Phoenix has emerged as a national leader in advanced manufacturing and technology investment, but sustaining that momentum will require more than attracting new companies and creating jobs.

That was a central message from business, government and academic leaders who gathered in Phoenix recently to discuss how innovation, collaboration, and community-driven solutions can translate economic growth into lasting opportunity.

The Oct. 16 discussion was part of the national Community Futures Challenge Innovation Tour, an initiative of PMI U.S. designed to spotlight innovative approaches to addressing local challenges.

Participants included Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, Arizona Commerce Authority President and CEO Sandra Watson, Arizona State University professor and former National Science Foundation Director Sethuraman Panchanathan, Phoenix Vice Mayor Kesha Hodge Washington and Black Chamber of Arizona President and CEO Velma Trayham.

Phoenix residents optimistic about innovation

The discussion coincided with the release of new Harris Poll research commissioned by PMI U.S. that found considerable optimism among Phoenix residents about their community’s ability to shape its economic future.

According to the survey, 83% of Phoenix residents believe America’s next chapter will depend on ideas emerging from communities across the country, rather than exclusively from established centers of influence and innovation.

Another 77% believe Phoenix is actively working to solve local problems, while 54% see improving opportunities for younger generations.

But residents also recognize that promising ideas require resources and sustained support to succeed.

The survey found that 88% consider long-term commitments from partners essential for communities to thrive, while an equal percentage identified funding and investment as critical. Another 86% pointed to access to tools, technology and expertise.

Those findings helped frame a conversation about how Phoenix can capitalize on its growing prominence in industries such as semiconductor manufacturing while ensuring that economic opportunities extend throughout the community.

“We want innovation to be driven by our community for our community, and want our community to feel the benefits,” Gallego said.

Partnerships drive economic development

Watson emphasized that Arizona’s economic development success depends on cooperation among businesses, educational institutions, government and community organizations.

“Economic development is not done in isolation. It is done with partners,” Watson said. “It’s done with communities. It’s done with our universities, elected officials. I mean, everyone plays a role.”

Panchanathan, who serves as University Professor of Technology and Innovation and Foundation Chair in Computing and Augmented Intelligence at ASU, echoed that message, emphasizing the importance of close relationships between higher education and the private sector.

“University and industry need to cohabitate together, work together, co-create together, co-design together, and co-deliver together,” he said.

The discussion highlighted the importance of connecting education and workforce development programs with the needs of emerging industries.

Gallego pointed to apprenticeship opportunities associated with the semiconductor industry as an example of how major investments can create pathways to careers and economic mobility for Arizona residents.

Speakers also emphasized that the region’s continued growth will depend on addressing challenges that affect its competitiveness and quality of life, particularly housing affordability and long-term water security.

Housing and workforce needs are economic development priorities

Hodge Washington argued that housing must be treated as an integral part of economic development strategy, particularly as Phoenix works to attract and retain workers.

“Housing is not separate from economic development. Housing is a key part of economic development,” she said. “Until we start looking at housing as part of economic development, we are always going to be a little bit behind.”

The vice mayor highlighted city initiatives focused on attainable housing, housing stability and eviction assistance.

National initiative supports community-driven solutions

The Phoenix event also highlighted the Community Futures Challenge, a national initiative that will award five $50,000 grants to nonprofit organizations developing practical, scalable solutions to challenges facing their communities.

Arizona State University is the initiative’s official judging partner, with Panchanathan serving as chair of the judging panel.

Trayham, who also serves as a judge, said communities often possess the ideas and entrepreneurial talent needed to solve problems but lack the resources to put those ideas into action.

“The talent and innovation needed to shape America’s future already exist in communities across the country,” Trayham said. “What is often missing is access to capital, strategic relationships, and the resources to turn promising ideas into lasting impact.”

She said the challenge offers an opportunity to identify community-driven solutions with the leadership and execution strategies necessary to produce measurable results.

Jody Sunna, chief communications officer of PMI U.S., said successful innovation must ultimately deliver tangible improvements in people’s daily lives.

“People want to see innovation when it solves everyday problems, and they want companies and partners who are going to help make that a reality in their day-to-day lives,” Sunna said.

As Arizona continues to attract investment in advanced industries, speakers emphasized that its long-term success will depend on translating that momentum into accessible career opportunities, stronger communities and improvements in quality of life.

More information about the Community Futures Challenge is available at .

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The Boeing Company’s efforts to strengthen Arizona’s talent pipeline and prepare students for careers in aerospace and advanced manufacturing earned the company statewide recognition last week from Education Forward Arizona.

Boeing received the organization’s North Star Award at its annual Oct. 21 at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn. The award recognizes organizations whose leadership and partnerships help students pursue education, explore career opportunities and develop the skills needed to succeed in the workforce.

A major presence in Arizona’s aerospace and defense industry, Boeing has made workforce development a priority through partnerships with schools, community colleges and career and technical education programs.

“Building a strong workforce starts with helping people see what’s possible and giving them opportunities to develop their skills,” said Azeem Khan, Boeing’s vice president of attack helicopter programs and senior Mesa site executive. “Our education and community partners make that work possible, and we’re honored to share this recognition with them.”

Boeing’s workforce initiatives include with Mesa Community College, which help prepare participants for specialized manufacturing work.

The company is also a partner in the Aerospace & Defense Future48 Workforce Accelerator at Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Mesa, an initiative designed to align workforce training with the needs of Arizona’s growing aerospace and defense sector.

Another partnership supports the East Valley Institute of Technology’s STEM Academy at its Power Campus, helping introduce students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics and the career opportunities available in those fields.

Boeing’s commitment extends to its existing workforce. Through its , the company provides tuition assistance to employees pursuing additional coursework, professional credentials and degrees.

The investments reflect the increasingly important relationship between education and economic development as Arizona competes for advanced manufacturing projects and the skilled workers needed to support them.

Boeing has been a major Arizona employer since 1982, with operations that include rotorcraft development, manufacturing and other aerospace-related functions. Its Mesa presence is a significant part of the state’s aerospace and defense industry

The company’s education investments also begin well before students enter the workforce. In a separate announcement this month, the Arizona Educational Foundation to bring aerospace career exploration to 1,500 Mesa Public Schools students.

The grant supports the foundation’s Spheres of Industry program, which introduces kindergarten through eighth-grade students to career opportunities through hands-on learning projects. It marks the fourth year of Boeing’s support for the foundation.

“Building the aerospace talent pipeline starts well before students choose a career or enter the workforce,” said Kristin Sorensen, Boeing’s senior government and community relations specialist. “Through hands-on, career-connected learning, Spheres of Industry helps students see how the skills they’re developing today can open doors to future opportunities.”

Boeing was one of three honorees recognized at Education Forward Arizona’s celebration, which brought together hundreds of education, business and community leaders.

Dr. Sybil Francis, chair, president and CEO of the Center for the Future of Arizona, received the Luminary Award for her longstanding leadership in education and her work to advance a shared vision for Arizona’s future.

Francis co-founded the Center for the Future of Arizona and has championed its Arizona We Want initiative. The center also partnered with Education Forward Arizona to develop the Arizona Education Progress Meter, which tracks the state’s performance on key education indicators.

Entrepreneur Lorena Valencia received the Stellar Achievement Award. Valencia founded Reliance Wire and Cable in Arizona in 1999 and grew the company into an automotive supply business with more than 200 employees and operations in the United States and Mexico.

“Education and economic development go hand in hand,” Valencia said. “When we invest in education, we’re also investing in the future of our communities.”

Rich Nickel, president and CEO of Education Forward Arizona, said the honorees demonstrate how collaboration among educators, employers and community leaders can create greater economic opportunity. “Education creates opportunity for individuals and helps build the skilled workforce Arizona needs,” Nickel said. “This year’s honorees show how leaders across sectors can turn that connection into meaningful progress.”

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Intel says construction and equipment installation are underway at its Fab 62 facility in Chandler, with operations expected to begin by the end of 2028, another expansion of Arizona’s role in American semiconductor manufacturing.

The factory will become the sixth high-volume manufacturing facility at Intel’s Ocotillo campus. Naga Chandrasekaran, executive vice president and chief technology and operations officer of Intel Foundry, outlined the progress in a company on its U.S. research and manufacturing investments.

The project builds on an Arizona presence stretching back nearly half a century. Intel describes its in two new Arizona factories at $32 billion and estimates its existing annual economic impact in the state at $10.7 billion, reflecting a footprint that reaches beyond its campuses to local suppliers and service providers.

“Semiconductor manufacturing brings together breakthroughs in physics, materials science, chemistry and engineering at extraordinary precision and scale,” Chandrasekaran said. “It employs thousands of scientists, researchers, engineers, technicians and manufacturing professionals who work together to transform those breakthroughs into technologies used around the world.”

Building on Fab 52

The expansion follows the opening of Fab 52, Intel’s fifth high-volume factory at Ocotillo and a manufacturing site for its Intel 18A technology.

At a technology event in Arizona last year, Intel showcased the facility and processors built using that technology, including Panther Lake, designed for personal computers, and Clearwater Forest, designed for servers. The company described Intel 18A as the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing process developed and manufactured in the United States.

The two factories represent successive steps in expanding Chandler’s manufacturing capacity: Fab 52 brought Intel’s latest chipmaking technology into production, while Fab 62 is moving through construction and equipment installation toward its anticipated opening.

Preparing Arizona’s workforce

Arizona’s semiconductor expansion also requires a workforce prepared to operate and maintain sophisticated manufacturing facilities.

The Arizona Commerce Authority Intel’s first U.S. registered apprenticeship program for manufacturing facility technicians with a $4 million investment. The program adds a training pathway for workers entering an industry with opportunities extending beyond engineering and research positions.

The state also has invested in a semiconductor-focused Future48 Workforce Accelerator at GateWay Community College in Phoenix. Announced in November 2024, the initiative was designed to provide hands-on instruction with industry partners including Intel, TSMC and NXP. Together, those efforts connect Arizona’s manufacturing investments with its community college and workforce training systems.

An Arizona anchor for domestic manufacturing

Intel’s Arizona operations also encompass advanced packaging research and development, assembly and testing, placing the state in several stages of semiconductor development and production. Chandrasekaran’s update framed those capabilities as part of a domestic network linking research, manufacturing and suppliers. For Arizona, the next milestone is concrete: bringing another major Chandler chip factory into operation by the end of 2028.

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Arizona has a champion headed to Washington, D.C., and he’s bringing three years of preparation, a passion for civics and a few ideas about making housing more affordable.

Shaurya Arora, Arizona’s state Civics Bee champion, will represent the Grand Canyon State at the National Civics Bee, where he’ll test his knowledge alongside other state champions.

For Arora, the trip is both a competitive opportunity and a chance to find his people.

“I’m very excited about going to Washington, D.C., and being able to meet other people who share a passion about civics, just like me,” he said.

His road to the national stage began in sixth grade, when his parents learned about the competition. Already interested in history and civics, Arora saw an opportunity to take those interests beyond the classroom.

He entered, kept studying and kept coming back. This year, that persistence paid off with a state championship.

A community issue becomes a civics project

The competition involves more than knowing the right answers. Arora’s submission for the essay portion of the contest explored an issue he had noticed affecting people around him: housing affordability.

Rising home prices, mortgage rates and limited housing supply caught his attention. So did the consequences for families trying to find a stable place to live or achieve the dream of homeownership.

His research examined Arizona’s response to the issue and ways he could help, from volunteering with housing assistance organizations to working with city agencies and councils to support vulnerable families.

The assignment gave him a chance to connect his interest in government with a practical community challenge.

“I wasn’t very educated on this topic, and I learned a lot,” he said.

That same topic will travel with him to nationals, where his original essay carries forward.

Keeping cool when the questions get tough

Arora is quick to say that the Civics Bee requires serious preparation.

Over three years, he has used study guides, online learning resources and his own notes to build his knowledge. His advice: Read carefully, remember what you’ve learned and do more than skim.

On competition day, he concentrated on processing each question and answering within the time limit, keeping nerves from interfering with his thinking.

That didn’t mean he felt certain of victory. Scoreboard updates came every 10 questions, and after the multiple-choice portion, he believed he had fallen behind.

“I wasn’t really sure about getting first place,” he said.

But the competition wasn’t over. By the end, Arizona had its champion—and Arora had a trip to Washington to prepare for.

With school back in session, Arora has been balancing classwork with preparations for nationals. He’s returning to his civics studies with an eye toward the bigger stage ahead.

The trip will also include a tour of important Washington sites, adding a chance to see some of the places connected to the subjects he has spent years studying.

And yes, he has thought about what it would be like to win the whole thing.

“It would be very cool to win the whole competition,” he said.

For now, he’s sticking with the approach that got him this far: steady preparation and a willingness to keep learning.

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A national competition launched by Philip Morris International’s U.S. businesses is offering $250,000 to help locally developed ideas grow into scalable solutions for communities across the country.

The Community Futures Challenge will award $250,000 across five grants of $50,000 each to eligible nonprofit organizations. Applications are open through Nov. 30.

Arizona State University is serving as the program’s official judging partner, while an independent panel will evaluate submissions based on community impact, feasibility, innovation, sustainability and the strength of the project team. Pacheco Ventures operates the challenge.

Eligible projects can range from early-stage concepts to pilot programs and initiatives already beginning to scale. Organizers point to workforce development, economic mobility, public infrastructure, civic technology and entrepreneurship among the types of community challenges the competition is designed to address.

The effort recognizes that many promising solutions are already being developed in communities across the country but need additional capital and partnerships to have broader impact.

The competition is being paired with a five-city Innovator Series Tour bringing together business, government, nonprofit and community leaders to discuss how locally developed ideas can move from concept to broader impact.

The tour recently stopped in Stamford, Connecticut, where participants included Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons, University of Connecticut President Radenka Maric and Daniel O’Keefe, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development. 

Stamford is one of five stops on the tour alongside Nashville, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville and Phoenix.

The Stamford discussion focused on the role local leadership, entrepreneurship and investment can play in turning community-based ideas into scalable solutions. The event was held at PMI U.S.’s headquarters wither representatives from government, business, media and non-profit organizations as part of the company’s broader America250 initiative.

The Community Futures Challenge is open to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations serving defined communities anywhere in the United States. Finalists are expected to be notified in January, with winners announced in early 2027.

Applications are open through Nov. 30 at america250cfc.org.

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Arizona State University is partnering with Philip Morris International’s U.S. businesses on a new national initiative aimed at finding and funding innovative, community-driven solutions to some of the challenges facing communities across the country.

The , announced this week by PMI U.S., will award five $50,000 grants to nonprofit organizations developing practical ideas to strengthen their communities.

ASU will serve as a key partner in administering the competition and its judging process, bringing the university’s expertise in innovation and entrepreneurship to an initiative that will reach all 50 states.

“Innovation is most impactful when rooted in the needs and strengths of communities,” said Dr. Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan, University Professor of Technology and Innovation and Foundation Chair in Computing and Augmented Intelligence at ASU. “The Community Futures Challenge reflects a shared commitment to identifying those ideas, advancing innovation with purpose, and supporting efforts that can deliver meaningful impact across the country.”

Panchanathan, who previously served as director of the National Science Foundation, will chair the Challenge’s judging panel.

The competition is open to eligible U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with projects serving adults age 21 and older. Projects may be in the early-stage, pilot or scaling phase.

The Challenge will also include a four-city “innovation hub” tour intended to highlight local problem-solvers and bring together business, civic and community leaders. Phoenix will serve as one of the four stops, along with Stamford, Connecticut; Pittsburgh; and Jacksonville, Florida.

“At PMI U.S., we believe America’s next chapter will be shaped by the people not afraid to tackle difficult problems, turn bold ideas into action, and open up new routes to progress for their communities,” PMI U.S. CEO Stacey Kennedy said. “As our businesses continue to invest in American jobs, manufacturing, and innovation, the Community Futures Challenge extends that commitment by backing the people and ideas helping build what comes next.”

The initiative comes as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary and is part of PMI U.S.’s broader “Invested in America” effort. The company says it has invested more than $1 billion in U.S. operations, workforce expansion and innovation capabilities since 2022.

The Challenge is built around the premise that some of the most promising solutions to community challenges originate with the people and organizations closest to them.

A recent nationwide survey commissioned by PMI U.S. and conducted by The Harris Poll found that 86% of U.S. adults believe the most meaningful innovation solves real-world problems people encounter in their daily lives. The survey also found that 87% believe communities understand their own challenges better than outside experts, while 90% believe companies should act as community partners rather than assume they have all the answers.

ASU will help oversee a selection process designed to identify ideas with the potential to produce meaningful and scalable results.

Joining Panchanathan on the judging panel are retired Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass; journalist Steve Clemons; longtime SXSW executive Hugh Forrest; University of Silicon Valley President and CEO Dr. Mark Naufel, who founded ASU’s Luminosity Lab; Atlantic Council Nonresident Senior Fellow Leah Pisar; Black Chamber of Arizona President and CEO Dr. Velma Trayham; entrepreneur Ted Yang; and Neuro co-founder and CEO Kent Yoshimura.

The inclusion of both Panchanathan and Trayham on the panel, along with Phoenix’s selection as an innovation hub, gives Arizona a prominent role in the national initiative.

For ASU, the partnership is also consistent with the university’s longstanding emphasis on entrepreneurship, applied research and using innovation to address real-world challenges.

Eligible nonprofits can apply for one of the five $50,000 grants at .

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For years, employers and working parents have understood the practical challenges created by a shortage of affordable, accessible child care. New research and polling suggest those challenges are increasingly becoming something else, too: an economic issue with growing political salience.

The numbers help explain why.

A finds that more than eight in 10 likely voters — 82% — consider the cost of childcare part of the nation’s broader concerns with the cost of living. More than three-quarters, 76%, say the cost of care for families with young children is either a crisis or a major problem.

For parents who actually pay for childcare, the issue is even more immediate. Asked to identify the two biggest cost pressures they face, 38% named childcare, putting it virtually even with groceries at 40% and behind only housing at 56%.

Those findings come as new data illustrate the size of the challenge here in Arizona — and recent economic research makes the case that childcare isn’t simply a family issue but increasingly a workforce and economic competitiveness issue as well.

Arizona families feel the squeeze

Arizona is home to more than 481,000 children age 5 and younger, according to the First Five Years Fund, and 62% have all available parents participating in the workforce.

For those families, care can represent a significant household expense. The annual price of center-based childcare in Arizona is $16,384, or about $1,365 per month. Home-based care is less expensive, but still averages $9,339 annually, or $778 per month. FFYF estimates a 17% gap between the supply of childcare and potential need in Arizona and puts the annual economic impact of the state’s childcare challenges at $3.3 billion.

Those figures align with that found Arizona’s supply of licensed child care providers has declined dramatically even as the state’s population has grown.

Arizona had 5,126 licensed childcare providers in 2002. By 2024, that number had fallen to 2,779 — a 46% decline. Meanwhile, the median daily cost of licensed center-based infant care increased from $43.03 in 2018 to $61.40 in 2024.

The problem is especially acute in some rural areas, but it isn’t confined to them. CSI found that even Maricopa County has licensed capacity sufficient for only about 13% of its infant population.

A workforce issue hiding in plain sight

For the business community, perhaps the most consequential aspect of the childcare debate is its effect on the labor force.

When parents cannot find care, cannot afford it, or cannot find care that accommodates their work schedules, the consequences eventually reach employers. Workers may reduce their hours, turn down jobs or promotions, miss shifts, or leave the workforce altogether.

The latest polling suggests the effects extend well beyond parents themselves. Nearly 40% of all voters surveyed said their own ability to work is affected by coworkers’ childcare challenges. Almost half of working parents said childcare challenges affect their ability to work, and one in five parents with young children said those challenges frequently do so.

CSI attempted to put an economic value on addressing that problem.

Its analysis estimates that making childcare sufficiently affordable and accessible could draw between 15,500 and 87,800 additional Arizonans into the labor force. Under CSI’s midpoint scenario of 50,000 new workers, the effects ripple well beyond those individuals: The modeling projects 131,700 additional jobs by year five, approximately $17.5 billion in additional state GDP, more than $13.5 billion in additional personal income and an estimated $188 million in additional state income tax revenue.

Those are significant numbers in a state where employers regularly identify access to talent as one of their most important considerations when deciding whether to expand, relocate or invest.

Political salience is growing

None of this means there is an obvious policy answer.

The childcare market presents a particularly difficult economic equation. Care is expensive for parents while wages for childcare workers remain comparatively low. Providers operate in a labor-intensive business with narrow margins, and regulations intended to ensure children’s health and safety can also increase operating costs and create barriers to adding capacity.

CSI’s research cautions against viewing increased subsidies as the only answer. It points to regulatory reform, expansion of home-based and alternative models, and policies that encourage more providers to enter the market as ways to increase supply and put downward pressure on costs.

But what does appear to be changing is the political environment surrounding the issue.

The FFYF poll found broad support for several basic objectives: 83% support ensuring that parents can choose the type of childcare that works best for their family, 73% support lowering monthly child care costs, and 71% support expanding the supply of care. Nearly half of Democratic voters surveyed said congressional Democrats should work with Republicans and President Donald Trump to pass childcare legislation.

That is noteworthy at a time when affordability is likely to remain central to the political conversation.

Housing, groceries, energy and other household expenses tend to dominate discussions about the cost of living, but for many families with young children, childcare increasingly belongs in that conversation, representing one of the largest bills they pay.

And unlike many other household expenses, the availability and price of childcare can determine whether a parent is able to work in the first place.

That makes childcare unusual in the affordability debate: Addressing it has the potential not only to reduce pressure on household budgets, but also to increase labor-force participation and expand the pool of workers available to employers.

This latest research suggests policymakers should expect childcare to command greater attention, not simply as a family issue, but as an affordability, workforce, and economic growth issue with increasingly significant political implications.

Image courtesy Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

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As school choice and education savings account programs continue to expand across Arizona and the U.S., state agencies face a growing operational challenge: how to administer billions of dollars in public funding while ensuring compliance, transparency, and a streamlined experience for families.

Odyssey was built to solve exactly that problem.

Rather than simply functioning as a payments processor, the technology company developed an end-to-end platform designed specifically for public education funding programs. Its technology helps state agencies manage everything from eligibility verification and document collection to vendor management, purchasing controls, reimbursements, and financial reporting all within a single system.

With Odyssey managing school choice programs in states like Texas, Florida, and Iowa, the need for technology that can handle the complexity of program administration has become increasingly important as they scale across the country. Modern programs can serve tens of thousands of families, support thousands of education providers, and process enormous volumes of applications, receipts, and transactions. Managing that complexity through spreadsheets and dated software is no longer sustainable.

That operational focus has also positioned Odyssey to become an early adopter of artificial intelligence (AI), using it as a practical tool for improving efficiency and strengthening the integrity of its program.

“Odyssey is proud to play a key role in expanding access to high quality education for families in states across the country, regardless of income or zip code,” said Sam Ratcliffe, chief technology officer at Odyssey. “We are committed to offering our best-in-class technology and AI to better serve school choice families, schools, and program administrators. When technology is built around the needs of both government and families, it expands educational opportunity while delivering the transparency and accountability that public programs require and taxpayers deserve.”

Unlike traditional software that relies exclusively on fixed rules, Odyssey utilizes AI to interpret large volumes of unstructured information, including receipts, invoices, product descriptions, and supporting documentation. The technology helps classify purchases, identify missing information, detect unusual transaction patterns, and prioritize cases that warrant additional human review.

Every flagged transaction is routed through structured review workflows where trained specialists review the issue to make the final determination according to state policy. This approach allows agencies to automate repetitive administrative work while preserving oversight for higher-risk decisions.

Odyssey’s platform also strengthens fraud prevention by addressing improper payments before they occur rather than solely relying on audits after funds are spent.

As Odyssey’s platform has expanded across multiple states, machine learning has become increasingly effective at distinguishing between normal program activity and behavior that calls for closer examination. Operational feedback from reviewers continually
improves case prioritization while ensuring each state’s unique policy requirements remain central to every decision.

Beyond compliance, automation has significantly improved the experience for families. Instead of waiting days or weeks for application reviews, Odyssey’s automated systems can return eligibility decisions in seconds. Families can apply, upload documents, monitor balances, purchase approved educational services and track reimbursements from a mobile device — an important feature considering that roughly 85% of users access the platform via smartphone.

For state agencies operating with limited staffing resources, those efficiencies are equally meaningful. Automation handles routine processes such as application intake, document validation, transaction routing and payment reconciliation, allowing employees to focus on complex cases, policy interpretation, investigations, and constituent support.

Ultimately, Odyssey sees AI as one component of a broader technology ecosystem designed to make education funding more efficient, transparent, and accountable. By combining automation with configurable program rules, comprehensive audit trails and human oversight, the company is helping modernize how states administer rapidly growing education choice programs while strengthening safeguards for public funds.

Photo: Lucélia Ribeiro, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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Valleywise Health is expanding its independently accredited dental residency program to strengthen Arizona’s health care workforce while improving access to oral health services in underserved communities.

The Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency, which launched its inaugural cohort in 2025, recently welcomed three new residents as part of its continued growth. The program is designed to prepare dentists to deliver comprehensive, community-focused care—particularly in complex medical and social environments often encountered in safety-net settings.

The expansion marks a significant milestone for Valleywise Health, which has long played a central role in training medical professionals but only recently established its first dental residency program under its sole sponsorship.

Dr. Christopher Brendemuhl, director of dentistry at Valleywise Community Health dental clinics and chair of the Department of Dentistry, said the program is intentionally designed to cultivate a new generation of dentists committed to service.

“Our goal is to influence the next generation of dentists to be community-service minded and to truly embrace the Valleywise Health mission,” Brendemuhl said. “We want to build a group of dentists who are connected to the community, who are lifelong learners and who are passionate about serving the most vulnerable of our populations.”

The residency received initial accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation in August 2024 and is working toward full accreditation, an important step in solidifying its role as a long-term training pipeline.

Integrated care model reflects evolving health needs

A key feature of the program is its emphasis on integrated, team-based care. Residents rotate through Valleywise Health’s network of Federally Qualified Health Centers and its flagship medical center, gaining hands-on experience that connects oral health with broader medical treatment.

This interdisciplinary approach reflects a growing recognition across the health care sector that oral health is closely tied to overall health outcomes.

“Our residency uniquely integrates dentistry with broader medical care, offering a holistic view of health that extends beyond the dental chair,” Brendemuhl said. “This experience is enriched through rotations in specialized clinics and interdisciplinary settings where residents see firsthand how oral health impacts overall health.”

Training sites include the Comprehensive Health Center in Phoenix, where residents collaborate across specialties; the Peoria location, which offers exposure to ambulatory surgical care; and the McDowell clinic, which focuses on treating patients living with HIV/AIDS.

Building a pipeline for community-based care

The program’s expansion comes as Arizona, like much of the country, faces ongoing challenges in ensuring adequate access to health care providers—particularly in community health settings that serve low-income and medically complex populations.

Valleywise Health operates a network of Federally Qualified Health Centers across Maricopa County, positioning the residency program as a direct pipeline for dentists prepared to practice in those environments.

The organization, which has trained medical professionals since 1952 and serves as Arizona’s only public teaching hospital and safety-net health system, sees the dental residency as a natural extension of its broader workforce mission.

“This program is about more than training dentists,” Brendemuhl said. “It’s about building a workforce that understands the needs of our community and is equipped to meet them with skill and compassion.”

As Arizona continues to grow, efforts like Valleywise Health’s AEGD program highlight the critical role of locally driven workforce development in meeting the state’s long-term health care needs—particularly for populations that have historically faced barriers to care.

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As Arizona’s largest private employer, Banner Health is highlighting its outsized role not only in health care, but in the state’s broader economy.

In its newly released 2025 annual report, the Phoenix-based nonprofit health system said it invested $1.1 billion back into the communities it serves, supporting patient care, workforce development, research, and prevention efforts. The report also estimates Banner’s operations generate a $12 billion annual economic impact across Arizona.

The figures reinforce Banner’s standing as one of Arizona’s most consequential institutions for both public health and economic growth.

According to the report, Banner supports 140,000 jobs statewide, including 60,000 direct employees and another 80,000 indirect jobs tied to its operations and related economic activity.

For Arizona’s business community, those numbers underscore how health care systems increasingly serve as pillars of regional economic development, workforce stability, and long-term competitiveness.

“A strong health care system is foundational to a strong economy,” ����Vlog��ý of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden said. “Banner Health’s continued investment in Arizona’s workforce, communities, and long-term health outcomes demonstrates how essential institutions like this help make our state a place where businesses can grow, families can thrive, and talent wants to live and work.”

That broader economic perspective is reflected in Banner’s nonprofit model, which emphasizes reinvestment in patient care, technology, workforce development, and community-based services across Arizona.

“As a nonprofit health system, every dollar we earn is invested into our care, services, technology, talent and communities, not Wall Street shareholders,” Banner Health President and CEO Amy Perry said in the report’s .

That reinvestment model is especially visible in Banner’s workforce pipeline efforts, a critical issue as Arizona continues to grapple with population growth and a rising demand for health care professionals.

The annual report notes Banner trains more than 1,300 residents and fellows each year, supports 7,000 nursing students annually, and provides hands-on health care career experiences for more than 3,500 high school students through programs such as Camp Scrubs.

Those investments come as Arizona employers across sectors continue to emphasize the importance of talent development and workforce readiness.

Beyond its role as an employer, Banner also detailed major investments aimed at improving health outcomes in Arizona communities.

Among the report’s highlights, the system said it served 70,000 meals to low-income seniors through the Banner Olive Branch Senior Center and distributed more than 1 million pounds of food through its pantry operations.

Banner’s BIG Pink Bus mobile mammography program also screened nearly 1,000 women, with 18% receiving their first-ever screening, expanding access to preventive care in communities that may otherwise face barriers to early detection services.

The report also cites measurable gains in preventive care among Medicaid populations, including a 114% increase in colorectal cancer screenings and more than an 1,100% increase in blood pressure checks year over year.

For employers and policymakers alike, those gains carry implications that extend beyond the health sector.

A healthier workforce can translate into reduced absenteeism, improved productivity, and lower long-term health costs — all factors that influence Arizona’s economic competitiveness.

As the state continues to attract new residents, businesses, and investment, Banner’s report makes clear that health care infrastructure remains a central driver of Arizona’s economic momentum.

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