Chris Young has been the Chief Deputy at the Santa Cruz County School Superintendent’s Office for six years.  He lives in Rio Rico, AZ with his beautiful wife Bianca Martinez and his wonderful, six-year-old twin daughters Emma and Maya.

Chris was born and raised in Windsor, Colorado and later played baseball at and graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a Bachelor’s Degree in History with a Minor in Coaching.  At the same time, he received an Emphasis in Secondary Education from UNC and become a certified teacher in the state of Colorado.

After a year of traveling the world and spending summers in Alaska, Chris wanted to start his teaching career and at the same time continue traveling. He accepted a job at Instituto Soria in Hermosillo, Sonora Mexico.  He would spend the next 13 years working for la Universidad del Noroeste and later the Universidad del Valle de Mexico in various administrative positions, including Academic Director of campus, High School Principal, and Dean of campus in different cities such as Hermosillo, Guadalajara and Nogales, Mexico.  La Universidad del Valle de Mexico is the largest private University in Mexico and part of Laureate International Universities which is the largest group of private universities in the world.   While living and working in Mexico, Chris obtained a Masters Degree in Education and a Masters Degree in Business Administration.

Chris’s biggest passion, aside from his family, is to work on projects that have a positive impact in the community.  Working at the Santa Cruz County School Superintendent’s Office with County School Superintendent Alfredo Velasquez gives Chris the opportunity to participate in projects that make a difference in our beautiful community.  Chris is also adjunct faculty at Pima Community College in the Business Department.

Daniel Arana is a Director with Fennemore Craig, P.C., where he focuses primarily on agribusiness, international trade and tax law, international transactions, and mergers and acquisitions. Most of his clients are companies in Mexico that open operations in the United States. Leveraging his vast experience as a business lawyer, he acts as a general counsel for these corporations, assisting them with business dealings, keeping them in compliance and partnering to ensure every legal aspect of their needs are met. The majority of these organizations are produce distributors and transportation companies looking for legal support for their U.S. distribution, as well as domestic companies looking to service Mexico and the United States.

A native of Nogales, Arizona, and the son of attorneys, Daniel studied business and accounting as an undergrad, but the lure to help people through studying the law prompted him to embark on his career as a business attorney. Along with his Juris Doctor degree, he also earned a certificate in international trade and business law. Fluent in Spanish, Daniel takes great pride in becoming an integral member of his clients’ teams, knowing their businesses, families and culture, and guiding them to success through what naturally becomes long-term relationships.

Outside of his work as an international business attorney, spending time with his wife and three kids recharges Daniel’s batteries, and he is also involved in his church and several local nonprofit organizations.

Manuel C. Coppola boasts nearly 25 years in community journalism, including 15 years as publisher of the Nogales International, an award-winning newspaper in his home town of Nogales, Ariz.

He graduated from Northern Arizona University with a BS in journalism and a minor in political science in 1985 when journos still typed out stories on IBM Selectrics. Technology has come a long way but he still sees the essence of local newspaper journalism unchanged, not only as the most credible source of information, but an important tool for building and binding communities.

His work has been on the Southern Arizona border region. He served as publisher at The Dispatch in Douglas, Ariz., and at the Sierra Vista Herald-Review, engaging in the coverage of hyperlocal news such as prep sports, city council, county government and Little League, but also more global issues as water and environment, international trade, bilingual education and human migration.

It’s what fuels Coppola’s passion for newspapers as well as his efforts to preserve the legacy of community journalism through traditional revenue sources as well as philanthropic channels to actively fight back the growing threat to American democracy – news deserts.

Coppola and his wife, Irene, live in a community north of Nogales and have six adult children, five grandchildren, with two more on the way. Coppola is active in the community through the Rotary Club and other endeavors. In 1968, his mother founded the Santa Cruz Training Programs for children and adults with disabilities. He is past board president and remains as a director.

Sabrina Hallman, CEO of Sierra Seed Company, has served on the Santa Cruz Community Foundation Board beginning in 2013.  Prior to joining Sierra Seed Company in 2007, Ms. Hallman spent 20 years as an educator and educational leader, providing consulting and advocacy services for families and school districts across Southern Arizona.

Sabrina has been an active Board member of the Seed Trade Association of Arizona.  Ms. Hallman also served on the Board of Fresh Produce Association for 11 years as an Associate Member and has been a member of The Zonta Club of Nogales since 2008.

Tom “TJ” Morgan is currently President/CEO/Owner of Citizen Auto Stage Co. and Gray Line Tours.  Tucson’s premier choice for group transportation and local tours since 1916, the company is 106 years family owned and operated!  Offering state of the art motorcoaches, plus minis and vans for charter.  The company also has a freight line, Citizen Express Line, and a schoolbus division, caring for the Nogales district for the last 50 years.  TJ is still a professional musician, performing twice monthly at the Canyon Ranch Resort and Spa. 

Married to Fernanda Astiazaran-Morgan, they are parents to two grown children, Tom III and Jae, as well as 7 year old Gabriel Amadeus Morgan-Astiazaran.  The family is bilingual and extremely active, skiing, horseback riding, traveling, practicing Taekwondo, singing in the Choir and many other activities.  Life is both full and rewarding for TJ, if a mite stressful!

Mayra L. Zuniga serves as Nogales Unified School District#1, Human Resources Director. In her role she provides leadership and initiatives that attract, develop and retain dedicated support staff, teachers and administrators who are committed to student learning and excellence in education.

Mayra is a proud native of Nogales and a product of Nogales Unified School District #1.  She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Personnel Management from Arizona State University (ASU) and began her HR career as an intern for the ASU-HR Department.  After graduation, she worked for U.S. Gypsum Company in California and then returned to Nogales to serve her community as HR Director for the City of Nogales for 16 years prior to joining NUSD. Throughout her career, she has earned the designations of Professional in Human Resource (PHR), and SHRM-Certified Professional (CP). She also obtained the Certified Public Manager (C.P.M.) through the School of Public Affairs at ASU.

Mayra cares deeply for her community and believes in service. She is a member of the Nogales Lions Club, Santa Cruz Community Foundation, Carondelet Holy Cross Board of Directors, Nogales High School Hall of Fame, and Catholic Daughters of the Americas.  She loves spending time with family and friends, and acknowledges that she could not do any of it without the support of her family especially her children and husband.