The Board of Directors is a diverse, broad based, bi-partisan group of business, community, and academic leaders who share the Institute’s vision during the 21st Century.

 Jim Mapstead   Board Chair

Jim Mapstead is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience, currently leading a successful manufacturing firm. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a deep commitment to community and business development, having served on several influential boards in the Valley. His leadership roles include Chairing Local First Arizona, Vice Chair of Small Business for Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, and the Sunnyslope Village Alliance, as well as serving on the City of Phoenix Planning Commission. Jim has also run for Phoenix City Council, further emphasizing his dedication to the region’s growth and progress.

Lucia Howard, JD (D)  Vice Chair

Lucia Fakonas Howard has been an attorney in Arizona for over 40 years, first as a partner at the firm of Meyer Hendricks Osborn and Maledon (now Osborn Maledon), and then as a principal of Fakonas Howard, Ltd. Lucia holds a BA from Arizona State University and a JD from Harvard Law School. She is currently retired from the practice of law, but remains active in several real estate development projects. She is the past president of the O’Connor Institute (OCI), founded by retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra O’Connor, co-chaired the social justice programs at OCI for six years, and currently serves on its Advisory Council. Lucia has been involved in numerous civic boards and commissions, including as co-founder and the first president of the Arizona Women’s Law Association, chair of the Arizona Commission on Salaries for Judges and Elected Officials, chair of the Legislative Committee on Child Trafficking for the City of Phoenix, president of Charter 100, co-founder of the Greater Arizona Economic Council (GPEC) and Mayor’s liaison to the Phoenix Economic Development Department. Lucia is active in Arizona and national politics and has been involved in a number of campaigns for candidates as well as issue initiatives. She has served as an advisor to elected officials at the city and state levels on issues ranging from economic development to women’s rights. Lucia loves Arizona and commits her time and effort to projects that protect the rights of and improve the quality of life for all Arizonans.

Stephen Stein, MD  Secretary

Stephen Stein is a retired orthopedic surgeon who practiced orthopaedic surgery in Phoenix for 30 years. He served as Chief of Staff of Good Samaritan Hospital, Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona, and as Director of Pediatric Orthopedic Education, Phoenix. Along with his teaching activities, he took orthopaedic residents on clinics throughout the Navajo reservation during his time in practice. In addition, he was appointed to the Medical Board of Arizona where physicians’ patient care and conduct was monitored. He served as a medical officer in the US Army for four years during the Vietnam War.

Jason Moore (D) Treasurer

Jason Moore has more than 20 years experience developing, managing and directing non-profit organizations and school-based youth programs. He currently serves as Vice-President of Finance & Operations with the Children’s Action Alliance where he manages fiscal, HR and office management functions as well as providing the president and board leadership with financial analysis to maximize the organization’s impact, progress towards strategic goals, and mission.

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Ellen Bilbrey (D) Board Member

Ellen Bilbrey is a seasoned marketing and public relations professional with over three decades of experience in shaping and communicating brand narratives across various sectors. Her career is marked by significant leadership roles and a commitment to enhancing public engagement and awareness for both private and public entities.

Ellen is a co-owner and Director of Marketing at Daylight America, where she plays a pivotal role in promoting one of the most innovative national skylight companies.  In her capacity as the Public Information Officer for the Arizona State Parks system she was responsible for media and promotions for 30 parks, the State Trails system and the State Historic Preservation Office for 20 years. The goal was to increase visibility and appreciation of Arizona’s most precious natural and historical resources.  Ellen served as the President of the Phoenix Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and won state-wide awards for creative marketing programs. She has an International-level Accreditation with the Public Relations Society of America.

With demonstrated expertise in media relations, public relations consulting, and strategic communications, Bilbrey has been showcasing her clients’ achievements and initiatives through a multitude of social and media channels.  Ellen has also facilitated important legislative processes, including supporting two “Safe2Tell” bills, and has effectively utilized sponsorships and fundraising to support nonprofit organizations.

Tom Chapman (I)  Board Member

Tom Chapman is a community leader who believes that civic involvement in historic preservation and the arts is critical to Arizona’s economic development. He Chairs the Phoenix Heritage Commission and serves as Vice Chair of the Historic Preservation Commission. He is Secretary of the Arizona Citizens Action Committee for the Arts and is a member of Arizona’s Centennial Commission.

George Cunningham (D)     Chair Emeritus

George Cunningham is a former member of both the Arizona Senate and House of Representatives. He was Governor Rose Mofford’s Chief of Staff and Governor Janet Napolitano’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Finance and Budget. At the University of Arizona, he served as Vice President for Administrative Services. Throughout his career, he focused on fiscal policy, economic expansion and investing in Arizona’s future.

George was recognized by his legislative colleagues and businesses, labor, and community leaders as an effective and knowledgeable legislator who worked to build bipartisan coalitions. George is a Co-Founder of the Grand Canyon Institute and has been a driving force for elevating the fiscal and economic implications of policy initiatives and decisions for the benefit of policymakers, the media, and the general public.

Rick DeGraw (D)     Past Chair

Rick DeGraw served as Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer of CopperPoint Mutual Insurance Company for 10 years until his retirement in April 2016. Previous responsibility included a $400 million commercial mortgage portfolio. Four Vice Presidents reported to him for combined annual operating budgets of $56 million. Rick’s current community board service includes: American Heart Association, Go Red for Women, Arizona Fallen Firefighters Memorial, and Board Developer Foundation. He has also received numerous awards recognizing his commitment to community service.

Paul Johnson (I)  Board Member

Paul Johnson is best known for his time in politics. Paul served on the Phoenix City Council from 1985-1990, and was the Phoenix Mayor from 1990-1994. He was highlighted in the New York Times, Forbes Magazine, Healthstyles Magazine and People Magazine, and his administration received the Bertelsmann Award as the “Best Run City in the World.” He has chaired several Presidential Campaigns, was a featured speaker at the Democratic National Convention in 1992, and is a leader in the fast growing Independent Movement. He is a vocal and respected advocate for ending partisanship in politics in Arizona and America.

Paul currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Arrowhead Health Centers and is co-founder and leader of Redirect Health. He has also founded several multi-million-dollar companies and has large real-estate holdings. Those companies currently include Southwest Next LLC, a counter-cyclical real- estate company buying commercial product, apartments, and land in a down market, and Old World Communities LLC a land development company in the Phoenix market. His companies also enjoy the strategic competitive advantages of the 3DirectTM system.

Paul also serves on the Board of Directors of John C. Lincoln Hospital Foundation, Chairman of the City of Phoenix Bond Commission, and on the Executive Committee of the “Greater Phoenix Economic Commission” the leader in the Greater Phoenix areas economic development. Paul was a History major at ASU, has a MSBA in Business Management from University of Phoenix, and was a part of the executive program at Kennedy School at Harvard University.

Mark Stegeman, Ph.D.  (D) Board Member

Mark Stegeman owns apartments in Tucson, has a Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and teaches at the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona. He represents Eller in the Faculty Senate and serves as its Parliamentarian.

He has played an active role in the administration and reform of General Education, through several university committees, including the development of a new Civics curriculum. In 2024, he served on the Regents-appointed search committee for the next UA President.

Mark was elected three times to the Governing Board of the Tucson Unified School District, serving four times as Board President. He has consistently advocated for higher educational standards, greater administrative efficiency, and higher and more flexible teacher salaries, on scales that recognize specialized expertise and merit.

Susan Tierney (D)  Board Member

Susan Tierney is a retired bilingual mathematics teacher from the Phoenix Union High School District. A former Peace Corps Volunteer (Venezuela 1967-69), she taught algebra to high school freshmen for 25 years, with time out to raise two sons. She has a B.S. Degree in Economics from the University of Illinois and a M.A. Degree in Higher Education (with a Bilingual Certificate) from ASU. Since retiring in 2008, she has been active in St. Francis Catholic Church. She is a member of the CORE Team for Valley Interfaith Project (“VIP”). That organization is involved in (a) lobbying the State Legislature for Criminal Justice Reform, (b) attending to migrant and asylees needs in the Valley, and (c) Career Pathways, which involves the selection of 250 students under a Million Dollar Grant that provides for tuition, books, and job counseling as they obtain a Community College AA Degree.

Board Members in Memoriam

Carolyn Allen (R)

Carolyn Allen was a distinguished former state senator who was an independent voice, such as when she was the only Senate Republican who voted against SB1070.  Carolyn was on the board from the origin of GCI. She served as Vice Chair until she had to resign due to health issues.

Jack L. August, Jr., Ph.D. (D)

Jack August was instrumental in helping launch GCI. He may have been Arizona’s most distinguished historian and author of numerous books and articles on the history of the New American West and biographies.

Jeff Chapman, Ph.D. (D)

Jeff Chapman was a Foundation Professor at Arizona State University.  He held a Ph.D. in economics and taught economics, urban economics, public finance, and policy courses at both the Ph.D. and Master’s level.  Jeff wrote four books and has been published in several journals.  His research focused on state and local public finance, as well as tax limitations and state and local fiscal sustainability.

Bill Konopnicki (R)

Bill Konopnicki of Safford, who owned and operated McDonalds franchises, served in the state house for 8 years, frequently worked with colleagues from both parties with a special interest in criminal justice reform and education.