Board of Directors

Board Overview

Since 1967, county officials from across the state and representing every elected county office have volunteered to serve on the governing body of the Arizona Association of Counties (AACo). Directors are selected by their peers to hold one of three types of positions on the Board of Directors.

First, the officers of the association are elected at large by the membership of the association at its annual conference to one-year terms. Typically, officers progress through the chairs of the officer posts until becoming President of the association and eventually Immediate Past President.

Second, the elected county officials from each of Arizona's 15 counties elect one county elected official to serve as their geographic county representative to the board. County representatives serve a two-year term of office (odd then even).

Finally, each county elected officeholder from across the state meets frequently with their peers from other Arizona counties. We call these informal and formal associations of county officer groups "affiliates". Each year, the affiliates identify a representative of their peer group, who represents that county elected office on the AACo Board for a two-year term (even then odd).

2023 Executive Officers

  • The Honorable Sarah Benatar, Coconino County Treasurer  - President
  • The Honorable David Clouse, Navajo County Sheriff  - First Vice President
  • The Honorable Dustin Williams, Pima County School Superintendent  - Second Vice President
  • The Honorable Kent Volkmer, Pinal County Attorney - Third Vice President
  • The Honorable Michael McCord, Pinal County Treasurer - Immediate Past President

2023 Directors

County Representatives

  • Apache- The Honorable Jay Yellowhorse, Justice of the Peace
  • Cochise- The Honorable Cathy Traywick, Treasurer
  • Coconino- The Honorable Cheryl Mango-Paget, School Superintendent
  • Gila- The Honorable Roy Sandoval, School Superintendent
  • Graham- The Honorable Heidi Torrio, Clerk of the Superior Court
  • Greenlee- The Honorable Diane Berube, Treasurer
  • La Paz- The Honorable Richard Garcia, Recorder
  • Maricopa- The Honorable Steve Watson, School Superintendent
  • Mohave- The Honorable Jeanne Kentch, Assessor
  • Navajo- The Honorable Brad Carlyon, Attorney
  • Pima- The Honorable Suzanne Droubie, Assessor
  • Pinal- The Honorable Dana Lewis, Recorder
  • Santa Cruz- The Honorable Manny Ruiz, Supervisor
  • Yavapai- The Honorable Donna McQuality, Superior Court Clerk
  • Yuma- The Honorable Angela Moreno, Treasurer

Affiliate Representatives

  • Assessors- The Honorable Judd Simmons, Yavapai County
  • Attorneys-The Honorable Jon Smith, Yuma County 
  • Clerks of the Superior Court- Valerie Wyant, Coconino County
  • Constables- The Honorable Melissa Wirthlin, Cochise County 
  • Justices of the Peace- The Honorable Michele Reagan, Maricopa County
  • Recorders- The Honorable Stephen Richer, Maricopa County
  • School Superintendents- Jacqui Clay, Cochise County
  • Sheriffs- The Honorable David Rhodes, Yavapai County
  • Supervisors- The Honorable Jason Whiting, Navajo County
  • Treasurers - The Honorable Kari Lopez, Navajo County

National Association of Counties (NACo) Board Representative

  • The Honorable Brad Carlyon, Navajo County Attorney