​2022 Arizona Women Leading Government 

President: Brandi Flores, Deputy Director City of Phoenix Water Services Department

Brandi Flores is a Deputy Director with the City of Phoenix where she leads the budget and accounting team in managing the Water Services Department’s $365 million operating budget. She has 15 years of experience in governmental finance and she is passionate about providing guidance for the responsible stewardship of public resources. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in global business from Arizona State University and a Master of Business Administration from Ottawa University both with an emphasis in finance. She is currently pursuing designation as a Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO). Brandi is actively engaged in industry associations that provide guidance in the area of governmental finance and leadership including the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), the Arizona State University School of Public Affairs Advisory Council, Arizona Women Leading Government (AZWLG), and the Women in Public Finance Network (WPFN).  Notable roles include serving as the 2021 President of GFOAz and 2021-2022 President of AZWLG.  In her free time, Brandi enjoys reading and camping with her husband and five beautiful children. 

Past President: Natalie Lewis, Deputy City Manager, City of Mesa ​

​Ms. Lewis has served in government-related leadership roles for 24+ years.  At the City of Mesa, she oversees six service-related departments in Mesa:  Development Services, Arts and Culture, Libraries, Community Services (Housing, Neighborhood Outreach, Diversity, Volunteers, Animal Control), Education and Workforce Development, and Code Compliance, which together includes 340+ employees and with combined budgets of approx. $45M.  She also leads high-priority initiatives in Mesa, including local and regional work to address homelessness within an inter-connected system of services and response; distribution and management of  federal funding during the pandemic for rent and utility assistance and homeless programs; and she was lead negotiator to sell 12,000 acres of Pinal County farm land, which has enabled Mesa to build a new Cubs Spring Training stadium/facility.  Ms. Lewis is the President for the Arizona City-County Management Association and is immediate past-president for Women Leading Government.  She resides in the Valley with her husband of 31 years and has two grown sons.  

Directors:

Andrea Alicoate, Diversity & Special Projects Manager, City of Mesa

Andrea Alicoate has been with the City of Mesa for 12+ years currently serving as part of the Executive Management leadership team.  She has extensive experience with community engagement and diversity related initiatives, specializing in project management and the administration of public programs. A strong believer in the power of collaboration, Andrea has a passion for developing platforms that empower staff, incorporates diverse perspectives, and listens to the community voice to elevate the greater organization. Andrea is part of ICMA’s Equity Officer Institute, an active member in the Local Government Hispanic Network and one of the founders of the Mesa Hispanic Network. She holds a BA from Arizona State University, an MPA from California State University Northridge, and more recently completed a certification program through Yale University. As an East Valley native, Andrea enjoys raising her son with her husband in the community she loves to serve. 

Erika Coombs, Senior Vice President, Piper Sandler & Co. ​

​Erika Coombs is a financial services expert who specializes in raising capital and presenting ideas and solutions to municipalities. She is a Senior Vice President at Piper Sandler & Co. and has been providing underwriting, financial advisory, placement agent and consulting services to school districts and municipal governments since 2004. She has been involved in over 80 elections for school districts in Arizona and managed more than 200 financings for clients. She is an identical twin, fifth generation Arizona native and her favorite person calls her “Mommy” or “Mama.” Making a difference in the community is important to Erika. She currently shares her time and talents with the following organizations: Arizona Women Leading Government, Ellevate Phoenix, GFOA Women Public Finance Network (WPFN), the Mountain Region Chapter of Women in Public Finance, National Federation of Municipal Analysts MARMOT Society, and Scottsdale Arts. She is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Phoenix, Valley Leadership Class 38 and Scottsdale Leadership Class 32. She has her Master’s from Arizona State University.

Kirsten Lennon, Financial Services Director, City of Cottonwood​

​Working for the City of Cottonwood for over 20 years in the Finance department doing everything from Accounts Payable and benefits to being the Finance Director I have had great support in my growth and development as a leader. During these years not only did I work and raise my four children but I also went back to college and earned a Bachelors in Business Administration. I joined the WLG board not only to network with other great women leaders in Government but to hopefully help emerging women leaders. We all need a good support system and tools to improve ourselves to be the best we can be! Being on the board gives me the opportunity to lift other women up and let them realize their full potential. 

Kristie Riester, CEO, KR Dynamic Solutions

Kristie founded KR Dynamic Solutions in 2018 because she's passionate about helping others succeed. Her drive is to inspire, educate, and motivate organizations and individuals to reach their goals. Prior to launching KR Dynamic Solutions, she spent over 20 years in public service working her way up from seasonal lifeguard to Director. In addition to being CEO of KR Dynamic Solutions, Kristie is serving as Executive Director for the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code and Utilities Customer Service Manager for the Town of Queen Creek. 
Kristie discovered her passion for public service would lead to a career while at the University of Arizona, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in
physiology. She also has a Master of Administration Degree with an emphasis in Public Management from Northern Arizona University. 

Kristie is actively involved with her State and National Associations, currently serving on the Arizona Women Leading Government Board and as Past President for the Arizona Parks and Recreation Association. She has had the privilege to be an educational presenter at the Arizona Parks and Recreation Association conference as well as the National Recreation and Parks Association conference and National Aquatics Management School. She has been a guest lecturer at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for the Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Tourism Administration program and spoke at the Arizona State University SPARK conference. She has presented at the Arizona Women Leading Government Conference and the Blooming Your Business Conference for entrepreneurs. She is passionate about public service and helping women achieve their career goals.  
Kristie is an avid reader and loves being in and around water. She lives in Maricopa, Arizona with her husband Troy and their daughter Jillian where you can find them enjoying a hot Arizona day in their backyard pool oasis.

Jessica Rothschild, Customer Service Administrator, City of Phoenix Police Department

Jessica joined the City of Phoenix Police Department in 2006 as a temporary employee in a newly created program section of the Code Enforcement Unit. She is an Idaho native and prior to joining the City of Phoenix she worked as a sheriff’s department patrol deputy in southern Idaho. 

During her 15 years of service with the City of Phoenix, Jessica has served in the police department and in the City Manager’s Office. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Northern Arizona University.
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Jessica is a current Arizona Women Leading Government board member and currently leads the Public Records and Services Unit, a large group made up of sworn and professional staff in the police department. When she is not consumed by a work project, she is likely working on a home DIY project or exploring the hiking trails on the mountains close to her home. ​

Kellee Salas, Intergovernmental Liaison, Maricopa County Department of Transportation

Kellee Salas currently serves as the Regional Intergovernmental Liaison for the Maricopa County Department of Transportation and is one of the founding Board members of Women Leading Government. With over 20 years of experience working in various levels and departments in public agencies across the valley, she’s dedicated to helping and encouraging women to seek positions in the public sector and retain them. To invest in professional growth is a profitable investment in yourself. It may very well be the best investment you will ever make. She believes the effort you put into consistently investing in yourself will play a significant role in determining the quality of your life now and in the future. 
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Active in the community for many years, Kellee has served as the vice-president of Desert Foothills Middle School’s PTO and is a member of  Arizona ICMA, Diversity Leadership Alliance, and Advancing Women in Transportation (WTS).
A sports enthusiast throughout her life, Kellee enjoys playing basketball and golf and spending time with her husband, Christopher, and their three beautiful children, Taelor, Jaedin, and Landin.

Michelle Woytenko, Field Operations Director, City of Glendale ​

Michelle Woytenko joined the City of Glendale in 2015 and serves as Director of Field Operations. In this role, she connects, strengthens, and builds trust between and among staff, citizens and adjacent communities focusing on the community experience. Michelle has over 30 years of public and private sector experience.
An avid supporter of staff development, Michelle created a program to mentor groups at a variety of professional levels.  
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Michelle received her Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees from the University of Alberta, and has professional experience in many countries bring a global perspective to local government.