The Center for the Future of Arizona Chairman and CEO Dr. Lattie Coor today announced the appointment of Darcy Renfro as the inaugural director of The Arizona We Want Institute.
Renfro will be responsible for strategic direction and management of the recently created Institute and its statewide effort to reconnect Arizona citizens with leaders in all sectors who actively support taking clear, positive steps to move Arizona forward. Based on the Gallup Arizona Poll, The Arizona We Want 2.0: The Case for Actionidentifies eight citizen goals and proposes action steps for how Arizonans can achieve them.
“We are pleased to have Darcy join us in this important leadership position,” Coor said. “She brings energy, passion and a commitment to a better Arizona which, coupled with her broad experience in the public and private sector, will enable her to lead our statewide initiative to engage Arizonans in our quest for achieving the Arizona citizens want.”
Renfro brings more than 20 years of experience to The Arizona We Want Institute having operated at the highest levels of government, business, philanthropy and community. Most recently she served as director of the Arizona STEM Network, Science Foundation Arizona where she launched a statewide effort dedicated to improving access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. Among her accomplishments, she managed more than $40 million in grant programs and raised more than $16 million in funds impacting 385,000 students and more than 10,000 teachers.
In addition, she currently serves as one of seven national higher education experts chosen by the Lumina Foundation to advise states, including Arizona, on implementing a nationwide initiative to produce more degrees and provide students with more degree choices at lower cost through innovative institutional models. During her career, she also served as lead policy advisor to Governor Janet Napolitano as chair of the National Governors Association Innovation America initiative focused on Arizona’s current and future economic vitality.
“There is nothing more important to Arizona’s strength than a healthy, productive and competitive citizenry,” Renfro, a Tucson native, said. “The Arizona We Want Institute is critical in providing leadership and voice to the issues most important to the people of our state. I am honored to be the inaugural director for this effort.”
Renfro holds a doctor of jurisprudence degree and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Arizona. She will officially become director of The Arizona We Want Institute on
March 3, 2014.
For additional information about The Arizona We Want Institute, visit www.TheArizonaWeWant.org.