Members of the 2026 RLA Graduation Class
The Rotary Leadership Academy celebrated the graduation of 19 Rotarians during a special ceremony held Sept. 12 at Paradise Valley Community College.
Rotary Leadership Academy serves both Arizona Rotary districts – 5495 and 5500 – and “seeks to equip high-character, service-minded leaders for a lifelong journey of impact, and to empower them to elevate every interaction, team and community they touch.”
Past District Governor David Simmer serves as the RLA Dean.
The 2026 RLA graduating class:
Donald Bierman, Rotary Club of Scottsdale
Polly Cady, Gerald Paulus, Chad Reid and Pam Cohen, Rotary Club of Mesa West
Laura Dohner, Rotary Club of Kingman
Sally Downey, Rotary Club of Puerta Penasco
Lena Gamble, Rotary Club of Sedona
Becky Goldberg and Stephanie Martin, Rotary Club of Lake Havasu City
Jan Gray, Rotary Club of Scottsdale Sunrise
Teresa Haire, Rotary Club of Sun City
Dave Lenox, Rotary Club of Rainbow Tucson
Valerie Lubken, Rotary Club of Rim Country-Payson
Suzanne Nann, Rotary Club of the Verdes
John Oszust, Rotary Club of Saddlebrooke
James Quinn and District Governor Joe Sweeney, Rotary Club of Prescott Valley
John Sullivan, Rotary Club of Sahuarita.
In addition, the incoming RLA class for 2027 held its first class kick-off. The application portal for the 2027-28 class will open in the summer of 2027.
Left photo: PDG David Simmer, Chad Reid, DGE Colleen Coons and PDG Bret McKeand. Right photo: David, Dave Lenox, Colleen and Bret.
Left photo: David, Donald Bierman, Colleen. Right: David, Dr. Sally Downey and Colleen.
Left photo: David, James Quinn, Colleen. Right: David, DG Joe Sweeney, Colleen.
Photo at left: David, John Sullivan, Colleen. Right photo: David, Laura Dohner, Colleen.
Left photo: David, Pam Cohen, Colleen. Right photo: David, Jan Gray, Colleen.
Left photo: David, Polly Cady, Colleen. Right photo: David, Gerald Paulus, Colleen.
David, Valerie Lubken, Colleen.
The incoming 2027 RLA Class.