About Us

About

The Governor's Office of Youth, Faith and Family (GOYFF) is a cabinet level agency that administers state and federal grant programs and engages stakeholders across all sectors throughout the state to improve services and service delivery to our citizens. Through a trauma-informed lens, GOYFF develops programs, coalitions, strategies, and initiatives to support Governor Doug Ducey's priorities related to substance abuse, human trafficking, sexual & domestic violence, child well-being, and juvenile justice. GOYFF also serves as the Governor’s faith-based office and administers the state’s AmeriCorps program. As part of our work, GOYFF staffs and convenes eight of the Governor’s councils and commissions.

1) The Arizona Substance Abuse Partnership

2) The Arizona Human Trafficking Council

3) The Arizona Juvenile Justice Commission

4) The Commission to Prevent Violence Against Women

5) The Arizona Parents Commission on Drug Education and Prevention

6) The Governor's Youth Commission

7) The Council on Child Safety and Family Empowerment

8) The Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism

Vision

Strengthen the health and safety of Arizona's communities through collaboration and capacity building across the state.

Mission

Develop and implement programs, strategies, and initiatives to strengthen the continuum of services in communities through partnerships with community, faith, private, public, and tribal partners.

Director Maria Cristina Fuentes

Maria Cristina Fuentes was appointed as Director of the Governor's Office of Youth, Faith and Family (GOYFF) by Governor Doug Ducey in November 2017.

Previous to Ms. Fuentes' appointment, she served six years in the Administration of President George W. Bush in the U.S. Departments of Labor and Justice. Fuentes also served in the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, working to help states across the country develop and establish their own faith-based initiatives.

After her time in Washington D.C., Fuentes worked at Casey Family Programs, where she furthered the foundation’s mission to safely reduce the number of children in foster care and improve well-being outcomes of children and families.

To request to have Director Maria Cristina Fuentes to speak at your event click here.

Executive Summary

The Governor's Office of Youth, Faith and Family's Strategic Plan reflects goals to be accomplished in five key areas:

Goal 1: Integrate continuous quality improvement into agency operations.

Goal 2: Optimize grant management through standardization of protocols and processes.

Goal 3: Strengthen relationships and programs with key stakeholders including state agencies, local governments, Tribal Nations and communities, faith and community-based organizations, philanthropy, and other service providers.

Goal 4: Enhance GOYFF staff productivity and service delivery through shared accountability

Goal 5: Transform Arizona’s agencies and partners into a trauma-informed and family-focused service delivery system.

Tribal Consultation Policy

Pursuant to A.R.S. 41-2051, each state agency shall develop and implement tribal consultation policies to guide the agency's work and interaction with the tribal nations of this state. This policy establishes basic principles for the business relationship between the Governor's Office of Youth, Faith and Family (GOYFF) and the Tribal Governments in the State of Arizona.

GOYFF Tribal Consultation Policy

Volunteer Grant Reviewer Application

The Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family is seeking applicants who want to serve as volunteer grant reviewers on our behalf. Grant reviewers are responsible for providing constructive feedback and assessment on current and future grant applications submitted to this office. This opportunity provides individuals with invaluable experience in the grant writing process that can be utilized in a wide variety of fields in both the private and public sector. Ultimately, successful applicants will have the chance to help bring resources to the state to enrich the lives of everyday Arizonans.

If interested, please fill out the application

Contact Information & Staff Listing

Maria Cristina Fuentes

Director, Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family
602-542-4043

Tonya Hamilton

Deputy Director for Grant Management
thamilton@az.gov
602-542-1760

Malcolm Hightower

Deputy Director for Community Engagement
mhightower@az.gov
602-542-3426

Kristin Sorensen

Director of Communications
kasorensen@az.gov
602-542-1324

Alexandra O'Hannon

Program Administrator
aohannon@az.gov
602 542-5483

Annette McGuern Brada

Executive Assistant
amcguern@az.gov
602-542-1773

Emily P. Litchfield

Director of AmeriCorps/Service & Volunteerism
elitchfield@az.gov
602-542-1733

Gaelyn Davis

Executive Assistant
gdavis@az.gov
602-542-3463

Nikki Green

Director of Youth and Community Initiatives
ngreen@az.gov
602-542-1747

Randy George

AmeriCorps Training Specialist
rgeorge@az.gov
602-364-2678

Samuel Burba

Director of Substance Abuse Initiatives
sburba@az.gov
602-542-6004

Stephanie Di Verde

Human Trafficking Prevention AmeriCorps VISTA
sdiverde@az.gov
602-542-2002

Susan Alameda

Partnership for Success Project Director &
Substance Abuse Initiatives Manager
salameda@az.gov
602-364-2679

Alfreda Moore

Program Administrator
amoore@az.gov
602-364-0501

Cecilia Fernandez

Program Administrator
cfernandez@az.gov
602-542-1714

Emily Uline-Olmstead

Program Administrator
euolmstead@az.gov
602-542-2391

Leona Morales

Program Administrator
lmorales@az.gov
602-542-1705

Olivia Christiani

Social Media Specialist AmeriCorps VISTA
ochristiani@az.gov
602-364-2680

Rebecca Chesley

Program Administrator
rchesley@az.gov
602-542-3495

Sonya Pierce-Johnson

Program Administrator
spjohnson@az.gov
602-542-3496

Steve Selover

Program Administrator
sselover@az.gov
602-542-2393

Terrilyn Miller

Director of Faith and Community Initiatives
tmiller@az.gov
602-542-1798