthen our policy efforts.
On November 3rd, we gathered at South Mountain Community College for our 2025 Families First Forum. Advocates, policymakers, and community leaders came together to discuss the challenges facing Arizona families such as rising economic pressures and looming critical funding shifts in health care and safety net programs such as SNAP and Medicaid. We also discussed being hopeful, solution oriented, and innovative, because that’s what Arizona’s children and families deserve.
Thank you to all who participated in the 2025 Families First Forum as we work towards stronger coalition work:
National Voices: Federal Policy & Funding Shifts
Alberto A. Gonzalez, Jr., MPP, Deputy Senior Director, State Government Relations, Families USA
Katie Hamm, Principal, Next Steps Early Childhood LLC
State Agency Leadership
Marcus Johnson, Deputy Director of Community Engagement and Regulatory Affairs, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)
Angie Rodgers, Deputy Director of Programs, Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES)
Arizona’s Fiscal Landscape
Joseph Palomino, Director, Arizona Center for Economic Progress
Innovation Panel: Roadmap to Move Arizona Forward
Kyrstyn Paulat, Director of Early Learning and Education, Children’s Action Alliance
Barbie Prinster, Executive Director, Arizona Early Childhood Education Association
Angela Rabago, Chief External Affairs Officer, First Things First
Lori Masseur, Director of Early Learning, Read On Arizona
Amber Jones, Parent & Early Childhood Advocate
Forum Leadership
January Contreras, ED, Children’s Action Alliance
Leanne Murphy, Consultant
