Kate Gallego is an experienced economic development professional -- creating good jobs in Phoenix and across our state. Through her work as Chair of the Phoenix Environmental Quality Commission, she has fought to reduce regulatory barriers for clean technology and encourage the use of innovative, sustainable building materials. She led the effort to develop Phoenix's renewable energy goal, which has encouraged solar development across the city. As the vice chair of PlanPHX (the 10-year plan and community conversation about the future of Phoenix), she has been working to create a more connected city with a strong Downtown. Her work on behalf of small businesses has earned her support from the head of the National Venture Capital Association, and she hopes to work to create more opportunities for Phoenix entrepreneurs' to raise capital in Arizona. She holds an MBA in Entrepreneurial Management from the University of Pennsylvania.

Justin Johnson, 32, is a Phoenix native who served on the Alhambra Village Planning Committee and is currently serving on the Phoenix Planning Commission and Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Oversight Committee. He is a Valley Leadership alumni, a Flynn-Brown Fellow, and has a degree in Economics from Occidental College. Johnson is a builder and owner in Old World Communities, a family-owned homebuilding company.

Johnson and his wife Lauren have been District 4 homeowners since 2007.

They live with their two children in a townhome community he built as a partner in his company, Old World Communities. Justin Johnson is the son of former city of Phoenix Mayor, Paul Johnson. Learn more at

Phoenix native Laura Pastor is a fifth-generation Arizonan, who graduated from St. Mary’s High School and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Arizona State University. Her grandparents and great-grandparents worked in Eastern Arizona’s mining communities, and both her parents began their careers as classroom teachers.

For four years, Laura was also a classroom teacher in the Roosevelt and Isaac Elementary School Districts, working primarily with at-risk students. During that time, she created a volunteer program to provide after-school tutoring, and authored an accountability program for teachers, students, and parents.

Currently Laura is Director of the nationally recognized Achieving a College Education Program (ACE) at South Mountain Community College. ACE is dedicated to assisting students in their transition from high school through community college and on to earning a bachelor’s degree. In addition to working directly with students on their post-secondary plans, Laura oversees all fiscal and administrative management of the program -- including the coordination, implementation, and outreach of ACE initiatives. She is charged with creating partnerships among national, state, and municipal agencies as well as private sector organizations.

Laura is a member of the Phoenix Union High School District Board, where she has been a strong advocate for strategic planning for the District. She is also actively engaged as a member of the Maricopa Transportation Advisory Board, and serves on the O’Connor House Speak Out Against Domestic Violence and Mi Familia Vota advisory boards.

In 1999, Laura was selected as one of 30 participants in the National Urban and Rural Fellowship. She attended a master’s program at Baruch College’s School of Public Affairs, City University of New York. As part of this program, Laura relocated to Chicago for her master’s practicum with the Board of Education at Chicago Public Schools. There, she organized the National Conference for the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans in Chicago and designed and implemented Theater in Public Schools. She also participated in the creation of the Global Educators Outreach.

In August 2000, Laura received her Master of Public Administration degree and joined the City of Chicago’s Office of Language and Cultural Education as the project director for Mayor Richard M. Daley’s innovative initiative Museums and Public Schools (MAPS). She was responsible for a new partnership between nine world class museums and Chicago Public Schools. Laura administered the operating budget and collaborated with museum presidents, board members, and non-profit organizations to continue the expansion of this program. MAPS served over 10,000 students in grades 2 through 6.

In 2003, Laura became Special Assistant to the Arizona Director of Insurance. She assisted with legislative matters, rules, constituent activities, and conducted special research projects -- as well as represented the Director of Insurance on various boards and commissions. Additionally, she designed a consumer awareness program for teenagers, the elderly and Hispanic constituencies embodied in Auto Insurance 101, Health Care and Home Insurance.

In 2004, Laura joined the Department of Employment and Rehabilitation Services at the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) as a training coordinator. She worked on several departmental programs including the Service Initiative, the Aging Initiative, and evaluated contractors engaged with the agency.

She has been a member of the Encanto Village Planning Committee and is a former member of the Hispanic Advisory Board of Maricopa Community Colleges, the Homeless Task Force, and Phoenix Day. She resides in Phoenix with her husband, Henry Cotto, a former major league baseball player and current minor league coach. They have four children, Henry Jr., Claudia, Eduardo and Sophia.

Warren Stewart is a 35-year resident of the City of Phoenix. He is presently the Senior Pastor of the First Institutional Baptist Church (FIBC) of Phoenix, and has served there since July 1, 1977.

Family: Warren is married to the Rev. Karen E. (Curry) Stewart and they are the parents of a blended family of five sons, Warren, Jr., Matthew, Jared, Justin, Aaron and two daughters, Jamila Imani and Jessica Elizabeth Curry. He is the grandfather of Warren Josiah, III, Micaiah Lovel, Matthew Christian II, Jared Chamberlain II, Kaira Nechee, John Paul Silas, Jase Alexander and Joshua Elijah.

Civic/Community Involvement: In 2012, Stewart was elected Chair of the Board of the National Immigration Forum as well as co-formed the Black/Brown Coalition of Arizona. Other community and civic awards include:

  • Served on the Interview Panel for the City of Phoenix Police Chief which recommended top candidates to the City Manager, 2012
  • Participated with the City of Phoenix Community Engagement Outreach Implementation Team under the direction of Phoenix City Manager, 2011
  • Led Valley African-American Leaders in Calling for the Resignation of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in December, 2011
  • Served as an Honorary Co-Chair for the successful Arizona Minimum Wage Coalition – Proposition 202 in November 2006 General Election

Stewart led FIBC in completing three phases of the VISION 2000 Master Plan which built an educational, administrative and outreach building, acquired additional property, and renovated the worship center at a total cost of nearly $4 million in cash debt-free. In 2004, a $5 million family life center was built completing the VISION 2000 Master Plan, totaling almost $9 million. In addition, FIBC has established FIBCO Family Services, Inc., Samaritan House for Homeless Families and Ujima House for Unwed Teenage Mothers and their Infants which provide social service ministries to thousands monthly.

Stewart served as the first General Chairperson for Arizonans for a Martin Luther King, Jr. State Holiday which contributed significantly to the legislative passage of Arizona’s Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on September 21, 1989. He also organized and led VICTORY TOGETHER, INC., a broad-based coalition that campaigned for a Martin Luther King, Jr./Civil Rights Day in Arizona which was won by a historic vote of the people in the general election on November 3, 1992. Stewart is recognized by others as “a man of conscience, commitment and dedication to the cause of moral leadership, human rights and a soldier of justice and equality.”

Awards and Recognition: Warren Stewart is the recipient of numerous awards and commendations from churches, colleges, civic and community organizations locally, statewide and nationally:

  • Received the Pioneer Award from Arizona State University—West Campus, ASU Black History Committee, 2012
  • Received Diversity Champion Recognition from the Phoenix Business Journal, 2012
  • Received Agent of Change Award from Promise Arizona, 2011
  • Identified as Best Pro-Civil Rights Pastor by the Phoenix New Times, 2011
  • The Business Journal of Phoenix as one of 25 “Leaders and Legends” in the Business Community, 2005
  • Calvin C. Goode Lifetime Achievement Award by City of Phoenix/MLK Celebration Committee, 2003
  • Recognized by The Arizona Daily Star as a “Living Legend”, 2002
  • The Phoenix Gazette Hall of Fame as “one of ten people whose achievements had the most notable effect on…Arizona”, 1993
  • Recognized by The Arizona Republic as one of the ten most influential religious leaders in the Valley, 1985

Academic Achievements/Awards

  • Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Ottawa University, Ottawa, Kansas, 1994
  • Award of Excellence in Black Church Studies, Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies, Los Angeles, California, 1982
  • Doctor of Ministry Degree, American Baptist Seminary of the West, Berkeley, California, 1982
  • Master of Sacred Theology Degree, Selected to deliver Commencement Address, Union Theological Seminary, 1977
  • Master of Divinity Degree, Union Theological Seminary, New York City,1976
  • Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion and Philosophy, Summa Cum Laude, Bishop College, Dallas, Texas, 1973
  • Associate of Arts Degree, Honor Graduate, Coffeyville Community Junior College, Coffeyville, Kansas, 1971