Category: Announcement

La Alianza para la Acción Infantil comparte la transición de liderazgo para 2026 

Tenemos noticias sobre cambios en Children's Action Alliance. Este verano, January Contreras, actual directora ejecutiva, dejará su cargo tras haber dirigido desde 2023 esta organización dedicada desde hace mucho tiempo a la defensa de los niños en Arizona.

«En un momento en el que los niños de Arizona necesitan especialmente defensores, ha sido un privilegio increíble liderar el legado de Children's Action Alliance de defender y promover políticas que hagan que los niños estén más sanos, más seguros y más protegidos económicamente», afirmó January Contreras. «Si los presupuestos y las políticas estatales y federales se comprometieran con la estabilidad y el éxito de los niños, el futuro sería más sólido y más justo para todos nosotros. Me siento orgullosa y agradecida de trabajar por este futuro con Children's Action Alliance, y sé que el talentoso personal y la comprometida junta directiva continuarán la importante labor de hacer realidad esta visión. En los próximos meses, me alegra tener mucho tiempo para compartir mi agradecimiento con los socios, los financiadores y la dedicada comunidad de seguidores de esta organización».

El legado de January incluye el lanzamiento delForo Families Firstyla gira State of Kids Community Convening Road Show. Desempeñó un papel fundamental en el fortalecimientode la divulgación enlas comunidadesrurales de Arizona, apoyando a los jóvenes que han salido del sistema de acogida a través del programaOpportunity Passport, y liderando a sus apasionados colegas para informar y movilizar a una red diversa y amplia de partes interesadas, al tiempo que luchaba contra los recortes federales a Medicaid y al Programa de Asistencia Nutricional Suplementaria (SNAP). Durante su mandato, el equipo de Children's Action Alliance continuó con su tradición de defender incansablemente a los niños en el Capitolio estatal, creó elprograma de liderazgo ydefensa de los padresChangemakers, recaudó la mayor cantidad de fondos de donantes individuales y del evento anual de premios al liderazgo desde 2020, y lanzó la mayor cohorte de Opportunity Passport desde antes de la pandemia.

«La profunda experiencia en liderazgo ejecutivo y política de January ha sido de gran importancia para nuestra organización, y su genuina dedicación a los niños y las familias de Arizona ha fortalecido verdaderamente la capacidad de Children's Action Alliance para cumplir nuestra misión», afirmó David Higuera, presidente de la junta directiva de Children's Action Alliance. «Aunque echaremos de menos el liderazgo de January, le agradecemos la forma en que ha fortalecido nuestra infraestructura, nuestra labor de defensa y nuestro compromiso con la comunidad sobre el terreno. Sobre todo, ha reunido un equipo de personal apasionado y experto que llevará a cabo esta importante misión en el futuro».

La Junta Directiva de Children's Action Alliance está llevando a cabo una búsqueda exhaustiva para encontrar un nuevo director ejecutivo. Esta búsqueda estará dirigida por The Duffy Group. Aunque January espera con interés explorar nuevos proyectos e intereses profesionales, sigue plenamente comprometida con el apoyo a la labor de CAA, impulsada por su misión, hasta que se pase el testigo a un nuevo líder. Seguirá desempeñando su cargo con el mismo nivel de compromiso hasta el 5 de junio para facilitar una transición fluida y reflexiva.

Para obtener más información o para solicitar el puesto de director ejecutivo, póngase en contacto con The Duffy Group:

Colleen Neese
Directora de prácticas, organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro
602-802-8329
cneese@duffygroup.com

Beth Christensen
Reclutadora ejecutiva
602-612-5586
bchristensen@duffygroup.com

Children's Action Alliance está profundamente comprometida con su misión de promover un Arizona en el que todos los niños y familias puedan prosperar.

Juntos por el futuro de Arizona: una reflexión de fin de año

Al cerrar un año lleno de retos en materia de defensa de causas, nos sentimos llenos de esperanza y gratitud. Este año hemos tenido la oportunidad de conectar, aprender y compartir en todo Arizona, al tiempo que nos hemos reunido con increíbles líderes comunitarios, defensores y responsables políticos.

Desde reuniones comunitarias sobre el cuidado familiar y el cuidado infantil, hasta la gira State of Kids Roadshow y el foro Families First Forum, pasando por seminarios web sobre los recortes de fondos federales, lo que se mantuvo constante en todos nuestros esfuerzos y conexiones fue el compromiso y la pasión que siguen teniendo los arizonenses por apoyar a los niños y las familias.

Agradecemos sinceramente a nuestros increíbles socios comunitarios, patrocinadores y a cada persona que sigue apoyando nuestro trabajo. Para nosotros es muy importante poder realizar esta labor juntos.

Juntos, continuaremos construyendo un Arizona donde todos los niños y las familias prosperen.

Esperamos que el año que viene te traiga momentos de descanso, alegría y esperanza.

Champions for Children Awards Luncheon 2025

The Champions for Children Awards Luncheon is the annual fundraising event for Children’s Action Alliance (CAA). This annual gathering brings together leaders, advocates, and community members who share a deep commitment to ensuring every child in Arizona has the opportunity to thrive.

Each year, we honor individuals and organizations whose advocacy has made and continues to make a lasting impact in the lives of children and families. It’s an inspiring afternoon of connection, celebration, and purpose, marking our most important fundraiser of the year.

What to Expect

When: Thursday, October 9, 2025, from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM

Where: The Parsons Leadership Center for Girls and Women at Camp South Mountain
1611 E Dobbins Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85042

Event Highlights

Honoree Awards: Celebrate this year’s Champions for Children, leaders in our community who believe that every child matters as they challenge narratives and create opportunities for Arizona’s children and families

Live Performances: Each year, we feature a local youth performance that embodies the spirit of passion and joy that inspires our work

Lunch and Community Gathering: Enjoy a shared meal with the opportunity to connect with fellow advocates, policymakers, and supporters of children’s rights

Year in Review and Mission Spotlight:  Learn more about our policy wins and our tireless defense, coalition efforts, and community partnerships that defined CAA’s impact this year

Introducing the 2025 Champions for Children honorees

Honorable Mary Rose Wilcox, Lifetime Achievement Award 

Governor Stephen Roe Lewis, Jacque Steiner Public Leadership Award

The Vitalyst Health Foundation, Organizational Leader Award

Our 2025 Outstanding Leader Awardees

Ticket Options

  • Individual Ticket: $100
    Includes full luncheon program and lunch

  • Pair of Tickets: $150
    Full program and lunch with an extra ticket to bring a guest and experience the event together

  • AZ Guardian Donor Ticket: $250
    Includes one ticket, lunch, and recognition as a sustaining supporter of CAA’s mission. Donors at this level will be acknowledged as part of our AZ Guardian Donor Circle

Nuestro impacto

CAA works as an independent voice to advocate for policy changes that protect the well-being of every child in Arizona. From defending Medicaid and SNAP to expanding access to early childhood education, our work creates lasting change for families.

Your support at the Champions for Children Luncheon helps fund:

  • Legislative advocacy for children’s health, safety, and education

  • Data-driven policy research and community-informed solutions

  • Public policy campaigns that inform, mobilize, and empower families

  • Coalition building across political, regional, and cultural lines

Together, we are prioritizing kids to create an Arizona where all children and families can thrive.

Participa

Whether you become a sponsor, purchase a ticket, or donate to our organization, your participation supports the work ahead. Sponsorship opportunities are available at multiple levels, offering visibility, impact, and meaningful engagement with our local and national partners.

To learn more about how you or your organization can get involved, please contact us at caa@azchildren.org

Be part of an afternoon that moves beyond celebration and prepares us to continue the work for real change for Arizona’s children and families.

Registration is now closed. 

Celebrating Arizona, Preparing for Its Future: Join Our Policy Briefing

Today, as we celebrate Arizona’s Statehood Day, we’re reminded of the decisions and policies that have shaped our communities over the past years—and the critical role we all play in shaping the path ahead. 

Please join Children's Action Alliance for a webinar briefing on state and federal policy. With proposals at both the state and federal level that can greatly affect Arizona’s families, communities, and economy, it is important to stay informed and engaged. 

Join us to learn the latest about state legislation and federal proposals impacting children and families, including AHCCCS/Medicaid, SNAP, and more. 

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM (MST)

Virtual Webinar

RSVP

Building the Future Together: Meet Our New Team Members!

We are thrilled to announce our newest team members: Jennifer J. Burns, Lori Goodspeed, and Nathan von Gnechten. 

Jennifer serves Children’s Action Alliance as our Director of Government Relations and Health Policy. Jennifer drives the health policy agenda and also provides leadership in our work with policymakers.

Lori joins Children’s Action Alliance as our new Youth and Family Advocacy Coordinator. In this role, Lori works to strengthen youth and family engagement, including kinship caregivers and youth who’ve experienced the foster care system.

Nathan serves as an Economic Policy Analyst at the Arizona Center for Economic Progress. In this role, Nathan provides research and analysis to advance budget and policy decisions that support the well-being of communities across Arizona.

We are excited to welcome these new team members to help carry out our mission to the children, families, and people of Arizona.

The 2025 Legislative Session

As we kick off 2025 and a new legislative session, it’s the perfect time to think about the kind of Arizona we all want – one where children and their families can keep a roof over their head, can stay well or get well through health insurance, have enough to eat, are safe, and have access to a strong education starting with affordable child care and early learning. What we know is the ability of families to meet these needs for children isn’t just essential to them, it’s essential to the future of Arizona. We can build that Arizona.

Today is opening day at the Arizona State Legislature as well as the State of the State address by Governor Hobbs. Many legislative bills are already filed, and both executive and legislative budget proposals will soon be unveiled. For 37 years, Children’s Action Alliance has been a staunch advocate and watchdog for children at the State Capitol. We enter 2025 with this same commitment. We will keep you informed of our policy priorities and of policy and budget proposals that hurt or help children and families. We hope your commitment is to make your voice heard alongside us.

Together, we can bring change that supports the safety and success of children in Arizona.

Click here to view a snapshot of our 2025 Legislative Agenda.

Our 2025 Legislative Priorities

Children’s Action Alliance (CAA) is committed to making Arizona a state where all children and families thrive.

Our 2025 Legislative Agenda focuses on:

  • Health Care: Protect access to AHCCCS and KidsCare and preventative health services
  • Child Care: Growing access to affordable, high-quality child care and early learning
  • Family Supports: Economic supports to prevent family crisis
  • Foster Care: Less children in congregate care and more support for youth transitioning out of foster care and for kinship caregivers who step in to provide care for children when they need it most

Click here to learn more about CAA's priorities to create an Arizona where all children and families thrive.

Families First Forum: Uniting for Arizona's Families

The Inaugural Families First Forum is in the books! Children’s Action Alliance and the Arizona Center for Economic Progress joined forces with Wildfire and the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers to host the Families First Forum on November 14th at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix.

The forum brought together many amazing Arizona leaders from various policy and service delivery areas to learn about one another’s issues and priorities so we can champion solutions for children and families together. This is especially necessary as we prepare to defend essential services that make a difference for struggling Arizonans.

We were honored to have Bryan Samuels, the Executive Director of Chapin Hall, join us as our keynote speaker. Bryan shared data that makes it clear that keeping families out of economic crisis helps keep families out of the foster care system.

Throughout the day, we built on themes of data, lived experience, and listening to one another to learn how our work is connected, in part because we all share a commitment to serving the same Arizonans.

Thanks to all who attended the Families First Forum as we work towards stronger coalition work.

And thank you to the Arizona leaders who joined us as speakers:

  • Adriana Garcia Maximiliano, To the Max Strategies LLC
  • April Bradham, Arizona Food Bank Network
  • Athyna Rock, Northern Arizona Council of Governments Head Start
  • Chris Gilfillan, Living United for Change in Arizona
  • Claire Louge, Prevent Child Abuse Arizona
  • David Gonzalez, Southwest Human Development Head Start
  • David Higuera, Children’s Action Alliance Board of Directors
  • Dulce Quevedo, AZ Head Start Association Parent Advocacy
  • Geraldine Miranda, Arizona Center for Economic Progress
  • Jacob Holley, Fostering Advocates Arizona
  • January Contreras, Children’s Action Alliance
  • Jessica Yanow, Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers
  • Joseph Palomino, Arizona Center for Economic Progress
  • Kelly McGowan, Wildfire
  • Lisa Florian, United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona
  • Lupe Reynoso Jimenez, Aliento
  • Matt Jewett, Children’s Action Alliance
  • Mike Renaud, Valle Del Sol
  • Teniqua Broughton, The State of Black Arizona

Thanks also to our sponsors:

  • Latinas in Philanthropy and Service
  • Child Abuse Prevention Arizona

We have a lot of work to get done together and our partnerships matter more than ever. Our great thanks to everyone who made the forum happen. We will continue to build on this foundation to collectively drive a policy agenda that supports children and families in Arizona.

Thank You - Champions For Children 2024

We are so thankful to everyone who helped make the 2024 Champions for Children Luncheon a remarkable success. Whether you attended, sponsored, donated, or supported us, your contribution makes a difference!

To those who attended, thank you for your presence and dedication to supporting our work to strengthen Arizona for children and families.

Congratulations again to our 2024 Champions! We are honored to celebrate their commitment to service and the significant impact their leadership has had on the lives of Arizona children and families.

Our sincere gratitude to our incredible sponsors. Their support is foundational to this gathering and to our ability to carry out our mission.

And a special thanks to Los Mariachi Tigres de Tolleson for kicking off our event! These elementary school students represented Arizona at the White House earlier this year and we couldn’t be prouder of their dedication and talent. Thanks also to the amazing Linda Wiliams, longtime Arizona anchor, for bringing heart to the stage as emcee of our event.

As we close out our successful 2024 Champions for Children annual event, we are grateful and inspired for the future. If you were unable to join us, we hope to see you at our upcoming future events! Together, we can continue to create an Arizona where all children and families can thrive.