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Emerge Arizona Board of Directors 2010

Angie Crouse

Angie is a political researcher and author. Her first published book is “The Blue Pages, Second Edition.” She was also the researcher for "The Raw Deal: How the Bush Republicans Plan to Destroy Social Security and the Legacy of the New Deal" by Joe Conason. She also spent two years doing research for "The Great Divide" by John Sperling, Samuel George, et. al.

Christina Martinez-Romero

Christina Martinez-Romero is a contract lobbyist and corporate advocate who has, after 9 years in the field, recently gone out on her own and represents several state-wide issues before the Arizona Legislature. Additionally, Christina works for the Cesar Chavez La Campesina Radio Network working to enhance Latino voter registration and participation.

Dana Kennedy, Co-founder

Dana Marie Kennedy has been a leading advocate for working families, retirees, and women for over 20 years, proudly and professionally acting as their voice at the local, state, and national level.

Debra Boehlke, Vice Chair

Debra is currently working on Attorney General Terry Goddard’s staff as an Education Specialist in the Crime, Fraud and Victim Resource Center. She has been with the Attorney General for three years and has traveled all over the state of Arizona.

Devin Rankin

As a native Arizonan raised in Casa Grande, Devin has spent her career investing in her state and moving Arizona forward.

Before she became professionally involved in politics, Devin graduated from Arizona State University West with a degree in biology. Her peers elected her student body president and she worked closely with the Arizona Board of Regents, becoming one of the top three finalists for the position of student regent.

Eddie Sissons, Treasurer

Eddie Sissons serves as the first Executive Director of the Arizona Foundation for Behavioral Health that funds innovative services to individuals with behavioral health needs. She has launched the Foundation’s educational lecture series and an advocacy training institute producing over 60 trained advocates.

Katie Hobbs

As a social worker in Phoenix, Katie Hobbs has been with Sojourner Center, the largest domestic violence shelter in the country for ten years. As Director of Government Relations, Katie is involved in several community-wide domestic violence and homeless coordination efforts. She also works to engage survivors of domestic violence in the legislative and electoral process.

Kelly Paisley, Chair

Kelly Paisley worked to elect President Obama as the State Director for the Obama for America campaign in Arizona. She has served in state government as the Director of Efficiency Review for Governor Napolitano and the Director of Community Relations for the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

Krista Pacion

Krista Pacion heads up a consulting business dealing with traditional documentation, social media, and websites. In this capacity, Krista provides training in social media and helps candidates maintain website updates.

Maureen Cotner

Maureen has lived in Arizona for the past 22 years. She relocated to open a new customer service center for Discover Credit Card. She loved Arizona and decided to stay awhile.  After a 30-year career in the credit card business, Maureen retired and immediately began volunteering for political activities.

Tawanda Johnson-Gray

Tawanda is a Chicago native who moved to Arizona in January of 2004, after her husband was relocated with his employment.  After a short lived relocation of her family to Kansas City, MO in 2007, her family moved back to Maricopa, AZ in 2008.  Tawanda loves living in the State of Arizona.  Shortly after returning, Tawanda suffered her fourth stroke within a two year span.  The fourth stroke was the first diagnosis.  Tawanda immediately began her journey as an advocate with the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association for the people of Arizona.

Valerie J. Walker

Valerie J. Walker is a native Arizonan who recently returned to Phoenix after living in six cities on three continents. While working for a major airline, she represented 26,000 workers, and managed improvements in the areas of health, safety, and security.

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