Ari Montes, MPA

Ari Montes was born in Tucson, and is passionate about building community and loves all things local. Her commitment to connecting with others extends beyond her work in Institutional Policy & Projects. Ari spent a decade with Esperanza Dance Project, a nonprofit that raises awareness of childhood sexual trauma through dance, including serving as Board Co-Chair. She currently serves on the board of Art State Arizona, supporting Arizona’s arts and creative communities. She was nationally recognized as a recipient of FosterClub’s Outstanding Young Leader award for her leadership and advocacy. She recently completed an eight-month fellowship with All in Education, where she learned about Arizona’s education system alongside emerging leaders from across the state. She’s excited for the most recent opportunity at building community as part of the next Lead Tucson cohort through Greater Tucson Leadership.

As a proud first-generation college graduate, Ari earned both her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and her Master of Public Administration from the University of Arizona. She enjoys working on policies, collaborating across campus, and helping manage university-wide initiatives. Outside of work, Ari likes to read, support local businesses, hunt down Tucson’s newest coffee shop, or spend time with her dog. She believes every city has a story worth discovering, and every person has one worth listening to.